One million new sexually transmitted infections are believed to occur every day across the world. A particularly important problem among young people.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a global scourge. A study published in the journal PLOS ONE and resumed by l‘World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the prevalence of four of the most common STIs, i.e. chlamydia, trichomoniasis, syphilis or gonorrhea, is 273 million cases.
Based on 2012 data, collected through a literature review including 79 studies, estimates of the annual number of new cases are particularly worrying. Among adults aged 15 to 49, data suggests that 357 million new infections occur each year, or nearly a million daily if we add papillomavirus infections.
The scientists behind this publication explain that the number of new infections diagnosed has steadily increased since 1995.
However, the WHO indicates that these new infections are more common in adolescents and young adults. 91% of new infections take place in countries where more than 80% of the population is considered young, between the ages of 15 and 49.
This can have a long-term impact on their health and fertility, especially as some STIs, especially chlamydia infections and gonorrhea, can cause women to become infertile. Syphilis is transmissible from mother to child, with a higher probability of neonatal death or birth defects.
Regional disparities
All regions of the world are affected by this outbreak of infections. However, the prevalence varies from disease to disease and region to region. On the African continent, for example, the prevalence of syphilis is high but that of chlamydia infections is much lower than that reported on the American continent.
In general, trichomoniasis and chlamydiosis are more frequently diagnosed in all areas than syphilis and gonorrhea. There are several reasons for this phenomenon.
These two diseases are particularly often asymptomatic in women, which means that many cases are not treated in time. Because not all sick people are treated adequately, people are more at risk of getting infected a second time.
Control plan
Beyond the seriousness of the results, these data are of concern, as they underline the ineffectiveness of many public policies implemented over the past two decades.
WHO is implementing a new strategy for 2020 to stem the number of new contaminations. Quite simply, it is a question of continuing to promote prevention and the use of condoms, but also of improving diagnostic tools. With regard to gonorrhea, resistance to antibiotic treatment is an increasingly widespread problem, which complicates patient management.
A crucial goal of the WHO is to enable all women in the most affected countries to be tested for syphilis. All this requires increased investment, particularly in research and development to develop new innovative tests, but also new vaccines.
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