Could the new mpox threat cause significant harm in the U.S.?
NBC News, August 18, 2024
As concerns mount about a type of mpox spreading across Africa that’s believed to cause more serious illness, experts expressed cautious optimism that this clade would not spread as broadly in the U.S. or cause health impacts as severe. The risk could be mitigated by immunity from vaccination and previous infection from the outbreak of a different variant that began in 2022; the lack of an animal host; and better health care access, living standards and public health.
NBC News, August 18, 2024
As concerns mount about a type of mpox spreading across Africa that’s believed to cause more serious illness, experts expressed cautious optimism that this clade would not spread as broadly in the U.S. or cause health impacts as severe. The risk could be mitigated by immunity from vaccination and previous infection from the outbreak of a different variant that began in 2022; the lack of an animal host; and better health care access, living standards and public health.
CDC says vaccination could protect the U.S. from more dangerous mpox virus
NBC News, May 23, 2024
As concerns mount about a large outbreak of an especially virulent form of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and an uptick in U.S. cases since early last year, the mpox vaccine appears to give long-term protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The agency called for more gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated against the virus.
NBC News, May 23, 2024
As concerns mount about a large outbreak of an especially virulent form of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and an uptick in U.S. cases since early last year, the mpox vaccine appears to give long-term protection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The agency called for more gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated against the virus.
Rise of mpox cases in Chicago raises concern about possible summer spread
NBC News, May 8, 2023
A recent uptick in mpox diagnoses in Chicago, some of them in people vaccinated against the virus, has raised concerns about a possible summertime increase in cases among gay and bi men. Chicago's Howard Brown Health reported eight new cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, since April 17. By comparison, only one case was reported to the Chicago Public Health Department in the previous three months.
NBC News, May 8, 2023
A recent uptick in mpox diagnoses in Chicago, some of them in people vaccinated against the virus, has raised concerns about a possible summertime increase in cases among gay and bi men. Chicago's Howard Brown Health reported eight new cases of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, since April 17. By comparison, only one case was reported to the Chicago Public Health Department in the previous three months.
Mpox is highly fatal among people with advanced HIV, study finds
NBC News, February 21, 2023
Mpox can have a devastating impact on people with advanced cases of HIV, leading to severe lesions and causing death in as many as 1 in 4 of highly immunocompromised people. This is according to the first major study of mpox in this population. The analysis included 382 people from 28 nations, all of whom had HIV and a CD4 a count below 350. Twenty-seven of these individuals died.
NBC News, February 21, 2023
Mpox can have a devastating impact on people with advanced cases of HIV, leading to severe lesions and causing death in as many as 1 in 4 of highly immunocompromised people. This is according to the first major study of mpox in this population. The analysis included 382 people from 28 nations, all of whom had HIV and a CD4 a count below 350. Twenty-seven of these individuals died.
Study finds evidence of 'considerable' presymptomatic spread of monkeypox
The Guardian, November 2, 2022
If replicated, British researchers' finding of evidence of substantial transmission of monkeypox in advance of symptom onset would upend received wisdom about how the virus spreads. It could help explain how monkeypox got so out of control this year, while also refining efforts to combat it.
The Guardian, November 2, 2022
If replicated, British researchers' finding of evidence of substantial transmission of monkeypox in advance of symptom onset would upend received wisdom about how the virus spreads. It could help explain how monkeypox got so out of control this year, while also refining efforts to combat it.
Are pets at risk of catching monkeypox from humans?
NBC News, October 2022
The risk of people with monkeypox passing the virus to their pets is low, the authors of a new study that found no such transmissions in the United Kingdom have concluded. The study’s findings offer a broader perspective in the wake of two recently reported cases of apparent monkeypox transmission from humans to their pets, including a dog in France and a puppy in Brazil.
NBC News, October 2022
The risk of people with monkeypox passing the virus to their pets is low, the authors of a new study that found no such transmissions in the United Kingdom have concluded. The study’s findings offer a broader perspective in the wake of two recently reported cases of apparent monkeypox transmission from humans to their pets, including a dog in France and a puppy in Brazil.
Life after monkeypox: Men describe and uncertain road to recovery
NBC News, September 2022
Following recovery from monkeypox, many people report experiencing lasting scars, both physical and psychological. It’s also possible the virus could cause permanent damage to sensitive internal tissues and give rise to persistent pain or other onerous long-term symptoms. Unfortunately, people looking to doctors or health agencies for answers about what to expect post-pox are typically met with an information vacuum.
NBC News, September 2022
Following recovery from monkeypox, many people report experiencing lasting scars, both physical and psychological. It’s also possible the virus could cause permanent damage to sensitive internal tissues and give rise to persistent pain or other onerous long-term symptoms. Unfortunately, people looking to doctors or health agencies for answers about what to expect post-pox are typically met with an information vacuum.
