People living with HIV who have monkeypox are hospitalized more than twice as often as other patients diagnosed with the rapidly spreading virus, according to a study from the CDC.
The percentage of monkeypox patients who have HIV has also increased over time, which suggests monkeypox may be spreading more in networks of people who have HIV, according to the agency.
Monkeypox is disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic populations. Nearly 38% of monkeypox patients are Black, 29% are Hispanic and 27% are white, according to CDC data. The overall U.S. population is 12% Black, 19% Hispanic and 61% White, according to data from the 2020 Census. The CDC officials who authored the study said vaccination against monkeypox should be prioritized for people who are HIV-positive and who havePeople evaluated for monkeypox should also undergo HIV and STI screening, the authors said. Some 41% of monkeypox patients were diagnosed with one or more STIs over the past year, according to the CDC study. Health-care providers should also offer patients medication such as PrEP, which helps lower the risk of getting HIV through sex.