WHO Report: Men account for majority of Mpox cases globally

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a new report indicating that men account for the majority of Mpox cases globally, with sexual transmission being the predominant mode of infection.

The data, which covers cases reported by national authorities in African nations, highlights a trend in the spread of Mpox among men, particularly those aged between 29 and 41.

According to the report, out of 90,410 reported Mpox cases, 87,189 involve men. Notably, 96 per cent of these infections were transmitted through sexual intercourse.

The data reveals that sexual contact is the most frequently reported means of transmission, responsible for 19,102 of the 22,801 cases studied in detail.

Non-sexual person-to-person contact accounted for the remaining cases.

The report further highlights a persistent pattern over the past six months, with 97 per cent of new cases linked to sexual transmission.

Among symptomatic individuals, the most common symptom was genital rashes, followed by fever and systemic rashes.

The report draws attention to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where sexual transmission has been observed among sex workers and men who have sex with men.

In some cases, individuals exposed to the virus through sexual contact presented only with genital lesions, rather than the more extensive rashes typically associated with Mpox.

The WHO report explains that Mpox transmission occurs through oral, vaginal, or anal sex with an infectious individual.

Those who engage with multiple or new sexual partners are at a higher risk of contracting the virus.

WHO advises that individuals with new or unusual rashes should avoid sexual activity or close contact until they have been tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Mpox.

To reduce the risk of sexual transmission, WHO recommends open communication about Mpox symptoms and risks with sexual partners, reducing the number of new or casual partners, and taking breaks from sexual activity if symptoms arise.

"Anyone with new and unusual rashes should avoid having sex or any other kind of close contact with other people until they have been tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Mpox. Remember that the rash can also be found in places that can be hard to see inside the body, including, the genitals area," said the WHO.

The report also advises the use of condoms, avoiding group sex, and steering clear of venues like saunas, cruising bars, and darkrooms, which may increase the risk of infection.

Although Mpox has been detected in semen, it remains unclear whether the virus can be spread through semen or vaginal fluids. Nevertheless, WHO suggests that the use of condoms may reduce the risk or severity of exposure and also provide protection against HIV and other STIs.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that typically occurs in Central and West Africa's tropical rainforest regions.

The disease manifests with symptoms such as a skin rash, fever, sore throat, headache, body aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus is primarily transmitted through close person-to-person contact, particularly skin-to-skin interaction, exposure to contaminated materials, and sexual contact.

The report also outlines groups at higher risk of contracting Mpox. They include healthcare workers, those handling wild animals, laboratory workers, children, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and people with multiple sexual partners.

The virus can also spread through contaminated items such as bedding, clothing and eating utensils

For the first time, Mpox cases have been recorded in Eastern African countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. However, the virus remains endemic in several African countries, such as Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan.

On a global scale, Africa reported the highest number of Mpox cases in June 2024, with 567 infections.

The Americas followed with 175 cases, Europe (excluding the Eastern Mediterranean region) reported 100 cases, the Western Pacific had 81 cases, and Southeast Asia recorded 11 cases.

From January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, a total of 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox, including 208 deaths, were reported from 116 countries across all WHO regions.