Last May, when monkeypox began to spread outside of Africa, the question arose whether it could be a sexually transmitted infection. It was concluded that no. After all, this is not a new virus, its effects are well known. transmission routes and genitals are usually not among them. However, at present researchers from Italy and Germany DNA fragments of the virus were found in semen infected patients. Logically, this reopens a question that was considered closed. But it’s not that easy.
The fact that the virus was discovered monkeypox in semen doesn’t mean he exists sexually transmitted. First, this DNA may not belong to infectious particles. In addition, this could be due to contamination of the samples or pinpointing of genital secretions. Other viruses, such as Ebola, have previously been found in semen, and this does not make them sexually transmitted infections.
In any case, if that were the case, then a question of terminology because the containment measures for monkeypox would be the same. Indeed, during sexual intercourse, other forms of infection associated with this disease necessarily occur: skin-to-skin and skin-to-mouth contact, especially. In fact, the fact that it is found in semen, even as infectious particles, is something very minor.
Concerns about sexual transmission of monkeypox
Monkeypox is mainly transmitted contact with secretions of pustules of patientsas well as other liquids. This includes respiratory droplets, so it is also said to be transmitted through this route. These are not aerosols, so the transmission will not be as strong as with the coronavirus. However close and constant contact Yes, it can lead to a respiratory infection.
But, returning to the secretions, it is logical that the main route of infection is skin or skin-oral. And that’s what happens during intercourse. This may be why it seems that many of the identified cases have been linked to men who sleep with men. There is a suspicion that it may super contagious event where many of these people went and from there many others were infected. But it was by accident. A super-contagious event could be a wrestling championship or a convention of massage therapists, and for this reason we would not say that this is a disease that affects only this type of people.
As a rule, infection occurs through contact with the secretions of pustules of patients.
Now, getting back to the fact that it could be a sexually transmitted infection, the fact that the DNA of the virus was found in the semen is again suggestive. This indicates that there may be some transmission during intercourse, but without ejaculation it would also be, so for the population this does not change anything. Yes, in terms of scientists’ understanding of monkeypox.
explained in IFLScience David Charke, Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Australian National University and specialist in smallpox viruses. “We don’t know if this is typical of monkeypox infections that have been going on for decades in various African countries, simply because no one bothered to look“.
That’s the way things are. This disease has been infecting people in Africa for decades. But that seemed less important to us. Now that he’s carved a niche for himself in the rest of the world, we’re suddenly much more concerned about him. transmission routes and anything that can help us protect ourselves from the virus. We do not know how this outbreak will turn out, while it seems that, fortunately, it is spreading much more slowly than other diseases. But clearly it gives us a lot to think about. Or at least it should.
Source: Hiper Textual
