That’s not to say the virus is sexually transmitted, but officials say it shows that prolonged skin-to-skin contact is one of the main ways the monkey’s smallpox is now spreading.
As of Monday evening, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 1,972 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S.
As of now, the monkey’s smallpox risk is low, according to the CDC, but public health experts say there are still things you can do to protect yourself, especially if you’re in the highest-risk group.
Here’s what you need to know.
How smallpox spreads
Symptoms usually begin within three weeks of exposure to the monkeypox virus and last two to four weeks.
The virus usually triggers a rash with lesions that can be extremely painful. The pain may even be enough to push some people to go to the hospital, but this seems uncommon.
The rash often begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body, according to the CDC. Some people will also have a fever at first.
A person with monkeypox can give the virus to others at any time until its rash has healed, the scabs have fallen off and they have a layer of fresh skin on the affected area.
The virus is transmitted primarily through skin-to-skin physical contact, but can also spread when you touch objects such as sheets or towels that could have been used by someone with monkeypox, as well as through close face-to-face interactions such as kissing.
This outbreak is a little different
The latest outbreak looks a little different, according to Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC’s HIV / AIDS Prevention Division.
Smallpox smallpox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but most people who have contracted it in the U.S. recently reported some level of sexual activity, he said Monday. This may include penetrative encounters and oral sex.
“Some people have had the rash all over their body or different parts of their body, but many have genital and anal lesions as the first sign of illness,” Daskalakis said. “That speaks to this long and close contact.”
The virus can theoretically be transmitted through respiratory droplets, he said, but the CDC does not see this happening in this outbreak.
“I can’t prove how effective it is. It doesn’t seem to be very efficient. So it’s more skin-to-skin contact, more than face-to-face contact.
“But in the discussion of harm reduction, it’s very important to say what we know and what we don’t know,” Daskalakis said. “It’s important for people to know that it’s not impossible to transmit monkeypox in this way so that they can really adjust the behavior as needed.”
Parties against bars
Scientists are still studying how the monkey’s smallpox is spreading in this outbreak, but they say people don’t seem to get sick after, say, passing someone or giving them a hug and brushing an injury. on the skin.
“If it’s a hug that doesn’t necessarily include a t-shirt, there’s a theoretical risk of transmission, but that’s not what we’re hearing about what’s going on with our cases, so it’s a lower risk. I can’t say zero. risk, ”Daskalakis said.
Rather, it is a longer contact that seems to be responsible for most cases now. “If you ask me how long it’s‘ long ’, I can’t answer that question, but it seems as if this might not be conveyed with a light brush,” Daskalaskis said.
A circuit party, a big dance party that can attract thousands of men and last one night or a weekend, could be one of the ways to spread the virus. Dancing shirtless at a well-ventilated party, without interacting with someone with visible injuries, is probably low risk. If there is a later party that leads to sex, this is much riskier.
In enclosed spaces, such as back rooms, saunas or sex clubs, or at sex parties where there is often anonymous contact with multiple partners, there may be an increased likelihood of spreading monkeypox, according to the CDC.
A typical gay bar where people go to hang out is different.
“Socialization is part of what [LGBTQ people] do. So I don’t think it’s something we stop. It’s a bit important to be aware of how monkeypox is transmitted and to be aware of your own risk and how to mitigate that risk, ”Daskalakis said.
How to protect yourself
Researchers are also investigating whether the virus can be spread by someone who has no symptoms, or by semen, vaginal fluids and feces, according to the CDC. The CDC says wearing a condom can help, but on its own, it probably won’t protect. against the spread of smallpox smallpox. However, the agency still points out that condoms can prevent other sexually transmitted infections.
There is a vaccine to protect against monkeypox, but demand far exceeds supply.
One thing people can do to protect themselves until the supply improves is to avoid contact with those who are clearly infected, especially close face-to-face contact such as kissing.
“According to our damage reduction guide, thinking about reducing your number of partners, potentially trying to avoid anonymous contacts ends up being smart from the perspective of decreasing exposure risk,” Daskalakis said.
The CDC says people may want to reduce skin contact as much as possible by having sex with clothes on or after covering areas where the rash is.
If you choose to have sex with someone who has smallpox or who may have been exposed to it, talk about the virus in advance.
Officials also say it should be borne in mind that their advice could change as scientists learn more. It can change if monkeypox starts to spread through other contacts, such as when people live very close together in places like homeless shelters or when people play full contact sports.
“I think the most important thing is that it’s good to have awareness and a certain level of concern for some of these things, but it’s not a paralysis,” Daskalakis said. “In realistic terms, skin-to-skin contact of any variety can theoretically transmit monkeypox, but what we’re seeing is that we need to work on it a bit.”