the virus is often transmitted before the first symptoms, according to a study

The epidemic has caused the emergence of numerous cases of monkeypox in Europe and the American continent since spring, while the disease has so far mainly been present in several African countries.

If the epidemic, which has affected nearly 80,000 patients and caused some 30 deaths, is currently on the decline, health authorities remain vigilant. Therefore, it is important to know the risk of “silent” transmission, ie during the incubation period before the patient is affected by the first symptoms.

Up to four days before symptoms

The study authors, led by epidemiologist Thomas Ward, attempted to answer this question by examining data from nearly 3,000 British patients. As with the current epidemic as a whole, these are mostly men who have had same-sex relationships. This review provided information on two types of delays.

The first is the incubation time, during which the patient carries the virus without knowing it. The second is the time that elapses from the onset of symptoms in a given patient, until their appearance in the one to whom the disease has been transmitted. The researchers concluded that this second delay tends to be shorter than the first, suggesting transmission before the first symptoms.