New York.- As monkeypox spreads, people may remember the days when they cleaned counters and grocery stores to get rid of the coronavirus. But for most people, the risk of getting this type of smallpox remains low. In the current outbreak, nearly all cases — 98 percent — have been in adult men who have sex with men.
So how does it spread? Studies of previous outbreaks suggest that the monkeypox virus is transmitted in three ways: through direct contact
from an infected person’s rash, from touching contaminated objects and fabrics, or from respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. There is also evidence that a pregnant woman can transmit the virus to her fetus through the placenta.
Scientists are still trying to understand if the virus can be spread through semen, vaginal fluids, urine, or feces, and if people can be contagious before they develop visible symptoms.
Several factors can determine your risk of contracting monkeypox, whether it’s from caring for someone who is sick, attending crowded parties, or simply having sex. It also influences how close you are to someone who is sick, how infectious they are, how much time you spend with them and your own personal health, all of which can affect your susceptibility, said Jay Varma, a medical epidemiologist who specializes in infectious diseases.
Activities that put a person at higher risk of contracting the virus involve close and intimate contact with another infected person. This includes the type of contact that occurs during sexual intercourse, as well as when hugging, touching, massaging, or kissing another person. Condoms probably add a layer of protection during sex, but they are unlikely to prevent contact with lesions on an infected person’s groin, thighs, buttocks, or other body parts.
Roommates and family members who live in the same house also have a significantly higher risk of contracting this type of smallpox, compared to anyone else with whom a patient may have close contact, said Bernard Camins, medical director for the infection prevention at the Mount Sinai Health System.
People who share the same dwelling can get monkeypox from contaminated clothing, towels, and bedding.