A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise in most regions of the world.
The WHO has reported an increase in STDs worldwide.
In 2022, syphilis cases among adults aged 15–49 increased by nearly 1 million.
Additionally, more than 200,000 deaths were linked to syphilis. These increases are particularly evident in the Americas and the African region. HIV and hepatitis infections remain high and continue to pose significant global health challenges.
The rise in gonorrhea is also cause for concern.
In 2023, 9 out of 87 monitored countries reported significant resistance to the last-line treatment for the infection, ceftriaxone—with resistance rates rising from 5% to 40%.
Although new HIV infections have generally declined, HIV-related deaths in 2022 were estimated at around 600,000, 13% of which occurred in children under the age of 15.
The four curable STIs—syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis—account for more than 1 million new infections every day.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a noticeable increase in adult and maternal syphilis, as well as congenital syphilis. In 2022, there were also approximately 1.2 million new cases of hepatitis B and nearly 1 million cases of hepatitis C, with deaths from viral hepatitis rising from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022.
References
- New report flags major increase in sexually transmitted infections, amidst challenges in HIV and hepatitis. World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/news/item/21-05-2024-new-report-flags-major-increase-in-sexually-transmitted-infections—amidst-challenges-in-hiv-and-hepatitis
- Doctor33, R. (2024, 22 maggio). Malattie sessualmente trasmissibili, Oms: aumento di un milione di casi tra i 15 e i 49 anni. https://www.doctor33.it/articolo/60970/malattie-sessualmente-trasmissibili-oms-aumento-di-un-milione-di-casi-tra-i-15-e-i-49-anni-i-dati
