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Sexually transmitted infection figures are at record highs in the UK. And according to health authorities, the population categories most affected are young people… but also retirees.
Gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia… Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are numerous and the latest figures published by the British health agency, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), show that cases are on the rise, with +4, 7% increase. This is also the case in France, where according to the latest data reported by doctors from the Sentinelles network, the number of sexually transmitted infections has significantly increased between 2020 and 2022.
Adolescents and retirees, more concerned
In 2023, 401,800 new cases of STIs will be diagnosed in the United Kingdom. But beyond the increase in figures, what is undoubtedly most surprising is the categories of people affected by these pathologies.
- Adolescents aged 13 to 14 see their number of cases increase by almost 20%, with 459 young people affected by an STI;
- Retirees aged 65 and over, whose figures increase by 18.2%, with 2,885 people infected, all STIs combined.
According to the British authorities, these trends can be explained by the engagement of young people and retirees in relationships involving unprotected (and therefore risky) sex after meeting a new person on a dating site or after becoming widowed or widow. A similar trend was noted in the United States.
For adolescents, the British agency points out access to pornography via their smartphones. Dr Hamish Mohammed, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA whose comments are reported by the Daily Mailexplain : “STIs can have a major impact on your health, regardless of your age, gender or sexual orientation. The best way to reduce your risk of infection is to use a condom consistently and correctly with new or occasional partners.
Preventing your partner from an STI is only done in half of cases, according to a study
A good way to avoid transmitting an STI is also to talk to your partner if you are concerned. This is not always done, as shown by a study which focuses on talking to your partner about an STI diagnosis before starting a relationship.
This metaanalysis, published in the Journal of sex research, shows that less than half of the people concerned would talk about it. For what reasons ? “Many people lack comprehensive and sufficient sex education” write the authors of this work. “Rather than learning how to use prophylaxis correctly, identifying its limits and understanding the scope and transmissibility of STIs, young people are only encouraged to abstain”. Hence the lack of communication on the issue before a report…
To improve things, scientists recommend the implementation of sex education courses for everyone, at all ages, in order to destigmatize STIs. “The Sexual Health Conversations Initiative is Everyone’s Responsibility” they conclude.
A new STI in Europe and now in the United States
An American from New York contracted ringworm (which is a fungus) through sexual contact, reports the media The Independent. He would be the first man to catch this infection in the United States, considered very contagious. This fungus lodges on dead skin, hair and nails and causes perianal, genital and oral lesions. This American patient reportedly developed a rash on his penis, buttocks and limbs following the infection. The strain, called Trichophyton mentagrophytes type VII, is increasing in Europe, particularly among men who have sex with men. Doctors in France have reported 15 such cases between 2021 and 2023.