Why are gay men susceptible to monkey pox
Study describes monkeypox cases among cisgender and transgender women
While most people with monkeypox in the current outbreak contain been gay men, some women are susceptible as adv. A new analyze published today in The Lancetdescribes 136 cases among cisgender and transgender women and non-binary individuals in 15 countries.
The epidemiology, clinical presentation and outcomes of cases among men, cis women and trans women are similar in many respects, but the study reveals some notable differences. While monkeypox spread rapidly this summer among highly sexually active gay men, the cisgender women in the case series have far fewer sex partners and their cases are less likely to result in onward transmission. So far, there has been no sustained spread outside networks of men who contain sex with men.
Nonetheless, cases among women warrant attention, in part because monkeypox can lead to complications during pregnancy. This research highlights the potential for under-diagnosis of cis women and the socially precarious position of at-risk gender non-conforming women.
Glossary
transgender
An umbrella legal title for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex they we
Mpox can affect anyone, not just gay men
But this information is inaccurate. According to infectious disease experts, mpox spreads primarily through close contact with an infected person or bodily fluids.
They say a variety of mpox, established as clade IIb, is behind the current cases in Australia, and sexual transmission accounts for most of spread of this variety especially among high-risk groups like gay, attracted to both genders, and other men who have sex with men.
Australian Government guidelines recommend vaccination in these communities.
Vaccination is the primary strategy for preventing further outbreaks of mpox in Australia, according to infectious disease experts Professor Raina MacIntyre, Professor Andrew Grulich and Dr Mo Hammoud, all from the Kirby Institute at the University of Fresh South Wales. They co-authored an article on the research-based website, The Conversation, earlier this year.
Dr Mo Hammoud told RMIT Lookout, "mpox is a viral disease capable of infecting anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or age”.
“There is no evidence to suggest that mpox only affects lgbtq+, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men” said Dr Hammoud, an expert in Gay popu
Monkeypox: Why are gay and bisexual men more affected?
Regardless of sexual orientation, the main factor of propagation remains the multiplicity of sexual partners.
As of July 26, Monkeypox has not caused any deaths in Europe, but the disease is gaining ground. With nearly 17,000 cases worldwide, World Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus triggered the extreme level of alert on monkeypox on July 23.
Santé Publique France (SPF), France's public health agency, has recorded 1,567 patients in the country since May. 3% of those hold been hospitalized. This epidemic differs from the waves observed so far in a dozen African countries, notably in the patients' profile: almost exclusively men, most of them males who have sex with males, known as "MSM" in the scientific community.
Read moreMonkeypox: How is it transmitted and what are the symptoms?
The question is why MSM are overrepresented among the affected. First, it is important to keep in mind that the SPF figures are still incomplete. Screening is just starting and complicated by the fact that symptoms are nonspecific. "This virus behaves like a great imitator of herpes or
A perfect storm for stigma: gay and bisexual men’s experiences of mpox
Qualitative research found that most Australian gay and bisexual men diagnosed with mpox (previously known as monkeypox) had highly distressing experiences due to severe symptoms, extended isolation periods and stigmatising healthcare providers. Dr Anthony Smith from the Centre for Social Investigate in Health at the University of New South Wales presented the results at the 12th International AIDS Culture Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023) this week.
Following the acute illness, there were also longer-term physical and social effects. While cases of mpox may have declined, this research suggests that people affected by the illness may require ongoing encourage and trauma-informed care.
Background
The 2022 global mpox outbreak mainly impacted gay and pansexual men. Among a reported 87,942 cases, there were 42 deaths. Australia had 145 mpox cases during the 2022 outbreak, mainly among people returning from travel to Europe and no reported deaths.
Media reports compared the outbreak to the first days of HIV, when gay men’s sexual behaviour was also linked to a stigmatised disease. However, there has been
mpox (Monkeypox): What You Need to Know
The CDC has raised the alert level on a mpox (monkeypox) outbreak in the United States and HHS announced that it will be ramping up testing and a vaccine distribution for those most at-risk, which includes some members of the Queer community and people living with HIV.
mpox is a disease that can produce you sick, including a rash, which may see like pimples or blisters, often with an earlier flu-like illness. While the current outbreak in the U.S. has high rates of known cases among gay and bisexual men and transgender and genderqueer people, this virus is not limited by gender or sexuality and can spread to anyone, anywhere through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact.
Health officials and advocates are urging people to seek treatment and available prevention options, including vaccines when available.
What You Need to Realize
mpox (monkeypox) is a disease caused by the mpox virus, which is in the same family as smallpox, although much less severe. Its label is characterized by the pox illness that occurs upon infection, leading to an outbreak of lesions spreading from the tackle to the rest of the body, including th