How monkeypox spoiled gay men's plans for an invincible summer
NBC News, September 2022
Lost amid the public health and media reports about monkeypox epidemiology, the delayed vaccine deliveries and the squabbling over how best to communicate about the virus are the millions of queer people whose happiness, well-being and connection to one another have in many cases been considerably compromised by the mere threat of monkeypox infection.
NBC News, September 2022
Lost amid the public health and media reports about monkeypox epidemiology, the delayed vaccine deliveries and the squabbling over how best to communicate about the virus are the millions of queer people whose happiness, well-being and connection to one another have in many cases been considerably compromised by the mere threat of monkeypox infection.
Race for monkeypox vaccines exposes global health inequality
Thomson Reuters Foundation, August, 2022
Concern is growing that the scramble for scarce supplies of monkeypox vaccines could see some nations and high-risk groups miss out - recalling unequal global access to COVID-19 vaccines and HIV medication. "In a lot of ways we're seeing history repeat itself, unfortunately," said Wafaa El-Sadr, executive vice president for Columbia Global Centers, Columbia University's international network of campuses.
Thomson Reuters Foundation, August, 2022
Concern is growing that the scramble for scarce supplies of monkeypox vaccines could see some nations and high-risk groups miss out - recalling unequal global access to COVID-19 vaccines and HIV medication. "In a lot of ways we're seeing history repeat itself, unfortunately," said Wafaa El-Sadr, executive vice president for Columbia Global Centers, Columbia University's international network of campuses.
Sex between men, not skin contact, is fueling monkeypox, new research suggests
NBC News, August 2022
Since the outset of the global monkeypox outbreak in May, public health and infectious disease experts have told the public that the virus is largely transmitting through skin-to-skin contact, in particular during sex between men. Now, however, an expanding cadre of experts has come to believe that sex between men itself — both anal as well as oral intercourse — is likely the main driver of global monkeypox transmission. The skin contact that comes with sex, these experts say, is probably much less of a risk factor.
NBC News, August 2022
Since the outset of the global monkeypox outbreak in May, public health and infectious disease experts have told the public that the virus is largely transmitting through skin-to-skin contact, in particular during sex between men. Now, however, an expanding cadre of experts has come to believe that sex between men itself — both anal as well as oral intercourse — is likely the main driver of global monkeypox transmission. The skin contact that comes with sex, these experts say, is probably much less of a risk factor.
Monkeypox misinformation is spreading faster than the virus, experts say
NBC News, August 2022
Misinformation about the monkeypox outbreak is spawning an epidemic of largely unfounded anxiety, experts say. Epidemiologists and infectious disease experts dispelled some of the most common misconceptions, including whether the virus spreads easily through the air, that cases among women and children are being undercounted, and that health care workers are at high risk.
NBC News, August 2022
Misinformation about the monkeypox outbreak is spawning an epidemic of largely unfounded anxiety, experts say. Epidemiologists and infectious disease experts dispelled some of the most common misconceptions, including whether the virus spreads easily through the air, that cases among women and children are being undercounted, and that health care workers are at high risk.
Gay men can fight monkeypox ourselves — by changing how we have sex
The Washington Post, August 2022
As during the AIDS crisis, gay men cannot wait for the government to save us from monkeypox. We need to change our sexual behavior now. We must do this as an act of empowerment to protect ourselves. Until a time when monkeypox hopefully abates, this can and should mean reducing our number of partners, skipping sex parties, practicing monogamy and even being abstinent.
The Washington Post, August 2022
As during the AIDS crisis, gay men cannot wait for the government to save us from monkeypox. We need to change our sexual behavior now. We must do this as an act of empowerment to protect ourselves. Until a time when monkeypox hopefully abates, this can and should mean reducing our number of partners, skipping sex parties, practicing monogamy and even being abstinent.
Monkeypox is being driven overwhelmingly by sex between men, major study finds
NBC News, July 2022
The global monkeypox outbreak is primarily being driven by sex between men, according to the first major peer-reviewed paper to analyze a large set of cases of the virus. The outbreak, which epidemiologists believe initially began in mid-spring gatherings of gay and bisexual men in Europe, has since alarmed such experts by ballooning to nearly 16,000 cases worldwide.
NBC News, July 2022
The global monkeypox outbreak is primarily being driven by sex between men, according to the first major peer-reviewed paper to analyze a large set of cases of the virus. The outbreak, which epidemiologists believe initially began in mid-spring gatherings of gay and bisexual men in Europe, has since alarmed such experts by ballooning to nearly 16,000 cases worldwide.
Clinical trials could get monkeypox drug to desperate patients, but U.S. efforts lag
NBC News, July 2022
While the Biden administration has in recent weeks distributed nearly 200,000 doses of the vaccine for monkeypox, U.S. prescriptions for the antiviral TPOXX have remained strictly limited. Plans for trials of the drug are already in advanced stages in Canada, the U.K. and the European Union. The National Institutes of Health is also planning one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the federal agency’s efforts to launch such research in the U.S. are only in the earliest planning stages.
