Monkeypox can be contracted sexually, but not confirmed as STI — NCDC boss

THE director-general, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, says although sexual contact is a possible means by which individuals can contract monkeypox, the disease is yet to be confirmed as a sexually transmitted infection.

Dr Adetifa, who spoke at the 4th International Conference of the Centre for Control of Prevention of Zoonoses (CCPZ) on ‘COVID-19 and AMR- Public Health Implications and Mitigation Efforts in Nigeria’, stated that the monkeypox virus may be present in the body fluids of infected individuals and so transmissible to humans through close contact with an infected person, animal or contaminated material.

He stated that monkeypox, which presents with fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes and may lead to a range of medical complications, has a potential for higher virulence and transmissibility, and affected individuals tend to experience stigma and momentary loss of livelihood and economic hardship.

Adetifa said that to curtail this re-emerging disease, there is the need for further strengthening of the monkeypox surveillance system, especially in states where the disease seems to be silent; cross-cutting research on the infection’s reservoir, vaccine and antiviral agents, among others, as well as sustainable financing for health security and disease outbreak preparedness and response at all levels of governance.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• Revealed! Details Of South-West APC Leaders Meeting With Presidential Aspirants
• Supreme Court Has Cleared Civil Servants To Participate In Politics, Falana Tells FG
• Battle For New Alaafin Begins As Ruling Houses Insist On Producing Next Oba
• Court Admits More Evidence Against Alleged Fake Army General, Bolarinwa
• I’m Every Man’s Choice Now, My DM Is Crazy —Eniola Badmus
• It Is Now Bye To Decency: Crazy Fashion Trends At Owambe Parties

On antimicrobial resistance, he stated that in 2019, sub-Sahara Africa recorded the highest number of deaths from cases attributable to resistant bacterial infections, with more cases of misuse of antimicrobial medicines in Nigeria taking place in children.

While efforts continue to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in Nigerians, he stated the need for enforcement of the law that states that antibiotics are prescription-only, increased research on drivers of antimicrobials misuse and sustainable financing for universal health coverage to increase testing for bacterial infections.

Meanwhile, Professor Oyewale Tomori said Nigeria needs to sequence all monkeypox cases in Nigeria to better understand the disease in the country and to influence subsequent steps the government needs to take.

“Now the whole thing is going all over Europe. It couldn’t have been the one that came from Nigeria because genetic sequencing shows that this had been in Europe since about 2017 when somebody from Nigeria got into Europe. But then, it was spread by men having sex with men. And the sequencing shows that the origin is from Nigeria but the spread is not by Nigerians but their people over there.

“The monkeypox has been here with us; we report it regularly. When people are tested, you will find the antibodies. So, something must have happened with the current monkeypox virus.  So, we need to quickly sequence the cases we had in Nigeria.”