After monkeypox was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, concerns have emerged about sexual behaviour considering that the virus can be spread through close contact of any kind, including through kissing, touching, oral and penetrative vaginal or anal sex with someone who has the symptoms.
Rashes, body fluids (such as fluids, pus, or blood from skin lesions), and scabs are particularly infectious, according to the WHO. Ulcers, lesions or sores can also be infectious since the virus can be spread through saliva. Contact with objects that have been in contact with the infected person - such as clothing, bedding, towels - or objects such as eating utensils could also be a source of infection.
Considering the spread through physical contact, there were concerns on whether the physically transmitted disease could affect their sexual lives.
People who have the disease are contagious while they have symptoms (usually within the first two to four weeks). It is not clear whether or not people who are asymptomatic can transmit the disease.
Dr Dhiren Gupta, Intensivist and Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said, "Monkeypox spread gets amplified during sexual contact. This contact can happen during intimate contact including. oral, anal and vaginal sex or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) of a person with monkeypox.Hugging, massages and kissing as well as prolonged face-to-face contact could also lead to contraction of the virus, said Dr Gupta.
A person can also contract the disease if he touches fabrics and objects during sex that were used by a person with monkeypox and that have not been disinfected, such as bedding, towels, and sex toys. -- ANI
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