Monkey Business

Published July 2022

Monkeypox has emerged on the global map as a sudden, spreading viral insurgence. Current diagnosed cases at the time of writing stand at over 1,200 worldwide. (1) With the CDC issuing a Level 2 Alert (2), and the first outbreak in Oklahoma (3) let's take a look under the hood.

Monkeypox is an orthopoxvirus, similar to vaccinia, cowpox and variola (smallpox) (4), and it's the most significant communicable human orthopoxvirus-associated illness in the world today. (5)

Recent reports demonstrate Monkeypox has spread to where it isn't endemic, with higher transmission rates within gay/ bisexual male populations. In contrast to its typical droplet transmission, monkeypox could be spreading through close physical contact and bodily fluids. While this might seem reminiscent of the AIDS pandemic inception, and despite initial sexual health clinic reports, according to WHO, monkeypox “…is not limited in any way, to men who have sex with men.” It is however suspected that the outbreak originated at two gay raves in Spain and Belgium. (6) (7)

So, why does monkeypox seem to be rapidly spreading now? One factor could be waning immunity: Smallpox vaccination was 85% effective against monkeypox. Before 1970, human monkeypox infection wasn't even reported. Smallpox's eradication led to the end of routine smallpox vaccination, possibly opening an “immunologic niche” for the virus to exploit. (8)

So, let's brace, and hope it isn't just all a little bit of history repeating.

In the midst of a current pandemic, we can't really afford to monkey around with public health.

References

1- Our World in Data: Mpox
2- CDC: Mpox
3- Oklahoma.gov
4- https://lnkd.in/gnMg35hT
5- McCollum AM, Damon IK. Human monkeypox. Clin Infect Dis. 2014;58(2):260-7.
6- https://lnkd.in/gnMg35hT
7- NBC NEWS: Monkeypox likely spread by sex at two raves in Europe, expert says
8- Reynolds MG, Damon IK. Outbreaks of human monkeypox after cessation of smallpox vaccination. Trends in microbiology. 2012;20(2):80-7.