Top in ID: Monkeypox declaration, doxycycline for STI prevention
Last week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, MSc, declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Tedros made the declaration himself after an emergency committee was unable to come to a unanimous decision. It was the top story in infectious disease.
Another top story was about research on the efficacy of doxycycline as a post-exposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections. Prior evidence demonstrated that taking doxycycline within 3 days of condomless sex halved the incidence of STIs among men who have sex with men. The impact was even larger in the new study, which showed a more than 60% reduction in STI risk, according to researchers.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
Monkeypox declaration 'clearly the right decision,' expert says
In a first, the WHO director-general decided on his own to declare the global monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Read more.
Taking doxycycline after sex can prevent STIs, another study finds
A second study has shown that taking a single dose of doxycycline within 3 days of having condomless sex can prevent sexually transmitted infections. Read more.
Man is oldest person possibly cured of HIV after stem cell transplant
A 66-year-old man is the oldest person yet to possibly be cured of HIV after undergoing a stem cell transplant, researchers announced. Read more.
UNAIDS: Urgent action needed as global crises undermine HIV/AIDS response
In its annual report, UNAIDS said urgent action is needed to get the fight against HIV/AIDS back on track after it was derailed by “overlapping crises,” leaving up to 4,000 people with new HIV infections every day. Read more.
Q&A: Deadly Marburg virus causes second outbreak in West Africa
On July 17, officials announced the first ever Marburg virus outbreak in Ghana, marking just the second time the virus has been detected in West Africa. Read more.