A few months ago, the health news focused fire on a disease that was only a curious mention in infectious diseases books. Cases of monkeypox began to be reported in several countries in Europe.
It was an explosive wave of cases. In the state of São Paulo alone, more than 4,000 cases have already been recorded, with a peak in late July and early August 2022. Caused by a virus that is transmitted mainly sexually, it causes lesions on the skin and on mucous surfaces (such as the mouth , anus, vagina).
The vast majority of people with monkeypox acquire the virus from sexual intercourse. Although some experts still resist classifying the disease as sexually transmitted, the body of evidence points to it.
Something, however, caught our attention. The wave of cases dropped significantly in the weeks that followed. The same pattern occurred in European countries and in the United States. The number is comparatively lower, but cases still appear.
How to understand what is happening? The first explanation derives from the high vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections. 57% of cases in the state of São Paulo occurred in people living with HIV, many with multiple sexual partners. Concomitantly, the occurrence of other sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis, was also observed.
Apparently, the monkeypox virus has found a sexual transmission network in vulnerable people. The great wave seems to have worn off with time, at least in part, in this group of society.
The adoption of measures to reduce transmission, such as canceling meetings and reducing the number of sexual partners, also seems to have had a temporary effect.
What to expect? Is the virus going away and will everything be resolved?
On the contrary, all caution is too little. See other infectious diseases we still struggle with, like HIV and Covid-19.
Cases of monkeypox do continue to appear. And some other signs capture the attention of specialists.
The first is that, apparently, people “have learned” to live with the injuries. In the beginning, any skin lesion made them resort to health services. Over time, many noticed that the sores tended to disappear after a few weeks and that few developed serious illness. In fact, despite thousands of cases in Brazil, there were four deaths in patients with severe pre-existing disease. The deaths did not happen in those who are in good health.
Lesions end up resolving in the vast majority of the time. This fact, along with the unavailability of treatment for the disease in Brazil, causes many to give up seeking health services. They prefer to stay at home and avoid discrimination and prejudice, usually associated with the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections.
Of course, this is bad for fighting the disease. The best alternative would be to recognize that the disease has not gone away. It is important to expand information on monkeypox and make available the drug for treatment, Tecovirimat, for the most aggressive forms of the disease. In addition, seek ways to provide vaccines to the most vulnerable.
After all, countries with more resources and which prioritize the fight against monkeypox have been vaccinating for months. Here, this initiative is still in its infancy, with the planned implementation of a restricted number of doses in the coming weeks.
As it is, the virus tends to circulate below the radar of public health detection systems. The impression remains that little is known about what is going on, unless new measures gain priority in Brazil.
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
