Research Progress on Animal Models of Monkeypox Virus Infection and the Application in Vaccine Quality Evaluation

Abstract

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the Monkeypox virus, a member of the genus Orthopoxvirus within the family Poxviridae, currently classified into the West African clade and Congo Basin clade. Existing studies have primarily utilized mice (e.g., CAST/EiJ, BALB/c), rabbits, and non-human primates (e.g., rhesus monkeys, marmosets) as infection models. However, these models still have limitations in accurately simulating human disease characteristics and immune responses. In addition, vaccine evaluation systems for various MPXV strains have not been fully established, and relevant studies remain insufficient. This paper reviews the progress of animal models infected with MPXV and their application in vaccine evaluation, aiming to provide references for optimizing model selection and enhancing vaccine development strategies.