Monkeypox Is Not a Sexually Transmitted Disease: A Public Health Concern and Avoidance of Myths

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Worldwide statistics, more than 19 000 cases have been recorded in 76 countries, including 18 800 in 70 nations that haven’t previously reported monkeypox cases. The WHO advises post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a vaccine provided to contacts of patients within 4 days of initial exposure in a new WHO interim advice on vaccine usage for MPX. 4 This vaccination program should be prioritized among individuals who are at higher risk of a monkeypox infection, like men who have sex with men (MSM). [...]as the most vulnerable group, health care personnel should be fully equipped with the required personal protective equipment (PPE), especially in light of the global shortage witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5,6 According to the WHO, the majority of MPX cases recorded internationally, as well as their abrupt increase, were caused by MSM, hence various fallacies about monkeypox as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as herpes, gonorrhea, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are spreading. Monkeypox being classified as an STD may be due to its disproportionate diagnosis among homosexual, bisexual, and other MSM, which may be due to ascertainment bias. Because many of the early cases were detected in MSM, sex health clinicians and the MSM communities they serve were acutely aware of monkeypox and its clinical manifestation.