While the French public health authority lists about a thousand cases of monkeypox in France, especially in Ile-de-France, ‘The epidemic we are observing’ Approaching “Sexually transmitted infection”testifies to franceinfo Dr. Benjamin Davido, an infectious disease specialist at Garches Hospital in Hauts-de-Seine.
>> Monkeypox: Eligible population, waiting times, injection methods… Five questions about vaccination
franceinfo: is it a disease to be taken seriously?
Dr. Benjamin Davido: Yes, of course. In fact, we wanted very much in the beginning not to stigmatize the at-risk population [les hommes ayant des relations homosexuelles] That we are left with the historical descriptions of monkeypox in its original version, the epidemic that spread in Africa. In fact, what we observe today is usually the appearance of a sexually transmitted infection, sometimes accompanied by indistinguishable lesions, which can be very small and pass into a completely common disease. Unfortunately, the fact that we are not diagnosed means that we will not be consulted and that we will be contaminated.
Is it considered a sexually transmitted disease?
This is the annoying question. Officially, the Anglo-Saxons speak of a sexually transmitted infection, but not of a sexually transmitted disease. In fact, there are items in certain publications about a series of small cases that show that the patients’ sperm was also contaminated. It is very likely that this definition will change.
“Until then, we hadn’t talked about it because we were based on the disease that we know, which is not transmissible or very little transmitted in very close reports. But we can see that it is a disease of the genitals, and it is partly sexual.”
Dr. Benjamin Davido, Infection Specialistin franceinfo
Were there more serious developments of the disease?
We know there can be dangerous forms. The danger is infecting immunocompromised people, for example, and there are also patients in the hospital. It’s obviously still on the sidelines but we had a patient with a severe form of ENT. Hence, one of the complications may be a meta-infection.
Where are we from the vaccine that exists today?
You have to be very humble. What we can hope for is an efficacy of at least 60% and hope that this vaccination will slow down, if not eliminate, the epidemic. We’re late regarding the fact that we have logistical concerns, in terms of regulation and accessible doses. This decision [l’ouverture de la vaccination préventive] In any case, it was correct, very clearly, because the goal is a preventive vaccine, so we do not wait until the cases of contacts are revealed to go and vaccinate those who wish to do so. The problem is that today we relied on this vaccination on phone calls. She’s cork to level, very clearly. We get about 80 calls one morning and keep about 20 appointments.
