The SEIMC warning on the increase in the sexually transmitted infections in men who have sex with men, especially among the young.

-Lymphogranuloma Venereum has reappeared after years without cases, mainly in Barcelona and Madrid

-Las STI have increased in our country due to the fear which has lost to contagion and the changes in social behaviour

Madrid, February 2012.- the Spanish society of infectious diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), which brings together the vast majority of clinical microbiologists and Spanish specialists in infectious diseases, warns about the increase in cases of sexually transmitted infections mainly in men who have sex with men and especially among younger.

According to the World Health Organization, they appear every year 448 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and Trichomonas worldwide. In Spain, syphilis is one of the diseases that most has increased due to this infection cases have come to achieve the 2,360, doubling in just 6 years, according to data from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

A person suffers from an infection when a microorganism (virus, bacteria, or parasite) is present within your body. The infected person does not have to necessarily have symptoms, do not feel sick, but transmitted the causative organism of infection. Sexually transmitted infections will spread during sexual intercourse held unprotected with infected people, i.e. without making use of the condom.

Sexually transmitted infections extends, inter alia, by ignorance of being infected as STIs are often asymptomatic and are not easily detectable. If recognized any symptoms or have sex without protection it is necessary to go as soon as possible to the family doctor, to a specialised centre in STI, an infectologist or microbiologist or different specialists such as gynaecologists, dermatologists or urologists.

Las STI in our country: a worrying problem

According to data of the National Centre for epidemiology of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, herpes simplex virus infection has risen 68 per cent in the last 2 years in Spain and is more common in women than in men, with approximately three times as many cases. Genital herpes is a highly contagious, recurring and generally benign infection which can cause ulcers (sores) in the genital or extragenital area (straight, pharynx, buttocks and thighs). It can be transmitted by having unprotected sex, including oral sex.

Similarly, after ten years getting falling figures, noted that since 2000 there has been an increase in cases of people infected with syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, both men and women. These infections affect more men who have sex with men than to heterosexuals. Also, in the last 2 years cases of chlamydia have risen 13 per cent among young women.

An alarming increase

The increase of STIs in the past 10 years, both in our country and in the rest of the world, is due to various reasons including changes in social behaviour, migration flows and the limited information about them. These aspects have fostered the emergence of STDs as Lymphogranuloma Venereum, especially in Madrid and Barcelona.

The best way to avoid such diseases in sexually active people and with different sexual partners is the protection through condoms, the most effective barrier.

do you know that …

?This having an increase of (ITS) sexually transmitted infections especially in men who have sex with other men and teenagers?

In Spain has doubled in just six years the number of cases of persons infected with syphilis?

Can syphilis in pregnant women cause fetal death in up to 40% of cases?

Would the chlamydia, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections have increased in two years 13% among women?

The majority of ITS cases appear between the fifteen and thirty years. Will be women and children the most vulnerable?

Are many women annually sterile due to these diseases?

Has infection with the herpes virus increased 68% in just two years?

STIs or STDs can cause serious and permanent blindness, sterility and processes very serious consequences?

Is the number of affected by gonorrhea and syphilis increasing use of measures of protection against these diseases?

Do one out of five cases of syphilis, and one in four of gonorrhea, also have HIV infection?

Syphilis symptoms may disappear in the sick but the infection can continue to make progress if it is not?

The SEIMC

The Spanish society of infectious diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), brings together professionals working in the field of Infectious Pathology, etiological, both from a clinical point of view and the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious processes. Its fundamental purpose is promote, encourage and disseminate the study and research of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, referred to as regards epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control, as well as in their interrelations. Infectious diseases are recognized as a new specialty in the draft of the Royal Decree of new medical specialties of the MSC, which is pending approval by the new Government.

The society currently has more than 2,700 partners, more than 1,530 section of the clinical microbiology and about 1,170 to infectious diseases.

For more information, please click here.