London, Thanasis Gavos
Homosexual and bisexual men in the United Kingdom are called upon to pay special attention to unusual rashes and sores. following the detection of seven cases of monkey pox in the country.
The disease has so far not been considered sexually transmitted, but the UK Health Insurance Agency (UKHSA) has announced that four of the cases concern men who have sex with other men.
Until now, scientists believed that smallpox was rarely transmitted between humans and through close contact with vectors, but was not included in the sexually transmitted diseases.
The initial case in the UK, diagnosed two weeks ago, had spread the virus to Nigeria, where the disease is endemic. The other six carriers probably caught the virus on British soil, in a development characterized by “Unusual”.
Seven cases are in the greater London and one in the Newcastle area. Three of the patients are still being treated.
The West African version of the virus, which affects all seven patients they are not particularly deadly and the players fully recover after a few weeks. The British health authorities consider that any outbreak of the disease in the country will not count many cases.
UKHSA chief medical adviser Dr. Susan Hopkins, however, wrote in a letter to the NHS regional administrations that investigations into the conditions of the apparent transmission of monkey pox to the community are being accelerated.
“We especially encourage men who are gay and bisexual watch out for any unusual rashes or wounds and to contact a sexual health service without delay, “the letter reads.
Smallpox is a viral infection commonly found in forested areas of western and central Africa. It is transmitted by small mammals and can infect residents of these areas who come in contact with these animals.
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