Haro on STIs! The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is sounding the alarm this Thursday March 7 in the face of the “worrying” upsurge in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on the Old Continent. “The results reveal a worrying increase in cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia,” states the European agency.
In 2022, cases of gonorrhea, for example, jumped by 48%, with a total of 70,881 cases in the European Union, according to the agency’s annual report. For its part, syphilis shows an increase of 34%, with 35,391 cases in 2022. Curable infections, which “can however lead to serious complications if they are not treated”, insists the report.
Chlamydia cases reach record high
Especially since a host of other STIs, sometimes less well known, continue to proliferate. “Cases of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and congenital syphilis (caused by transmission from mother to fetus) have also increased substantially,” observes the ECDC in its report. And added: “These trends highlight the urgency of immediate action to prevent transmission and mitigate the impact of STIs on public health,” warns the ECDC.
In addition, the number of chlamydia cases, up 16%, records a record level in 2022, with some 216,508 cases observed. A particularly high figure compared to other STIs, nuanced by the ECDC which explains that “inequalities in chlamydia screening strategies […] have a great influence on the number of reported cases of chlamydia.
Underestimated figures
The fact remains that “these figures, although important, probably only represent the tip of the iceberg, because the data” may be underestimated, underlined the director of the ECDC, Andrea Ammon during a conference of press. A phenomenon attributable, according to her, to differences in screening practices but also in access to sexual health services in the 27 EU countries.
Often asymptomatic, these infections can be transmitted “without us knowing it”, recalls the ECDC. Reason why “it is important that sexual partners get tested before having sex without a condom”, argues the report which emphasizes that early diagnosis and “rapid treatment are essential to prevent transmission and complications potential of the disease.
Andrea Ammon particularly emphasizes the importance of prioritizing sexual health education and expanding access to screening services and treatments. But to do this, we must at the same time initiate a normalization of STIs. “Promoting consistent condom use”, “encouraging open dialogue about STIs”, and “open and honest communication about one’s sexual health with partners” can help reduce transmission rates, wants to believe the director of the health agency.