Brief: Monkeypox and Meningococcal Disease Outbreaks Signal New Health Threats for Communities Heavily Impacted By HIV And Demand Immediate Action

In April 2022, a new variant of monkeypox virus infection was identified in the United Kingdom that has exploded into a pandemic. The first case was diagnosed in the United States the following month. In June 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also announced that they were working with Florida public health authorities on a large and growing outbreak of meningococcal disease. Both conditions are currently concentrated among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). These crises are sentinels of a growing threat of infectious diseases, and if they are not effectively contained, they could spread to broader populations, similar to HIV.

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