Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Header block
cropper
update

1-800-773-7066

add Row
add block
Block 4
Row 1
5 Minutes Read

How Is Monkeypox Different From Other STDs?

While most monkeypox infections occur through sexual contact, it is not strictly an STD in the traditional sense. But how is monkeypox different from other sexually transmitted diseases?



While sexual contact is one of the major routes through which monkeypox is spread, it is not the only route of transmission for this virus. In the traditional sense, STDs are diseases transmitted through exclusive sexual contact or at least those transmitted through genital fluids. While the current outbreak of monkeypox has spread mainly through sexual contact, the transmission has occurred due to skin-to-skin contact, which happens to be a lot during sexual contact. Therefore, while monkeypox can be transmitted to other people during sexual intercourse, the disease is not a classical STD.


Whether STD or not, monkeypox is an emerging problem for the world, and experts believe this disease may potentially cause another global scene following the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, knowing more about the basics of monkeypox pays off well if you are looking to protect yourself from ever acquiring this infection. 


MONKEYPOX, AN STD?

It is true that the current outbreak of the monkeypox virus, especially in developing countries, has stemmed from sexual contact. Many studies suggest that men who have sex with other men account for more than 90% of the newly reported cases of monkeypox in 2022. Other studies found little to no evidence of monkeypox infection transmission among people who were either sexually inactive or unable to perform sexual activities. 


From the reported evidence, it is doubtless that monkeypox is a sexually transmitted disease. However, despite the seemingly objective evidence, there is more to the story. The fact that monkeypox transmission occurs more in sexually active individuals has more to do with how this virus is transmitted than the actual act of sexual intercourse itself. 


The monkeypox virus is transmitted among individuals through direct skin-to-skin contact. A person can acquire the virus if they come into contact with the blisters on an infected person’s skin or mucous membranes. Therefore, the monkeypox virus transmission does not depend on sexual intercourse. However, since sexual intercourse involves a lot of direct skin-to-skin contact, it is effortless to transmit the virus to other individuals. 


Moreover, there is no conclusive evidence that monkeypox is transmitted to other individuals through genital fluids. Unlike other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and herpes, there is no significant evidence that monkeypox is stored and, thus, transmitted to other individuals through the exchange of genital fluids during sexual contact. 


It is clear that monkeypox, while highly transmissible during sexual intercourse, is not an STD in the traditional sense. The majority of the monkeypox cases stemming from individuals who are sexually active could be a coincidence since sexual contact also increases the risk of direct skin-to-skin contact. 


WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A MONKEYPOX INFECTION?

The symptoms of a monkeypox infection appear 2-3 weeks after the initial exposure to the virus. Symptoms last about 3-4 weeks and then resolve on their own in most cases. 


Monkeypox infections manifest with both specific and nonspecific symptoms. The most specific symptom of a monkeypox infection is a maculopapular rash on the infection site. This rash can appear on the genital area, the anal canal, and the oral cavity, depending on where the exposure to the virus occurred. 


This maculopapular rash can assume multiple appearances, but it most commonly presents as reddish papules, rash, or blisters. These blisters contain pus which hosts viral particles and are responsible for the contagious transmission of the monkeypox virus. 


Nonspecific symptoms of monkeypox resemble that of a common cold. These symptoms include:

  • Cold
  • Sore throat
  • Fever and chills
  • Headache and dizziness
  • Fatigue and body aches
  • Dehydration


Monkeypox infections are usually self-resolving and resolve on their own within 3-4 weeks after the initial appearance of symptoms. Only symptomatic treatment is usually required, and no specific treatment is warranted in most cases.


CAN MONKEYPOX INFECTIONS BE PREVENTED?

Prevention of monkeypox infections revolves around the use of preventive vaccines and the elimination of high-risk behaviors. High-risk behaviors for monkeypox infections include unsafe sex, sharing personal hygiene products, and sharing bedsheets, towels, and clothes with others. 


Since monkeypox is closely related to another family of viruses known as the smallpox virus, their genetic makeup and, thus, their preventative measures are closely related. There are at least a couple of vaccines approved by the CDC to prevent the smallpox virus. These vaccines are also effective measures in preventing monkeypox infections. 


