The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that the monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans and from person to person.
Monkeypox can spread when humans come into contact with infected animals. The primary hosts are various species of rodents and primates. The WHO believes that the risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding contact with wild animals, particularly sick or dead animals, unless personal protective measures are taken. In countries where the virus is endemic, people should thoroughly cook the meat or organs of animals before consumption.
Monkeypox spreads from person to person through close contact, such as face-to-face conversations, skin-to-skin contact, and mouth-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. Scientists have not yet determined how long the disease can be transmitted, but generally, an infected person is considered contagious until all lesions have crusted over, the scabs have fallen off, and a new layer of skin has formed.
The virus can also linger when an infected person touches clothing, bedding, towels, utensils, dishes, or electronic devices. Others who come into contact with these items may also become infected. People can also contract the virus by inhaling scabs or skin flakes that have come into contact with clothing, bedding, or towels. This mechanism is known as fomite transmission.
Lesions and lesions in the mouth also pose a risk of transmission. The virus spreads through direct oral contact, respiratory droplets, and aerosols in close proximity. According to the WHO, scientists do not fully understand the airborne transmission mechanisms of monkeypox and further research is needed.
The virus can also be transmitted from mother to fetus, from mother to newborn through skin-to-skin contact, and from parents to young children through close contact.
3D simulation of the monkeypox virus. (Image: WHO).
The WHO has reported cases of monkeypox that are asymptomatic, but scientists are unclear whether these patients can spread the virus. DNA samples from the virus have been found in semen, but experts are uncertain whether the disease can be transmitted through semen, vaginal fluids, amniotic fluid, breast milk, or blood. Researchers are investigating this further.
The risk of contracting monkeypox is not limited to those who have sexual relations frequently or to men who have sex with men. Anyone who has close contact with a symptomatic individual may be at risk of infection.
Many reported cases have been identified among men who have sex with men. Given that the virus spreads through social relationships, men who have sex with men are at a higher risk of exposure if they come into contact with an infected person.
Some cases of monkeypox have been identified in sexual health clinics. According to the WHO, the reported cases in the gay male community are due to this group seeking health care more frequently. The rashes of monkeypox resemble those of certain sexually transmitted infections such as herpes and syphilis, which may lead to confusion.
The WHO encourages the gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men communities to raise awareness to protect those at high risk.
Currently, the WHO has not reported any cases of monkeypox transmitted from humans to animals, but this remains a potential risk. Individuals who are infected or suspected of being infected with the virus should avoid close contact with animals, including pets (such as cats, dogs, and hamsters).
