According to Data from World Health Organization (WHO) of 2021, it is estimated that every year about 374 million people contract one of the following diseases: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomonas infection. In addition, more than 500 million people are carriers of Herpes Simplex viris (HSV) in a population aged 15 to 49 years.As Cristina Epalza, member of the working group on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted diseases of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP), explains, «the increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases is a global phenomenon that affects both men and women. And most likely the underlying cause is the progressive change in sexual habits in society.»
In European countries, cases of sexual infections have increased over the last decade due to several factors. Especially among adolescents, there has been a decrease in the systematic use of condoms and in this age group the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections has skyrocketed. «In addition to the decline in condom use, the fact that the age of initiation of sexual intercourse is progressively lowering has undoubtedly had an important impact on the increase in the number of diagnoses in this group,» says Epalza.
The human papillomavirus (HPV), responsible for most cervical cancers, which in Italy has a prevalence of about 6% in women, compared to the European average of 8.2%, is one of the most frequent sexually transmitted diseases in adolescence.
According to the Higher Institute of Health in Italy, cases of Chlamydia trachomatis in 2019 showed an increase of 33%, especially in women ( 65%).Young people between 15 and 24 years old show a prevalence of cases of infection four times compared to those over 24. And the number of women with genital herpes has more than doubled in the last fifteen years. Cases of gonorrhea have doubled in the last five years analyzed. In contrast, in four years (from 2016 to 2019) the number of cases of anogenital warts has decreased, most likely thanks to anti-HPV vaccination campaigns in females and males.
Although global data on HIV infection in paediatrics are encouraging, adolescents are one of the world’s populations where the number of new diagnoses has not decreased.
Experts agree that, in order to be more effective in preventing HIV infections in adolescents, it is necessary to strengthen a package of measures that includes the promotion of sexual health in all sectors, the use of condoms and their free availability in places frequented by this group, the facilitation of access to the health system, early diagnosis and awareness raising and training of professionals working with adolescents both in health and education.
Sexuality education should be strengthened already in childhood and should be addressed globally as a society and in different areas (educational centres, families and health centres).»It is necessary to carry out campaigns for adolescents, but also to promote the formation of families and professionals (educational and health environments). And all this will continue to be insufficient if it is not accompanied by structural changes, the provision of means, resources, infrastructure and personnel that a worthy health protection requires», concludes Epalza.
Some numbers in Italy
As reported by page Epicentro of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), the only sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with mandatory notification are gonorrhea, syphilis and pediculosis of the pubis. Therefore, national estimates refer to those data.
To overcome this lack of information and to comply with international regulations, two other systems have been introduced, both coordinated by the AIDS Operations Center (CoA) of the ISS. As stated in epidemiology section of Epicentre, there was a 41% increase in STIs from 2005 to 2019, compared to the previous period 1991-2004.The average age, higher than the European one, stands at 32 years. The largest percentage of people who tested positive for STIs is male: 71.5% of men and 28.5% of women.
The most frequent pathologies found in recent years are anogenital warts (43% of the total), latent syphilis (8.2% of the total) and genital herpes (7.2% of the total). The number of cases of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis saw a 33% increase from 2017 to 2019. And a similar trend was also recorded with gonorrhea: from 2000 to 2019, cases increased by about three and a half times. The only STI that has seen a decline is syphilis, the number of cases of which halved in 2000-2019 in heterosexual men and women. However, it has seen an increase in MSM (men who have sex with men — men who have sex with men).
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Source — https://www.univadis.it/viewarticle/le-infezioni-sessualmente-trasmissibili-sono-aumentate-2023a100039p