Eliminating high-risk behaviors for monkeypox infections is another effective way to reduce your chances of acquiring this virus. The most effective way to reduce your chances of acquiring monkeypox infection is to practice safe sex. Safe sex behaviors include:

  • Using a new condom before every new sexual act
  • Reducing the number of active sexual partners
  • Getting regularly tested for monkeypox and other STD


Being open and clear with your sexual partner about your symptoms is also a highly effective way to reduce monkeypox transmission. If you or your sexual partner develop a genital rash or any other monkeypox symptoms, visit your healthcare provider at the earliest. 


It is also important to restrain yourself from having sexual intercourse if you have an ongoing rash. Make sure to inform your recent sexual partners about your symptoms if you develop any. 


WHAT TO DO IF I HAVE MONKEYPOX?

The first step is knowing when to be worried because not every rash indicates a monkeypox infection. If you have developed a genital, anal, or oral rash a few days or weeks after having unprotected sexual intercourse, and if you also have nonspecific symptoms resembling a common cold, you have likely acquired a monkeypox infection. 


If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, visit your healthcare provider at the earliest opportunity. Your physician will conduct a series of clinical examinations and a few investigations. Your doctor may also take a swab sample from an open blister or your genital rash and send it to the nearest lab for a PCR test. PCR stands for polymerase chain reactions, providing an accurate clinical picture of many viral infections, including monkeypox. 


It is important to restrain yourself from any sexual activity while you have active symptoms. Even after your symptoms resolve, wait until you have a confirmatory negative PCR report before resuming sexual activities with your partner. Talk to your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing and discuss a treatment plan that is both suitable for you and easy to follow.


0 Comments

Related Posts All Posts
03.18.2023

How To Date Someone With HIV

Dating someone with an STI, especially HIV, can be challenging. It involves meticulous planning and staying vigilant to avoid acquiring HIV from your partner. But is there a safe way to date someone with HIV? While dating someone with HIV can be challenging, it is certainly not impossible. Hundreds of thousands of people around the globe have partners who have HIV, and they live happy and fulfilling lives. The key to dating people with HIV is to adopt the right approach. Learning more about HIV is the first step towards dating someone with this condition; using protection, taking preventative medication, and regularly visiting your healthcare provider are all methods to date someone with HIV safely.While it is much safer now to date an HIV-positive person than ever, it certainly has its challenges. However, this step-by-step roadmap approach will help you navigate your seropositive relationship safely and effectively.HOW TO DATE SOMEONE WITH HIV – A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACHIf you are in a relationship with someone who has HIV or is about to be, this article is for you. Explained below are 5 essential rules for dating someone with HIV.  Educate yourself firstThe first step when forming a relationship with someone who has HIV is to learn more about the disease itself. You can't defend yourself from something you don't know anything about. Read up on what causes HIV, how it spreads, affects your body, and how it's treated to understand more about what your potential partner is going through. Once you read up on HIV, you'll have a much different perspective on the disease and the people living with it. You will also know how to equip yourself against this disease better.Another essential benefit of learning more about HIV is that you can pick on subtle signs and symptoms of the disease that appear early on in its course. This way, you can protect yourself early in the infection, even if you are ever exposed to HIV. You can also take better care of your partner by picking up on signs and symptoms of HIV and assessing their condition, throwing caution to the wind the minute it starts to deteriorate. You can learn about HIV by reading about it online, talking to your partner, or simply visiting your healthcare provider.  Always use protectionUsing protection during sexual intercourse is one of the best ways for you to protect yourself from not only HIV but also all other STDs. Condoms provide an excellent barrier between you and your seropositive partner's HIV. Condoms are also the only birth control method that protects against STD transmission.Make sure to use a condom before every sexual act. Using a condom will protect you from acquiring HIV through vaginal and anal sex. You can also wear a condom during oral sex to protect yourself from acquiring the virus from that route.For additional protection, you can also use dental dams to have safe oral sex with your partner. Take medication to prevent HIV You can also use medication to prevent acquiring HIV from your partner. Two of the most popular preventative medical regimen for HIV are PrEP and nPEP.PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication regimen that helps prevent HIV infections before a person is exposed to the virus. This means that this medication regimen is taken every day by individuals who are at a greater risk of acquiring HIV, such as those who are dating someone with HIV.nPEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication regimen that helps protect from an HIV infection after a person has been exposed to HIV. However, nPEP only works if taken within 72 hours of exposure, meaning that a person only has 3 days to take the medication after a high-risk exposure, such as having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.Talk to your doctor about the possibility of starting these medication regimens if you are dating someone with HIV.Ensure that your partner takes medicationAntiviral drugs effectively reduce the severity and intensity with which HIV symptoms appear. These drugs decrease the viral load, which measures how many viral particles are detectable in a person's blood.A low viral load indicates low infectivity, meaning that a person with HIV and a low viral load is less likely to transmit HIV to other people through sexual intercourse.If your partner has HIV, make sure that they take their medication regularly. Talk to them about taking medication on time to enjoy a rich, rewarding, safe sex life. Schedule regular visits to your doctor Another good way of staying protected when dating someone with HIV is to schedule regular doctor appointments. Getting tested for HIV and other STIs regularly is shown to protect people from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases. Even if you acquire a sexually transmitted disease, regular checkups will help diagnose these conditions early so that they are easily and effectively managed.
03.13.2023

