Epidemiologists debunk 7 myths about monkeypox

You may not have heard of monkeypox until the World Health Organization declared it. Global Public Health Emergency of International Concern— Highest alert level — Now in July, just two months after the first cases of the current outbreak were confirmed in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Over 5,000 cases of monkeypox Although there are at least 18,000 nationwide.

The monkeypox outbreak comes more than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic as the world reopens and many people are tired of taking precautions like wearing masks and social distancing. increase. We went back to school, to the movies, to the office, as normal, but many of us weren’t involved in the ever-evolving news about yet another viral disease sweeping the world. Hmm.

And there is a prejudice that monkeypox only infects certain people. people who are not like you.In fact, some media caught fire Most recently, for using decades-old images of black people in his coverage of monkeypox and exploiting stereotypes about their criminality and racist tropes that associate blacks with monkeys. , combined with the fact that the current outbreak is rife among the LGBTQ community, gives some people a false sense of security and leaves not only misinformation about how monkeypox spreads, but also who is at risk. It promotes misinformation about what you are exposed to.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the early days of the COVID crisis, it’s that racial disparity The emphasis was on who contracted COVID-19, and white people took less precautions.But we all need to worry about monkeypox, he says Dr. Daniel OnpadProfessor of Epidemiology at the New York University School of Global Public Health.

If you’re confused by headlines or exhausted trying to make sense of them, you’re not alone. Here epidemiologists can cut through the whirlwind of misinformation to help you understand the facts about monkeypox, including how it develops, is preventable, and what you should be concerned about.

Myth 1: Monkeypox is transmitted from monkeys.

Despite its name, monkeypox does not come from monkeys. The disease got its name when two “pox-like” outbreaks occurred. colony of research monkeys 1958, Denmark. The first human case of monkeypox he reported in 1970.

Monkeys can be infected with monkeypox, but they are not monkeypox hosts (usually where the disease grows and spreads). Reservoirs are like rodents, he says Ompad.

Monkeypox is part of the same family as the virus that causes smallpox, a similar but milder virus. symptomswhich includes:

• heat
• headache
• muscle pain and back pain
• swollen lymph nodes
• cold
• Malaise
• sore throat, stuffy nose, cough
• A rash that is on or near the genitals or anus, but can also be on other areas such as the feet, hands, or chest.

Monkeypox is rarely fatal, according to CDC.

Myth 2: Monkeypox is a sexually transmitted infection (STI)

it’s not. But this point of confusion may be because it was intended to be the strongest warning about the monkeypox epidemic. men having sex with menThey also said that the WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advised to limit sex partners This gives the false impression that the disease is spread only through sexual contact. Experts warn that’s not true.

“Monkeypox can be transmitted from person to person, which means that if I have a rash and you stand next to me and have prolonged contact and your arm touches the rash on my arm, it can be transmitted. ,” says Ompad. Close contact with the rash “includes hugging, kissing and even sex,” she says.

In addition to skin-to-skin contact, monkeypox can be transmitted by respiratory droplets and from mother to child during pregnancy. Monkeypox can also be transmitted by touching contaminated items such as bedding, clothes, and towels.

Scientists try to understand whether monkeypox can be contagious semen or vaginal fluid.

To prevent monkeypox, the CDC recommends:

• Avoid skin-to-skin contact (including hugging, cuddling, and sex) with anyone who has a monkeypox-like rash.
• Do not share or touch items used by monkeypox patients, such as utensils.
• Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer frequently.

Myth 3: Monkeypox only affects men who have sex with men.

“That’s absolutely not true,” says Ompad. “It can affect anyone unless they have been infected before. It’s not just men with HIV, and that’s where we’re seeing clusters in this particular outbreak,” she says.

“The way the message was deployed gave people a chance to say something negative about the LGBTQ community. It’s really disappointing,” she added.

Myth 4: Don’t worry about monkeypox.

Don’t worry so much as to panic and stay inside all the time, says Ompad. Experts say the risk is relatively low, but not zero, in crowded or indoor public places where people are fully clothed. It says it’s unlikely to contract. Currently, contagion is the result of close, intimate contact.

“We should all be careful, but not startled,” says Ompad.

Myth 5: Anyone can get the monkeypox vaccine.

not really. In the United States, he said, two smallpox vaccines are used to prevent monkeypox, one of which is in limited supply, but more will be available in the coming months. is going to be According to the CDC, a person exposed to monkeypox who has not had the smallpox vaccine within three years should receive the monkeypox vaccine within four days of exposure to reduce symptoms. must be inoculated. This is a strategy called ring vaccination.

“Once a patient is identified, we identify close contacts and vaccinate them,” says Ompad. Others may be eligible for monkeypox vaccination, but this varies by state and is generally restricted to those with known risk factors or who have been exposed.

Myth 6: Monkeypox cannot be treated with drugs.

There is one approved drug for monkeypox, a two-week course of antiviral medication called TPOXX, and it is in short supply.

Mortality in the current outbreak is low, according to Ompad, so typical treatment is just supportive care, unless you have a pre-existing condition or are at high risk of dying.

Myth 7: Monkeypox is easy to recognize.

It can be easy to mistake monkeypox for something else, especially during insect bite season. There’s also the possibility that not everyone is completely covered in poxmarks,” she says.

The best thing to do is check out as soon as you get a rash, says Ompad. Please stay away from people.