Why sexually transmitted infections are rising in America
Twenty years ago, syphilis seemed close to elimination in America. Gonorrhoea rates were also declining. Fast-forward to today and syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia, three of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are hitting historic highs (see chart), especially among gay men and certain ethnic-minority groups. In 2021 gonorrhoea reached its highest level since 1991 and syphilis since 1990. Chlamydia’s rates have nearly doubled since 20 years ago. Even babies are being affected. On November 7th the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that congenital syphilis—passed to babies from infected mothers—increased tenfold from 2012 to 2022.
Why is this happening? STIs have plagued humans since Biblical times. But when HIV was first identified in the United States in 1981, it was particularly devastating. Whereas most STIs have unpleasant symptoms (chlamydia and gonorrhoea can result in infertility in severe cases and syphilis can be deadly if left untreated), contracting HIV was a death sentence. In 1992 HIV was the leading cause of death among American men aged 25-44.
The fear of contracting HIV and dying from AIDS led to behavioural changes. People used condoms and got screened for STIs more frequently. Public-health programmes received more funding. And as people died from AIDS, there were fewer high-risk people alive to spread STIs, says Jay Varma, a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. One study found that AIDS-associated mortality may have accounted for up to 50% of the decline in syphilis rates in the early 1990s.
2023-11-09 09:01:38
Link from www.economist.com
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