Nanomedicine as a Potential Tool against Monkeypox

Abstract

Human monkeypox is a rare viral zoonosis that was first identified in 1970; since then, this infectious disease has been marked as endemic in central and western Africa. The disease has always been considered rare and self-limiting; however, recent worldwide reports of several cases suggest otherwise. Especially with monkeypox being recognized as the most important orthopoxvirus infection in humans in the smallpox post-eradication era, its spread across the globe marks a new epidemic. Currently, there is no proven treatment for human monkeypox, and questions about the necessity of developing a vaccine persist. Notably, if we are to take lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, developing a nanomedicine-based preventative strategy might be prudent, particularly with the rapid growth of the use of nanotechnology and nanomaterials in medical research. Unfortunately, the collected data in this area is limited, dispersed, and often incomplete. Therefore, this review aims to trace all reported nanomedicine approaches made in the monkeypox area and to suggest possible directions that could be further investigated to develop a counteractive strategy against emerging and existing viruses that could diminish this epidemic and prevent it from becoming a potential pandemic, especially with the world still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nanomaterials: An overview of synthesis, classification, characterization, and applications

“…[16][17][18] Also, it was possible to diagnose and treat the monkey pox disease that is currently happening in the world by using nanomaterials. [19,20] In the future, it is expected that nano materials, nano science and nano technology will play a leading role in the development of the world. [11,12,21,22] Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to have adequate knowledge and understanding about nanomaterials.…”

Progress and prospects on vaccine development against monkeypox infection

“…Several studies have supported the promising efficacy of nanovaccines versus viral infections. Such a study can be utilized to produce a nanovaccine that could inhibit the outbreak of the MPOX while enhancing the immune reaction, especially with nanoparticles improving the delivery yield, delivering adjuvants, and slowly releasing packed factors [ [162] , [163] , [164] , [165] , [166] , [167] ]. For instance, researchers demonstrated in one study that an mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine encoding a collection of four highly preserved MPOX surface proteins involved in virus binding, fusion, and transfer can stimulate MPOX-specific immunity and heterologous preservation versus a lethal VACV challenge.…”

“…Additionally, issues that may be encountered when developing a nanovaccine for MPOX and need to be addressed are vaccine affordability, capability to scale up, and durability in various environments because many MPOX patients are in several counties that cannot afford strict storage and transportation requirements. Moreover, it is crucial to thoroughly study and evaluate the toxicity, immune responses, and efficacy of nanoparticles on the transferring factor each time a nanovaccine is prepared for the MPOX [ 162 ].…”