How To Date Someone With Herpes 

Dating someone with an STD can be challenging, especially if you find out about their condition after being in the relationship for some time. So how exactly do you date someone with herpes, and what can you do to make things easier? When it comes to dating someone with an STI, say herpes, there are four basic rules. First, you should try to learn more about herpes, including the basics of the disease, how it spreads, and how it affects your body. Second, understand the severity of the condition and what it can do to your life if you acquire it. Third, talk to your partner and set the ground rules for the relationship. Finally, prepare well in the bedroom to avoid catching herpes from your partner while you have sexual intercourse.While these rules look simple, they can be challenging to adopt into your lifestyle. Read more below to find out how to apply these rules to your life if you want to date someone with herpes.4 BASIC RULES TO DATE SOMEONE WITH HERPESDating someone with herpes can be a difficult task. For starters, herpes is not a curable condition – which means that once you acquire it, the virus lives inside your body for as long as you do. Moreover, having herpes can make you vulnerable to a plethora of other sexually transmitted diseases as well. Fortunately, some rules make your life easier if you are dating someone who has herpes. Understand the diseaseLearning about herpes is the first step you should take to date someone with herpes. Genital herpes is caused by a virus known as the herpes virus. The herpes virus, or HSV, usually spreads from vaginal, anal, and oral sex. HSV has two types, HSV 1 and HSV 2, and the second variety of the virus causes genital herpes.  When you have a basic understanding of what causes the disease and how it spreads, you can take better measures to avoid catching herpes from your partner.  Understand the basics of the disease either through the internet, by talking to your partner, or even a doctor. Understand the outcomeAfter learning about the basics, the next step is to realize just how much it would affect you and your lifestyle if you decide to date someone with herpes.  Here are all the bad things that you need to remember about herpes before you make the big decision. First, herpes is incurable, which means that it's not going anywhere once you get it. Second, people with herpes experience frequent herpes outbreaks – an explosion of bothersome symptoms that appear frequently and come unexpectedly. Third, herpes can be very easily transmitted to you from your partner if you are not careful enough in the bedroom.However, it’s not all bad news. Living with someone who has herpes might sound daunting, and rightly so, but it’s not as grim as you think.Herpes doesn't always come with symptoms. 50% of the young American population have HSV type 1, but not all have symptoms.Secondly, herpes is usually self-contained even when it is symptomatic. The symptoms usually last about three weeks before they disappear on their own. You can decrease the frequency and intensity with which these symptoms appear even further by taking the prescribed medication regularly. Lastly, modern antiviral drugs are very good at keeping the herpes virus in your body at bay. These medications cannot fully cure herpes but can easily treat the symptoms and reduce the frequency with which they appear. Have the conversation It is important to address the elephant in the room and talk to your partner about their diagnosis. Talking to your partner about their STDs can be difficult because it’s very easy to sound insensitive when you don’t know how to talk about it. However, having this conversation is very important because you cannot form an effective plan without first talking about the situation.When you talk to your partner about their disease, you can help both by establishing boundaries that work for both of you.Prepare thoroughlyNow that you’ve had the conversation with your partner about their STD, it is time to prepare for what’s to come. When dating someone with herpes, it is essential to establish safe sex boundaries. Talk to your partner about what kind of sexual acts are permissible in the relationship and what is off the table. Also, discuss the need to use a condom before every sexual act. It would help if you also planned regular visits to your doctor's clinic for STI testing. ConclusionWhile it certainly is challenging to date someone with herpes, a little preparation can go a long way. Follow these 4 essential rules for dating someone with herpes so that you can navigate your relationship like a pro. Remember, nothing ever works out if you don't do anything about it. Talk to your partner whenever you need to, maintain safe boundaries, and visit your healthcare provider often so that both you and your partner can enjoy a happy and healthy life.
03.08.2023

