Worldwide Monkeypox Study Finds 98% Infected Gay Or Bisexual Men
41 percent of those infected also acquired HIV
A Queen Mary College of London study published in The New England Journal Of Medicine on Thursday found monkeypox is primarily found in homosexual or bisexual men.
The massive study looked at 528 infections diagnosed between April 27 and June 24, 2022, with 43 sites in sixteen countries.
According to the obtaining, “ many, but not every, cases have been linked to men who have sex with guys. ”
One more interesting find was that 41 percent of the gay or bisexual men with monkeypox also had HIV.
Lesions on individuals were most commonly located close to the genitals and the anus with all the next most common areas getting the trunk, arms, or legs.
Over half of the individuals in the study suffered from inflamed lymph nodes and fever.
While the data shows the outbreak is clearly concentrated among gay and lesbian or bisexual men, the study stated, “ Research is nevertheless underway to determine whether monkeypox is being sexually transmitted. ”
The study also claimed monkeypox is not “ a gay disease” despite the connection.
“ It can affect anyone. All of us identified nine heterosexual men with monkeypox. We desire vigilance when examining uncommon acute rashes in any individual, especially when rashes are combined with systemic symptoms, to avoid lacking diagnoses in heterosexual persons, ” the study noted.
When will public health officials begin caution gay men about protecting themselves from monkeypox?