NBC News, July 2022
While the Biden administration has in recent weeks distributed nearly 200,000 doses of the vaccine for monkeypox, U.S. prescriptions for the antiviral TPOXX have remained strictly limited. Plans for trials of the drug are already in advanced stages in Canada, the U.K. and the European Union. The National Institutes of Health is also planning one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the federal agency’s efforts to launch such research in the U.S. are only in the earliest planning stages.
Gay men deserve the unvarnished truth about monkeypox
The Washington Post, July 2022
“Anyone can get monkeypox.” Countless public health experts have uttered statements such as this in the past two months. Members of the media and politicians have parroted the message ad nauseam without stopping to dissect what it implies or obscures. By reducing monkeypox risk to a simplistic binary equation, public health leaders are prioritizing fighting stigma over their duty to directly inform the public about the true contours and drivers of this global outbreak.
The Washington Post, July 2022
“Anyone can get monkeypox.” Countless public health experts have uttered statements such as this in the past two months. Members of the media and politicians have parroted the message ad nauseam without stopping to dissect what it implies or obscures. By reducing monkeypox risk to a simplistic binary equation, public health leaders are prioritizing fighting stigma over their duty to directly inform the public about the true contours and drivers of this global outbreak.
What went wrong with the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine?
NBC News, July 2022
A series of crucial mistakes in the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine has significantly inhibited America’s ability to distribute doses and prevent the troubling and in some cases extremely painful disease from becoming endemic. In the meantime, the virus has deepened its hold on the country, with confirmed cases rising tenfold in the last month, to a total of more than 1,000.
NBC News, July 2022
A series of crucial mistakes in the rollout of the monkeypox vaccine has significantly inhibited America’s ability to distribute doses and prevent the troubling and in some cases extremely painful disease from becoming endemic. In the meantime, the virus has deepened its hold on the country, with confirmed cases rising tenfold in the last month, to a total of more than 1,000.
Lesions, headaches, debilitating pain: Gay men with monkeypox share their stories
NBC News, July 2022
Monkeypox has tended to present relatively mildly during this outbreak and has caused no deaths outside of the 11 African nations in which the virus has become endemic since it was discovered in 1970. Nevertheless, 18 gay men who contracted monkeypox told NBC News how it can cause unsightly and in some cases debilitatingly painful skin lesions — and has left them stuck glumly inside.
NBC News, July 2022
Monkeypox has tended to present relatively mildly during this outbreak and has caused no deaths outside of the 11 African nations in which the virus has become endemic since it was discovered in 1970. Nevertheless, 18 gay men who contracted monkeypox told NBC News how it can cause unsightly and in some cases debilitatingly painful skin lesions — and has left them stuck glumly inside.
Tens of thousands of monkeypox vaccine doses to be distributed immediately in U.S.
NBC News, June 2022
As monkeypox surges, the Biden administration will start distributing the vaccine for the virus across the country, focusing on people most at risk and communities with the highest numbers of cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send 56,000 doses of the vaccine immediately to areas with high transmission. All told, 1.6 million doses will be distributed by the end of the fall.
NBC News, June 2022
As monkeypox surges, the Biden administration will start distributing the vaccine for the virus across the country, focusing on people most at risk and communities with the highest numbers of cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send 56,000 doses of the vaccine immediately to areas with high transmission. All told, 1.6 million doses will be distributed by the end of the fall.
LGBTQ Pride events offer a make-or-break moment for monkeypox
NBC News, June 2022
After 27 dreary months of Covid-19 restrictions, which felled the past two years’ Pride celebrations, LGBTQ Americans are finally poised to fully celebrate their community on the public stage this weekend. But in a stroke of uncannily inopportune timing, the monkeypox virus has just arrived on the scene, threatening to put a pall over the party.
NBC News, June 2022
After 27 dreary months of Covid-19 restrictions, which felled the past two years’ Pride celebrations, LGBTQ Americans are finally poised to fully celebrate their community on the public stage this weekend. But in a stroke of uncannily inopportune timing, the monkeypox virus has just arrived on the scene, threatening to put a pall over the party.
Monkeypox may have been spreading 'under the radar' for months or years
NBC News, June 2022
The monkeypox virus may have been quietly circulating for years before the current global outbreak. Infectious disease experts and scientists at genetic labs are urgently looking for clues to explain why a virus found in Africa since 1970 has made such a dramatic appearance globally in the past month.
NBC News, June 2022
The monkeypox virus may have been quietly circulating for years before the current global outbreak. Infectious disease experts and scientists at genetic labs are urgently looking for clues to explain why a virus found in Africa since 1970 has made such a dramatic appearance globally in the past month.