Significant Increase Noted in STIs in Australia

Researchers from Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales have found that the number of sexually transmitted infections and blood borne virus infections are near their decade-high numbers in Australia. An annual survey carried out by the researchers found that the number of Syphilis cases in the country was reaching an all-time high and has risen by 34 percent since 2009. Gonorrhea cases almost doubled during that period, rising by 80 percent, while Chlamydia remains the most prevalent form of STI in the country with more than 82,000 new cases diagnosed in 2013.

Apart from STIs, the researchers also found that around 1,000 people die every year due to hepatitis B and C while more than 200,000 people are currently living with chronic forms of hepatitis B and C. The researchers added that the practice of safe sex is slowly being abandoned, especially among teenagers, and this could be responsible for the rising number of STIs in the country.

“We are seeing slow trends away from condom use, the decline in condom use is somewhat responsible for the rise in STIs in Australia. In school programs where condom education takes place, often children consider it to be quite clinical and scientific. It doesn't real relate to their own experiences of their sexual lives. Clinical scientific discussions about STIs and condoms can be quite distant”, lead researcher Associate Professor Wilson said.



Source-Medindia