Mary Wilson
Well-known member
Jun 02, 2022
Stephanie Soucheray | News Reporter | CIDRAP News
Researchers today at a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting spelled out the sexual transmission component of a monkeypox outbreak that has affected hundreds of people—mostly men who have sex with men—in at least 27 countries outside of Africa.
Experts also noted that the virus has been circulating in Europe since at least April and underscored what the scientific community can learn from Africa's experience in dealing with virus.
The WHO convened the 2-day meeting in an attempt to identify knowledge gaps and ask research questions as the world faces an unprecedented spread of the poxvirus.
Role of close contact, sex parties
The meeting comes as major cities around the world embark on Pride celebrations during June. Growing evidence from Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom suggests venues where men have sex with multiple male partners—parties identified in Ibiza, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Antwerp, Belgium— have been a driving force of the current outbreak.
In a presentation made to the WHO by Gianfranco Spiteri, MD, MDH, of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, he detailed the initial cases in Portugal and suggested that close skin-to-skin contact during sexual relations is the primary mode of transmission for these cases. Spiteri explained that the clinical manifestations of a genital rash were the first telltale sign that sexual activity was playing a role in transmission.
Spiteri said Portugal, which now has 119 cases, said Portuguese men first reported symptom onset as early as Apl 29, according to a Eurosurveillance study today that details Portugal's first cases.
So far all patients in that country are men, and many have described attending two venues and gay saunas before contracting the rash. Based on early interviews with case-patients, Spiteri said that 14 of 16 men reported having multiple sex partners shortly before contracting the virus. Fourteen of 26 initial patients were also HIV-positive.
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/06/experts-highlight-sexual-aspect-monkeypox-spread
Stephanie Soucheray | News Reporter | CIDRAP News
Researchers today at a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting spelled out the sexual transmission component of a monkeypox outbreak that has affected hundreds of people—mostly men who have sex with men—in at least 27 countries outside of Africa.
Experts also noted that the virus has been circulating in Europe since at least April and underscored what the scientific community can learn from Africa's experience in dealing with virus.
The WHO convened the 2-day meeting in an attempt to identify knowledge gaps and ask research questions as the world faces an unprecedented spread of the poxvirus.
Role of close contact, sex parties
The meeting comes as major cities around the world embark on Pride celebrations during June. Growing evidence from Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom suggests venues where men have sex with multiple male partners—parties identified in Ibiza, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Antwerp, Belgium— have been a driving force of the current outbreak.
In a presentation made to the WHO by Gianfranco Spiteri, MD, MDH, of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, he detailed the initial cases in Portugal and suggested that close skin-to-skin contact during sexual relations is the primary mode of transmission for these cases. Spiteri explained that the clinical manifestations of a genital rash were the first telltale sign that sexual activity was playing a role in transmission.
Spiteri said Portugal, which now has 119 cases, said Portuguese men first reported symptom onset as early as Apl 29, according to a Eurosurveillance study today that details Portugal's first cases.
So far all patients in that country are men, and many have described attending two venues and gay saunas before contracting the rash. Based on early interviews with case-patients, Spiteri said that 14 of 16 men reported having multiple sex partners shortly before contracting the virus. Fourteen of 26 initial patients were also HIV-positive.
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/06/experts-highlight-sexual-aspect-monkeypox-spread