“Changing risky sexual behaviour of the population is the main task in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections”.
“Changing risky sexual behaviour of the population is the main task in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections”.
Sexually transmitted infections (hereinafter referred to as STIs) are a group of diseases that are primarily transmitted during sexual contact. STIs are extremely widespread throughout the world. WHO experts estimate that every sixth inhabitant of the planet suffers from some form of sexually transmitted disease. There are over 30 infections in total. In addition to long-known diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, pubic pediculosis), new diseases have recently been discovered: genital herpes, chlamydia, human papillomavirus (hereinafter referred to as HPV), and ureaplasmosis. These diseases often have no obvious clinical manifestations, hence they are also called "hidden" infections.
According to the causative agent, STIs are divided into 4 groups:
1. Viral (HPV, herpes, hepatitis);
2. Fungal ("thrush" or candidiasis);
3. Bacterial (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and others);
4. Parasitic (pubic lice).
In the Vitebsk region, over the past year, 71 cases of syphilis, 128 cases of gonorrhea, and 120 cases of HIV have been registered. The highest incidence among STIs is caused by 8 pathogens of 4 infections: syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are currently curable; the rest, which are viral in nature, are difficult to cure (HIV, HSV – herpes simplex virus, HPV, hepatitis B). 70% of those infected are young people under 29 years of age. However, with HIV infection in 2023, 28.3% were registered in the age group of 30-39 years and 35.8% in the age group of 40-49 years.
STIs directly affect sexual and reproductive health, lead to infertility, oncological diseases, and complications during pregnancy, and also increase the risk of HIV infection. Worldwide, over 311,000 deaths from cervical cancer occur each year as a result of human papillomavirus infection. Every day, there are over 1 million new STI infections, most of which are asymptomatic.
We conducted a survey of students in secondary schools in Vitebsk. To the question: "Did you use a condom during sexual contact?" – 70% of respondents answered sometimes or never. By the age of 16, 53.3%
teenagers have sexual experience and have had 3 or more sexual partners in a year.
Despite active efforts to find simple measures to reduce risky sexual behaviour, the incidence of STIs remains high. Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) is identified with adolescent drug and alcohol use, and non-use of contraceptives. However, RSB is also characteristic of adults: unprotected sexual contact, frequent changes of sexual partners, combination of sexual intercourse and alcohol/drug use, early sexual debut, anal contact without condom use.
Preventive work aimed at changing behaviour patterns and preventing STI transmission, and fostering safe sexual behaviour among the population is carried out in healthcare facilities of the Vitebsk region. The main preventive work is conducted with groups at high social risk: sex industry workers, drug addicts, teenagers, MSM, and prisoners.
To this end, medical professionals of the region's dermatovenerological service use the development and distribution of printed materials among the population: memos, brochures, sanitary bulletins, lectures, discussions, round tables, quizzes, campaigns, placement on organisation websites, and appearances on television and in the media. Medical professionals act as a source of reliable information on STIs and train educators of educational institutions and representatives of youth organisations.
In the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Centre for Dermatovenerology and Cosmetology (hereinafter referred to as VOKCDiK), the youth centre "Doverie" (Trust) was established to provide consultative assistance to young people and for early detection of STIs. It has been successfully operating since 2023.
It is reliably proven that the costs of organising and implementing primary STI prevention are much lower than the economic damage associated with treatment costs and sick leave payments, and contribute to preserving the reproductive health of the nation.
One of the most effective methods of STI prevention is vaccination against two viruses – hepatitis B and HPV. Successes have been achieved in the development of vaccines against genital herpes. Vaccines against chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are under development. An important direction in STI diagnostics is the production of inexpensive express tests for syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV, which allow for early diagnosis of diseases.
The Vitebsk Regional Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology (VOKCDiK) conducts the full range of diagnostic procedures aimed at detecting latent infections at a modern level, including: PCR diagnostics, detection of pathogen DNA, microbiocenosis, microbial culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing, and detection of pathogen antibodies.
Early diagnosis of STIs and preventive work among the population to change risky sexual behaviour will help preserve reproductive health and reduce the incidence of STIs.
