VIRUS-MVP: A framework for comprehensive surveillance of viral mutations and their functional impacts

Abstract

As viruses evolve, they accumulate genetic mutations that can influence disease severity, transmissibility, and the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutics. Real-time tracking of viral mutations and their functional impacts is essential to understand these changes and assess their implications for public health responses. VIRUS-MVP is an interactive, portable platform designed for the comprehensive surveillance of viral mutations. Initially developed for SARS-CoV-2, it now fully supports mpox and is expanding to include influenza and RSV. The platform links viral mutations to functional annotations, providing insights into their predicted effects on viral infectivity, immune evasion, and protein functionality. It features an interactive interface for visualizing mutation distributions, a modular and reproducible genomics workflow, and a curated annotation resource that captures known impacts on viral proteins and host interactions. Users can also import custom functional annotations to tailor analyses to specific research needs or emerging pathogens. Developed collaboratively with public health and academic partners, VIRUS-MVP enhances understanding of viral evolution and its public health impact by bridging genomic data with biological insights. The platform is open-source, adaptable, and accessible on GitHub.