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Wednesday, 14 February 2007
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While there has been a slight decline in the total number of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) reported in the HSE West region in 2005, there have been dramatic increases in chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis, Public Health Specialist Dr Aidan O'Hora tells Christina Hession

The Students' Union at NUI, Galway hosts a Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance Week this week. The campaign will seek to proactively and positively support the sexual and emotional health and well being of students.

While there was a slight drop in the total number of STIs reported during 2005 (-5.1 per cent), including a decline in two of the big three infections (ano-genital warts -17.2 per cent to 3,456 and non specific urethritis (-23.3 per cent to 2,106), other infections have risen sharply.

Dramatic increases were reported in chlamydia (+30.5 per cent to 817), gonorrhoea (+34.2 per cent to 51) and syphilis (+85 per cent to 37) in the HSE West region in 2005.

"This suggests that the observed decline may be masking an underlying trend that continues to rise. We are concerned at a big increase in chlamydia in 2005, compared to the previous year (+19.6 per cent to 3,353). Chlamydia now accounts for one third of all reported STIs in Ireland," says Dr Aidan O'Hora, Specialist in Public Health Medicine, HPSC.

"We have seen a sharp rise in syphilis notifications. Though syphilis only accounts for about three per cent of reported STIs, it is an important marker of risk, particularly for men who have sex with men. Infection increases the risk of transmission of HIV. Syphilis notifications almost doubled, with 282 recorded in 2005 compared to 144 in 2004. Gonorrhoea is also on the rise (+26.6 per cent to 342) in Ireland," he adds.

There were more than 10,000 cases of sexually transmitted infections, according to the provisional numbers, but the real figure could be much greater than this because some STIs do not show any symptoms.

"We cannot be certain how many undetected cases of chlamydia and gonorrhoea, there are so we would ask people to have a check up with their GP or in a STI clinic if they are sexually active. Above all, a condom is the best protection on offer, if you are sexually active and we'd encourage people to carry condoms as sex is unplanned on many occasions," says Brian Neeson, Health Promotion Functional Manager with the Health Service Executive.

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