The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation informed that it will invest R$ 3 million in scientific research projects on monkeypox (monkeypox). The resource was released by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).
The projects will involve lines of research on vaccines, assessment of the immunological status of the population, viral antigen tests for serology, evaluation of strains circulating in Brazil and monitoring of the behavior of the virus in wild and domestic animals. Surveys must be completed within 24 months.
The work will be carried out by researchers from federal universities who are part of CâmaraPOX, a consultative group created to fight the virus.
The scientists are from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Feevale University, a private institution in Rio Grande do Sul.
Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus and transmitted by close or intimate contact with an infected person with skin lesions.
In general, the clinical pictures are mild and require care and observation of the lesions. The greatest risk of worsening occurs for immunosuppressed people with HIV/AIDS, leukemia, lymphoma, metastasis, transplant recipients, people with autoimmune diseases, pregnant women, lactating women and children under 8 years of age.
