WHO detects monkeypox virus in semen of patients

Speaking to the press, Catherine Smallwood, WHO's regional director for monkeypox monitoring in Europe, said that many of the monkeypox cases detected in the latest outbreak were concentrated in Europe. Europeans are people who have sex with each other, have close contact.

There are some patients who have had their semen tested for the virus and the results are positive.

In recent days, scientists have detected the genetic material of the virus in the semen of many monkeypox patients in Germany and Italy, including test samples that showed the virus was detected in the semen of monkeys. one patient can infect others and start the replication process. However, until now, the agency still believes that the virus that causes monkeypox is mainly transmitted through close contact between people.

'There are a number of patients who have had their semen tested for the virus and the results are positive. This is what we are working on. However, this information does not change our assessment of the current transmission routes that we are aware of at this time. That is the majority of infections are based on physical closeness between individuals, skin-to-skin contact, skin-to-mouth contact and that is really the driving factor for infection, "- said the WHO representative.

Statistics show that more than 1,300 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in about 30 countries, mainly in Europe, since the beginning of May. Most of the cases have been recorded in male partners. gay sex. This outbreak is cause for concern because monkeypox has rarely spread outside of Africa, where it was considered endemic. In particular, the majority of cases detected have no travel history to Africa. Scientists are now trying to study the manner of the current outbreak, its origin and whether the virus has mutated from those found in Africa.