[ad_1]
From 2022 to 2023, a sharp increase in gonorrhea cases among young women was observed in 15 European countries. Among young men, the increase in gonorrhea cases is relatively small.
A detailed report is published in the magazine euro monitoring.
Rapid communication: Surge in gonorrhea notifications among young people in the EU/EEA, July 2022 to June 2023. Image credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock
background
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that occurs primarily in the genitals, rectum, and throat. Primarily, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 contract this infection by engaging in sexual activity with an infected person. Pregnant women who have gonorrhea can also transmit gonorrhea to their infants during childbirth.
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) reported an increase in gonorrhea cases among young people residing in four countries in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) in early 2022. The incidence of gonorrhea began to increase in late 2022 and exceeded the incidence reported before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
In this study, scientists determined the magnitude of the increase in gonorrhea cases in 2022 and 2023 and assessed which countries the increase would be most pronounced.
research design
In view of the increase in gonorrhea cases, ECDC asked countries to submit preliminary data on diagnosed cases for the first six months of 2023. A total of 17 countries submitted data from January to June 2023.
A total of 15 countries reported consistent rates of gonorrhea in the five years before the start of the pandemic (2020) and in 2022-2023. Data from these countries were used to estimate gonorrhea prevalence among women.
Prevalence among men was determined by differentiating men based on mode of transmission (heterosexual versus homosexual transmission). Nine countries were selected for the analysis of gonorrhea prevalence in men, where the mode of transmission was reported in 45% or more of gonorrhea cases in men from 2015 to 2019 and from 2022 to 2023.
important findings
A sharp increase in gonorrhea cases was observed among women aged 20 to 24 in mid-2022. Growth rates for women aged 15-19 and 25-29 were relatively low.
These increases were similar to the increases observed in men aged 20-24 and 25-29 with heterosexual modes of transmission in mid-2022. Among men with homosexual transmission, a modest increase in gonorrhea cases has been observed since 2015 in all age groups except 15 to 19 years.
Gonorrhea cases among women aged 20-24 years increased by 73% and 89% from expected prevalence (based on historical data from 2015-2019) in July-December 2022 and January-June 2023, respectively did. The excess of reported cases was relatively small for women aged 15-19 and 25-29.
The highest excess (36%) was observed in the first 6 months of 2023 among men infected through heterosexual transmission routes. Overall, the excess in these men was smaller than that observed in young women.
A country-level analysis conducted among women aged 20-24 shows an increase of more than 100% in late 2022 or early 2023 in Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Slovenia. .
In Spain, exceedances of approximately 116% and 98% were observed in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The size of the excess was small in Finland, Italy and Sweden. No excesses were observed in Estonia, Hungary, and Latvia.
Significance of the research
The study found a significant increase in gonorrhea cases among young women in several EU/EEA countries from 2022 to 2023. Although the data for 2023 are preliminary, the observed increase is alarming. This is because gonorrhea infection can lead to several health complications such as pelvic inflammation and chronic diseases. Pain and subsequent infertility.
National experts said at a series of conferences organized by the ECDC that changes in sexual behavior, including the number of sexual partners, types of sexual activity and condom use, may be contributing to the recent increase in gonorrhea cases. Ta.
Another possibility is gonorrhea In strains that are causing increased incidence, symptoms are absent or mild, making it difficult to diagnose infection in a timely manner and prevent transmission among humans. This strain may also be more transmissible than previously circulating strains.
The findings highlight the need to raise awareness among young people about the risks of sexually transmitted infections. Awareness campaigns should particularly emphasize the benefits of safe sex practices and regular testing.
[ad_2]
Source link
