Incidence of gonorrhea and syphilis will continue to increase in 2020, CDC data

CNN
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Data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday Shows that the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States decreased early in the Covid-19 pandemic, but by the end of 2020 many had recovered and even increased.

According to the 2020 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance Report, cases of gonorrhea increased by 10% by the end of the year, and the incidence of syphilis increased by 7% in both primary and secondary. Primary and secondary refer to the various stages of syphilis infection.

“In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic, as we knew, dramatically disrupted life,” said CDC’s National Center for HIV Viral Hepatitis, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. Dr. Jonathan Marmin, director of the virus, said on Tuesday.

“There were moments in 2020 when the world felt stationary, but not sexually transmitted diseases. The relentless momentum of sexually transmitted diseases, even if preventive and therapeutic services were interrupted. Continued. ”

Newborn syphilis, called congenital syphilis, increased by 15% from 2019 and by 235% from 2016. Congenital syphilis occurs when a woman with syphilis infects her baby during pregnancy. It can lead to serious health problems and death.

In a letter to CDC partners issued with the report, Dr. Leandromena, director of the CDC’s STD Prevention Division, said that the “rapid increase” in congenital syphilis over the past five years was due to an increase in primary and secondary syphilis. Said it was being promoted.

“The incidence of P & S syphilis increased by 24% in women of reproductive age between 2019 and 2020, resulting in an increase in congenital syphilis. In 2020, there were 2,148 cases of congenital syphilis. It’s increased by 15% from 2019, “the researchers write.

According to the report, the most common opportunity missed on the prevention of congenital syphilis was women who did not undergo timely prenatal care or testing for syphilis.

The incidence of chlamydia fell by 13% between 2019 and 2020. Researchers say this is probably due to a decrease in medical access during a pandemic, rather than a decrease in actual infections.

“Most people with chlamydia infection usually have no signs or symptoms, and most cases are identified by screening at regular preventive care visits,” the researchers write.

“Therefore, reduced screening during a pandemic could have imbalancedly affected chlamydia, causing undiagnosed infections.”

The researchers said the increase in cases of sexually transmitted diseases seen at the end of the year may be related to changes in testing.

Also, in 2020, people may have had a longer active infection due to reduced access to health care, and there may have been changes in sexual behavior during and after ordering shelter-in-place. there is.

According to the CDC report, more than half of the sexually transmitted diseases reported in 2020 were people aged 15 to 24 years. More than 3 out of 10 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, primary and secondary syphilis are non-Hispanic blacks, and the authors reportedly said they were probably linked to access.

“For example, in a community with a high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, each sexual activity is more likely to encounter an infected partner than a low prevalence setting, regardless of similar sexual behavior patterns.” The author writes.

“Data from 2020 show an increase in sexually transmitted diseases in many groups, but some racial and ethnic minority groups, gay and bisexual men, and young people in our country. Continues to bear the brunt of fashion, “Mena said.

“These data show that factors such as lack of access to regular health care, discrimination and prejudice hinder quality sexual care for everyone who needs it. “He said.

“To make lasting progress on sexually transmitted diseases in this country, we need to understand the systems that create injustice and work with our partners to change them.”