New data published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 99 percent of monkeypox cases in the United States occur in men.
The report, released Aug. 5, also showed that 94 percent of these male infected patients had reported sexual or close intimate contact with men in the three weeks before symptoms appeared. In addition, ethnic minorities appear to be disproportionately affected.
These epidemiological details should be leveraged for treatment and vaccination protocols, the study authors urged, adding: “Current findings suggest that community transmission of monkeypox is widespread, affecting gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men have, disproportionately affected; this is consistent with data reported from other countries.”
As of Monday, the United States had the world’s most confirmed cases of monkeypox, at 8,934. It is likely that the underreporting is very high due to the lack of testing.
