- They insist on the importance of always using condoms and remember that these diseases can cause infertility, immunodeficiency, liver failure and cervical cancer, in addition to serious problems in the heart and nervous system.
- In the context of Sexual Health Day, specialists from the health group with centers in five regions of Spain, assure that the most common Sexually Transmitted Diseases are chlamydia, gonorrhea, human papillomavirus, herpes, hepatitis, HIV and trichomoniasis.
Valencia, February 13, 2024 – Far from disappearing, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) continue to increase in Spain. Specialists in Sexual Health of the health group Ribera, among whom are professionals from Gynecology, Psychology and Dermatology, especially warn about the growth of STDs with very serious consequences for health, such as syphilis or HIV.
In the context of Sexual Health Day, which is commemorated tomorrow, Dr. Elena Figueiredo, gynecologist at the hospital Ribera Povisa (Vigo), assures that “it is quite impressive that we are seeing many cases of syphilis again, because it is a disease with very serious neurological and cardiovascular consequences and a late diagnosis.” But, in addition, he warns about how, in his opinion, the general population “has become relaxed regarding HIV.” “If the generation of the 80s was afraid because they identified with a fatal disease, today we have the idea that we can live with it and the population does not realize the seriousness of this disease, even if it is not fatal. ”.
Dr. Luz Marina Márquez, gynecologist in Riverside Juan Cardona (Ferrol) and Ribera Polusa (Lugo) insists that all STDs have serious consequences, especially if the diagnosis is late or they are not treated. “Chlamydia and gonorrhea cause local damage to the urinary and genital mucous membranes that can lead to infertility; others, such as hepatitis, can cause liver failure that can lead to cirrhosis; and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV in English) can cause cervical cancer," he explains, in addition to confirming the affection of the heart and nervous system of syphilis or the immunodeficiency caused by HIV "makes the person susceptible to other infections that "They can be deadly."
The hospital dermatologist Ribera Caravaca, Antonio Martínez Torres, and Dr. José Antonio Cánovas, gynecologist at the hospital Virgin of Charity River, they add other symptoms such as “pelvic pain, complications in pregnancy, pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse, ulcers or warts in the genitals, mouth and anus, vaginal or penile discharge, pain and burning when urinating, fever, arthritis, general malaise. , and in women vaginal discharge of bad smell and strange color or vaginal bleeding.” They also remember that STDs are “infectious diseases transmitted from one person to another through oral, vaginal or anal sexual contact, caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.”
The 2022 Epidemiological Surveillance Report alerts of the growth of STD cases in the age group of 25 to 34 years, especially in men, although another significant growth has been detected in women between 20 and 24 years old. All the Sexual Health specialists of the Ribera group agree that the most common STDs are the Human Papillomavirus, herpes, hepatitis, HIV, trichomoniasis, chlamydia, gonococcus and syphilis. Dr. Cánovas points out, however, that chlamydia is the most common STD. “It accounts for almost 70% of the cases,” he says. Dr. Elena Figueiredo, for her part, points out that she has the feeling that “the worst is yet to come, because those infections are reappearing that have many difficult consequences and that are very difficult to diagnose or it is late, so they have a great potential for spread.”
Tips to prevent STDs
Miriam Mora, general health psychologist of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit of the health department of the Vinalopo, recommends information, education, hygiene, responsibility and healthy lifestyle habits to take care of sexual health. “It is important that the population knows what an STD is and how it is transmitted; treat sexuality naturally and as a reality that accompanies us throughout life; learn to use condoms and have easy access to them; "have good personal hygiene, healthy lifestyle habits and active responsibility for health check-ups," he explains, which means going to the corresponding periodic check-ups or consulting with a general practitioner or a specialist in the case of high-risk sexual behaviors. risk. For this psychologist from the Department of Vinalopó, it is important to “empower yourself with your sexuality, not wait for the other person to take out the condom and take the initiative.”
Dr. Luz Marina Márquez recalls the importance of “using male and female condoms and also oral protection, during all stages of intercourse, that is, from the beginning, to avoid having direct contact with the diseased area,” remembering that “You can also catch infections through the mouth.” For Dr. Marina, it is key "not to dehumanize intercourse, monogamy and knowing the sexual partner to avoid sex with someone infected."
