Ampox, a disease that first originated in animals and then spread to humans, has now become a health crisis worldwide.

During the 2022 virus outbreak, most infections were spread through close contact with people who showed symptoms, with male-to-male sexual contact being an important transmission mode.

This led to the misconception that ampox was primarily spread among men who have sex with men and thus led to homophobia, misinformation, and discrimination, further stigmatizing these communities.

Since ampox was first identified in Central Africa, the disease has often been associated with African countries.

According to a study, this led to the belief among people that the area was a source of infectious diseases.

Stigma is the presence of negative beliefs and judgements about a particular community, which leads to their marginalisation and discriminatory actions against them.

Another research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health revealed that stigma associated with MPOX and even vaccine challenges have been identified among Black Sexual Minority Men (BSMM).

“The study highlights the relevance of de-stigmatizing and providing priority health services to BSMM communities to directly address health equity efforts and promote greater medical trust,” the authors wrote.

In reality, close physical contact, bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces are the primary routes, but a lack of understanding has led to people suspected of being infected being isolated and discriminated against.

There is also a stigma attached to the mode of infection, with many people incorrectly assuming that it spreads easily through casual contact. Ampox often causes skin lesions and rashes, which are obvious signs of the disease.

Infected people may face stigma due to their appearance, resulting in avoidance, social ostracism, or shaming.

Like many other diseases that cause visible symptoms, some people incorrectly associate ampox with poor hygiene or unhygienic living conditions. This marginalises those affected by the disease.

Recognizing these stigmas, the World Health Organization changed monkeypox to ampox in late 2022.

“When the monkeypox outbreak spread earlier this year, the use of racist and stigmatizing language was observed online, in other venues and in some communities, and was reported to WHO,” the global health agency said.