The top three notifiable sexually transmitted infections (STI) have all decreased by 2% over the last year, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Tuesday. The total diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis dropped 10% in the last year — and the overall decrease is related to something that has generally improved in the health lives of queer men.
The decline in cases is especially important for men who have sex with men, as rates dropped 13% among gay and bisexual men for the first time since reporting on these groups began. However, this trend was only seen for the primary and secondary stages of syphilis, and was not seen for all four stages of the disease, which saw a 1% increase in diagnoses overall.
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Gonorrhea saw a similar trend, declining by 7% over the last year and falling to levels that were seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Chlamydia, meanwhile, remained at a stable rate.
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Experts, however, are still cautious. Over two million sexually transmitted infections were diagnosed in the last year, which is an all-time high. Nevertheless, they remain somewhat optimistic that public health measures are beginning to help reduce the overall trend of STIs.
“It’s been a long time since I have felt that way about the STI epidemic,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the National Center for HIV, viral hepatitis, STD and tuberculosis prevention at the CDC told the New York Times. Mermin suggests that additional funding for public health departments, sexual behavior changes, and the recent development of new antibiotics all contributed to the decline.
“Combined, all of those different activities could have led to some of the decreases that we’re seeing,” he said.
The new antibiotic, doxycycline, also known as doxyPEP, is thought to have played the most significant role in the downward trends for syphilis. According to Dr. Julie Dombrowski, who spoke to NBC, this trend was already seen locally in Seattle. She’s celebrating seeing it at the national level.
Dr. Laura Bachmann, chief medical officer of the CDC’s STI prevention division, told NBC, “I think we’re at an inflection point, and it’s important that we push forward and take advantage of innovations and investment of STI prevention going forward.”
Syphilis was also found to be disproportionately prevalent among different geographies as well as in certain marginalized racial groups. Native American, Alaska Native, and Black Americans all saw a disproportionate number of syphilis rates. Infections in the South were also at a disproportionate high.
Syphilis, which was nearly eradicated 20 years ago, has surged in diagnoses in the past few years. It threatens newborns especially, as it can cause substantial health issues or even death.
Newborns experienced a 30% increase in STI diagnoses in the past few years, however this trend has faltered somewhat, likely in response to additional testing among pregnant people. Pregnant people with STIs can transmit them to their newborns.
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