Why is monkey pox spread through gay men

All this may explain why the virus is primarily spreading through networks of men who have sex with men. Many countries are now offering this at-risk groups vaccines to protect them. Ever since monkeypox started to sicken thousands of people worldwide this spring, two big questions have loomed: Why is a virus that has never managed to spread beyond a few cases outside Africa suddenly causing such a big, global outbreak?

And why are the overwhelming majority of those affected men who have sex with men (MSM)?. According to emerging viruses specialist Yannick Simonin, anyone who has close physical contact with another person who has contracted monkeypox is at risk, regardless of their sexual. Does monkeypox spread faster among gay and bisexual men?

The short answer is no. Anyone can be infected by monkeypox. The virus is not a sexually transmitted infection. It's.

Anyone can get monkeypox, but in the latest outbreak, the virus is predominantly spreading among gay and bisexual men. Officials noted Monday that most of the people affected reported some. Thirteen percent of the men were hospitalized, most commonly for severe pain, in particular anorectal pain.

Why it’s important to tell people that monkeypox is predominately affecting gay and bisexual men

Monkeypox is more likely to cause severe illness in children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people. Antiviral medications used to treat smallpox can also be used for monkeypox, including tecovirimat TPOXXwhich prevents viral egress from cells, and the nucleoside analogues cidofovir Vistide ; familiar as a treatment for cytomegalovirus retinitis and brincidofovir Tembexa.

Mpox monkeypox. Although primarily seen in Central and West Africa, isolated cases are occasionally reported in Europe and elsewhere, often involving travellers. More news from Western and Central Europe. Monkeypox is from the same virus family as smallpox. Liz Highleyman. Related topics. Monkeypox often prompts initial flu-like symptoms before a rash breaks out, followed by the emergence of skin lesions. Health officials are urging anyone with an unusual rash or lesions on any part of their body, especially the genitals, to contact their health care provider or a sexual health clinic.

Many of the men reported recent international travel. The latest WHO update on 21 May listed 92 confirmed and 28 suspected cases. New York City, the U. Smallpox vaccination prevents monkeypox as well, and monkeypox cases have been rising over the past few decades since routine smallpox vaccination was discontinued; WHO declared that smallpox had been eradicated worldwide in It is why is monkey pox spread through gay men that MPXV can transmit through more casual contact and through fomites inanimate objects on which some microbes can survive, such as bed linens, towels or tables.

Because the monkeypox incubation period is so long, vaccination up to two weeks after exposure can reduce the risk of symptomatic infection or severe illness. The rash can appear on the face, genitals, palms, soles of the feet and elsewhere on the body. Lesions in the vagina or rectum can be cellular entry points for HIV. People with confirmed monkeypox should isolate, abstain from sexual activity and avoid close physical contact until the rash heals completely, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC.

Link copied. Having a weakened immune system, therefore, a reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases.

Monkeypox is spreading among gay men worldwide | aidsmap

Among the Global. However, in public health, honesty really is the best policy. Several cases are reportedly linked to a sauna in Spain and a fetish festival in Belgium. Profile My News Sign Out. From our analyses of this data, we learned a lot about how the public wants public health dollars to be spent and how their knowledge and bias shapes these preferences.