Fiocruz lab to operate as center for monkeypox in Brazil

The Enterovirus Laboratory of Brazil’s research foundation Oswaldo Cruz Institute, also known as Fiocruz, has been designated as center for the analysis of potential samples of monkeypox by the country’s Ministry of Health. The laboratory will be tasked with analyzing the material collected in the state of Rio de Janeiro as well as the entire Northeast region.

The move expands the network of dedicated centers for the diagnosis of the disease in Brazil, which already included the Ezequiel Dias Foundation, in Minas Gerais state; the Adolfo Lutz Institute, in São Paulo; and the laboratories of Virus Molecular Biology and Molecular Virology, of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

Edson Elias, head of Fiocruz’s Enterovirus Laboratory, pointed out that, following the rapid proliferation of the virus across the world, the experience of Fiocruz can contribute a great deal to build a Brazilian response to the outbreak. Last week, the laboratory provided test training for health professionals from Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.