Heeding Lessons Of The Past Will Help Us Combat Monkeypox in Australia
Image: Matt Ford was one of the first Americans to go public with his mpox (monkeypox) diagnosis.
By Karl Johnson
History has taught us how to effectively respond to an infectious disease outbreak – but we must work together and act fast.
For many of us, this feels familiar.
We are watching the exponential growth of an infectious outbreak overseas while having more mild impacts here at home, yet that might likely change. Much like the early days of the COVID-19 and HIV pandemics, our local situation lags behind what we see in places like the United States and Europe. Nature has again gifted Australia with a heads up.
Of course, I am referring to MPXV, commonly referred to as monkeypox. MPXV is a viral illness that has been endemic (meaning sustained in a local population over time) to Central and West Africa since at least the 1970s. MPXV is not new.
What is new in 2022 is that MPXV has rapidly spread outside of Africa since May. At the time of writing, there are over 23,000 cases reported in 82 countries. The outbreak outside of Africa is predominantly affecting gay, bi, and other men who have sex with men.
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Here Comes Another Virus
Australia has called MPXV a “communicable disease incident of national significance” while the World Health Organisation declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern.
For many gay and queer men, the idea of another public health crisis associated with our sex lives is jarring. Just as we make strides towards the virtual end of new transmissions of one virus, here comes another one. Then there is the potential for stigma. When it comes to HIV, we know that stigma is associated with reduced engagement in HIV prevention tools and poorer adherence to HIV treatments. We must not let stigma complicate our response.
Likewise, we have seen the COVID pandemic politicised in certain spaces which detracted from the goals of achieving the best health outcomes for as many people as possible touched by that pandemic.
With these lessons in mind, we have real opportunities in Australia. We have some extra time compared to our European and American counterparts to get MPXV information in front of our communities so we can make informed decisions around how we operate.
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Our health agencies are working tirelessly to get vaccines to those most at risk. It should be acknowledged that globally there are limited supplies and strong demand, but this remains work of the highest priority. If we begin to vaccinate before we see a large outbreak here at home, we will be in an enviable position.
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And of course, we have our community. We have proven we are quick to adapt and engage tools that facilitate our health and wellbeing, like PrEP and undetectable viral load. Further, as a community we have responded to stigma before, and we will do it again. Stigma is entirely counterproductive to public health, and we have the skills to reduce the impact of stigma around MPXV by calling it out while caring for one another. We know how to do this.
So here we are. As Australians, we are facing real challenges around MPXV, but we also have some real opportunities, though we must act fast.
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The situation with MPXV is rapidly evolving and it’s important we remain informed and self-aware. ACON is committed to a community-driven, collaborative and evidence-based response to MPXV. Updated information can be found at www.aconhealth.org.au/monkeypox.
Karl Johnson is ACON’s Acting Director of HIV and Sexual Health.
For more information on monkeypox vaccinations in Australia, check this link.
For more information about monkeypox, check Thorne Harbour Health website.
