Health authorities report a serious increase in sexually transmitted infections. Cases of syphilis have increased by nearly 40% in one calendar year. The registered cases of gonorrhea have tripled, and the number of patients with proven chlamydia infection has more than doubled. Dermatologist Dr. Rositsa Dencheva commented on the causes, prevention and the moments when it is important to seek medical help in the program “Pulse” on NOVA NEWS.
According to Dr. Dencheva, the topic remains relevant, since sexually transmitted infections can affect any sexually active person. One of the main problems is that the infection does not always cause visible or clearly recognizable symptoms. “A very large proportion of sexually transmitted infections are asymptomatic. We have no symptoms, we have no way of knowing that we have been infected”, the specialist explained.
As an example of an infection that can occur for long periods without pronounced symptoms, Dr. Dencheva pointed to syphilis. Initially, a sore may appear, most often in the genitals or lips, depending on the method of infection. Then the infection can go into a period without obvious clinical manifestations. According to the dermatologist, it is the discrete symptoms that often go unnoticed. This can delay the diagnosis and the appointment with a specialist. “It can also take years for a person to be in a latent stage, not to be lucky enough to have strongly pronounced clinical manifestations, in order to be diagnosed in time and meet with a dermatovenereologist”, she added.
Dr. Dencheva noted that in recent years there has been a change in the overall picture of sexually transmitted infections. While in the past, gonorrhea and syphilis were among the leading infections, today a significant proportion of cases are also associated with viral infections. Among them, the specialist pointed out the human papillomavirus and herpes infections. According to her, the latest data on the increase in cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydial infection show that bacterial infections also remain a serious health problem.
The dermatologist also commented that using a condom is an important part of prevention, but does not provide absolute protection against all sexually transmitted infections. The reason is that some infections can be transmitted through contact with areas of the skin or mucous membranes that are not covered by the condom. “A condom helps prevent the transmission of infections only in the part that it covers”, explained Dr. Dencheva.