Mpox is not a ‘gay disease’ – here’s what you need to know
The current mpox outbreak in Africa has left members of the gay community wondering how badly if it will affect them.
The virus was first declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2022, after cases increased in Europe and the Americas.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), gay and bisexual men were disproportionately affected, leading people to worry that what was then called monkeypox would be seen as a “gay disease”.
The virus was discovered in 1958 in Denmark, in monkeys kept for research, WHO reported. The first human case is believed to have been that of a nine-month-old boy in 1970, in what was then known as the Congo or Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Now, once again, mpox has been declared a world health emergency but, contrary to some reporting, it is not a gay disease.
What do we know about mpox?
Mpox’s name was changed from monkeypox in November 2022 after United Nations officials condemned some reporting of the outbreak as “racist and homophobic”.
It is part of the smallpox family of viruses. The virus is spread through close contact with infected skin and/or breathing close to an infected person. There are two main types: Clade 1, which is the one now spreading, and the relatively mild Clade 2.
Mpox is not just a “gay disease”, as Mateo Prochazka, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the UKHSA, previously informed PinkNews.
Prochazka, a gay man living in London, said it was a misconception that the virus spread solely among queer men even though such rumours were rife.
“Experts believe mpox is, in fact, spread through close contact with infected skin. So, while it’s not a sexually transmitted infection, it can be spread during sex via close contact. That’s an important distinction,” he pointed out.
It’s not being gay or bisexual that spreads the virus, but that “behaviour facilitates transmission in these networks” because of the close contact involved, he added.
“It’s also worth noting that mpox is not nearly as transmissible as some other viruses” because it requires “direct and prolonged contact” before being contracted.
Anyone with symptoms associated with mpox should call 111 or visit their closest sexual health clinic.
What are the signs and symptoms of mpox?
Mpox is a rare infection passed on through any close physical contact with someone who has the virus, including through coughs and sneezes.
The NHS has advised that the risk of contracting mpox in the UK is “extremely unlikely” if you haven’t travelled to west or central Africa and haven’t had close contact with anyone with the virus.
Signs and symptoms of the virus can include a high temperature, a headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, chills, exhaustion and joint pain.
A further sign of the virus is a rash, which can be confused with chickenpox and usually begins on the face before spreading. It tends to appear between one and five days after the first symptoms, which usually clear up within a few weeks.
Those with symptoms should stay at home and avoid close contact with other people, including sharing towels or bedding.
Where can I get vaccinated?
People most at risk of needing treatment in hospital include older people, young children, and those with a condition, or who are taking medicine, that affects their immune system.
The smallpox vaccine given to tackle mpox is available to those living in London and Greater Manchester or who regularly travel to those cities for sex. Those who regularly visit other countries to have sex are also eligible.
It’s recommended that the vaccination is given in two doses, usually offered two to three months apart.
Vaccination sites can be found on the NHS website, here. If these aren’t suitable or you have further questions, contact a sexual health clinic.
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