One million infections with sexually transmitted diseases occur every day, and as many as 376 million such infections are registered in a year, warns the World Health Organization. It is disturbing not only that the number of these infections is not declining, but that they are becoming more and more difficult to treat.

Millions of sexually transmitted infections

According to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 376 million infections worldwide each year, leading to the four most common sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydiosis and trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasitic infection, while chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea are bacterial diseases.

These data – from 2016 – show that at least one of these diseases became infected one in 25 people aged 15-49and some of them developed several such infections. The number of these infections is not decreasing. The WHO report underlines that there has been no significant decrease since 2012.

‘We see a worrying lack of progress in curbing the spread of sexually transmitted infections,’ said Dr Peter Salama of the World Health Organization. In his opinion, this is alarming and wherever it is possible – action should be taken to change it.

The infamous podium of the most common venereal diseases

Trichomoniasis caused by a parasite (trichomoniasis) living in the human urinary tract is the most common infection, as much as 156 million annually. In second place is chlamydiosis (127 million infections per year) caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis, which causes inflammation of the reproductive organs. 87 million infections are gonorrhea, and 6,3 million are syphilis.

Intimate infections can cause discomforts such as pain while urinating or bleeding that occur between menstrual periods. Often, however, warns WHO, no symptoms developand the disease progresses in hiding. This can result in serious complications.

Read also: Syphilis attacks Europe. A forgotten venereal disease is increasing in number

Chlamydia and gonorrhea sometimes cause infertility, while syphilis (syphilis) causes cardiological and neurological disorders, and also risks miscarriage or stillbirth. Syphilis – as assessed by WHO – is there the main cause of miscarriages and stillbirths (as many as 200 cases annually).

Safe sex, research and superbugs

World Health Organization experts urge safe sex and the use of condoms during sexual intercourse. People who frequently change sexual partners should perform tests for sexually transmitted infections. They argue that there should be greater availability of this research.

In general, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but sometimes the bacteria that cause them are resistant to treatment. Gonorrhea is more and more often caused by the so-called superbugs resistant to various antibiotics, in the case of syphilis, there are difficulties in accessing the appropriate penicillin in various places around the world.

Read also: The antibiotics stop working. There will be no drugs for superbugs soon?

Dr. Tim Jinks of the Wellcome’s Drug Resistant Infection Program warns in a statement for «BBC News» that gonorrhea is becoming more common in the case of gonorrhea. antibiotic resistance heralds a more serious crisis in the treatment of the most common sexually transmitted infections.

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