If You Have An STD, How Do You Avoid Giving It To Your Partner?

While it’s true that not all STDs can be cured, almost all of them can be prevented with safe sex practices. You can protect your partner still even if you have already contracted an STD. There are multiple ways to avoid giving your partner any STD that you may have. Safe sex practices are a collection of sexual precautions which protect the people you love from contracting an STD from you. Even if you’ve already been diagnosed with an incurable STD, you can still protect your partner by simply wearing a condom every time you have sex. Staying hygienic, avoiding sex when intoxicated, and getting tested regularly are all additional measures which drastically decrease the probability of passing on an STD to your partner during sexual intercourse.While not all of the safe sex practices provide equal protection against STD spread, when combined altogether, these measures do create an exceptionally safe environment for your loved one – especially when you’re under the covers! Read below to find out how you can protect your partners from STDs.HOW TO AVOID GIVING STDs TO YOUR PARTNER(S)?If you have been diagnosed with an STD, here are some of the best ways to protect your partner from acquiring the disease during sexual intercourse.Be honest about your STD statusFirst things first, the best way to protect your partner from acquiring an STD from you is to let them know about your positive status. It does not matter whether you are diagnosed with a curable or an incurable STD; there's always the risk that your partner will acquire your condition if you are not careful or if they don't know anything about it. Talk to your partner(s) about your diagnosis. Give them time to think about the situation and let them make an informed decision. It is also important that you do not keep unreasonable expectations from them. STDs are scary for everyone; no one should be expected to put their health at risk in the name of love.Always use a condomCondoms, or any other protective barriers made from polyurethane, are a great way to protect yourself and others from acquiring STDs. Condoms are also the only contraceptives which protect against STDs as well!Make sure always to use a condom before any sexual act. Any sex, be it oral, anal or vaginal, carries the potential to spread STDs. Make sure always to use a new condom before any new sexual act.It is also advised not to use condoms that have been in your drawer or wallet for a long time. Consider buying new ones each time you decide to have sex with your partner.Get regular STD testsThe second best way to protect your partners from acquiring an STD from you is to get regular checkups at the doctors. Both you and your partner need to have routine appointments at your doctor's clinic for regular STD testing. Even if you are already aware of your positive status, you still need to be sure that you have not acquired any other STDs. Having one STD increases the probability of acquiring more, and having multiple STDs means more risk of transmission during sexual intercourse.Regular STD checkups are a great idea because sexually transmitted diseases are best treated when caught early. Regular testing can also provide feedback on whether or not your safe sex practices are working.If your doctor tells you to stop having sex until the results come back, it's a good idea to do so. Only resume sexual activities until your doctor tells you it's safe.Be careful with anal sexAll kinds of sexual activities carry some risk of STD transmission, but activities which lead to loss of epithelium carry more risk than others. Anal sex happens to cause more damage to the epithelium, increasing the chances of STD transmission.Avoid sex during an active outbreak or when intoxicatedMost STDs usually stay dormant in your body until they are triggered to become active. There's an increased risk of STD transmission in the active state compared to when the STD-causing organism is lying dormant in your body.If you have an active outbreak of an STD, such as during a herpetic outbreak, stop all sexual activities. Visit your healthcare provider, get yourself and your partner tested for STDs, and only resume having sex until your doctor gives you the go-ahead.Also, avoid having sexual intercourse with your partner when intoxicated. Being drunk or high does not directly cause any STD transmission, but people tend to be less careful when intoxicated and, consequently, care less about safe sex practices.Consider vaccinationConsider getting yourself, and your partner vaccinated against STDs as well. Preventative vaccines are currently available for hepatitis B and HPV infections.
add Row
add block