CDC finds sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea and syphilis, on the rise

while 2017 and 2021gonorrhea cases increased by about 28%, syphilis cases increased by about 74%, congenital syphilis That’s an increase of over 203%.

While the report showed a 4% drop in chlamydia cases, researchers said the decline was due to reduced prevention and public health efforts during the pandemic, not an actual drop in infections. thinking about.

“The COVID-19 pandemic may have increased the incidence of STIs as people have less access to education, testing and treatment,” says Dr. Alcaide.

But even before the pandemic hit, STDs were on the rise.

data It suggests that care, discrimination, and the stigma associated with STDs all contribute to the increase in STDs.

reduce condom usereduced prevention and screening efforts, and Use of opioidsKnown to be closely related to sexually transmitted diseases, it is also believed to have played a role.

From 2020 to 2021 alone, syphilis increased by 32%.

“Although most new syphilis cases occur among men who have sex with men, the number of cases is also rising among women, reflecting the rise in congenital syphilis,” Alcade said. I got

Dr. Eileen StaffordHe is a physician in maternal and child medicine and associate professor of OB/GYN at McGovern Medical School in UTHealth Houston.

“Early syphilis rashes and lesions can be asymptomatic, and after they clear, infected individuals do not realize they are still infected,” she says.

An infected person can unknowingly infect others through skin-to-skin or mucous membrane contact with an infected person.

“It’s easier to get infected than other sexually transmitted infections,” Alcade says.

Many STDs can be asymptomatic in certain individuals, but if left untreated, complications chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, pregnancy complications, increased risk of infections, etc. HIVand infant mortality.

Syphilis, for example, is more common in people of reproductive age, including pregnant women, Dr. Stafford says.

If untreated, the infection can be passed to the fetus, health complicationsspeed and liver problems due to congenital syphilis, nerve problems, etc.

To prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, all sexually active people should be tested regularly once a year.

“If you have a new sexual partner, you should do it more often with unprotected sex, recent STDs, or partners who have been tested for STDs,” Alcade says.

STI screening and frank conversation should be part of all regular health care visits, not just when you have behavioral risk factors, Stafford said.

“This discussion should include an open dialogue about practices and behaviors that may increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections,” Stafford said.

To combat the spread of STDs, she believes patients should be screened for STDs in non-traditional settings such as emergency rooms.

Consistent condom use, early diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination all help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

“Access to quality health care and innovative ways to reach patients, increase health literacy and facilitate STI screening are desperately needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of STIs and congenital syphilis. It is a 100% preventable infectious disease,” says Stafford.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea increased by 7% in 2021. Syphilis saw its biggest spike, with a 32% increase between 2020 and 2021.

The pandemic, which has led to a decline in public health efforts and testing, may have contributed to the surge in cases, but the number of sexually transmitted infections has increased over the years. There are many factors behind this trend, including limited access to alcohol, declining condom use, stigma, and increasing opioid use.