Information for the Unified Health Day "Day of Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections"

“Changing the risky sexual behavior 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 common worldwide. WHO experts estimate that every sixth inhabitant of the Earth suffers from some sexually transmitted disease. There are more than 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), ureaplasmosis. These diseases proceed without clear clinical manifestations, therefore they are also called "hidden" infections.

By the type of pathogen, 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, of viral origin, 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, more than 311,000 deaths from cervical cancer occur each year as a result of human papillomavirus infection. Every day, more than 1 million new STI cases occur, most of which are asymptomatic.

We conducted a survey of students of 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% of adolescents have sexual experience and have had 3 or more sexual partners per year.

Despite active efforts to find simple measures to reduce risky sexual behavior, the incidence of STIs remains high. Risky sexual behavior (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 change of sexual partners, combination of sexual intercourse with alcohol and drug use, early sexual debut, anal intercourse without condom use.

In healthcare facilities of the Vitebsk region, preventive work is carried out aimed at changing behavioral patterns and preventing STI transmission, and forming safe sexual behavior among the population. The main preventive work is conducted in groups at high social risk: sex industry workers, drug addicts, adolescents, MSM, and prisoners.

For this purpose, medical professionals of the dermatovenerological service of the region use the creation and distribution of printed materials among the population: memos, brochures, sanitary bulletins, lectures, discussions, round tables, quizzes, and campaigns, as well as placement on organizational websites and appearances on television and in the media. Medical professionals act as a source of reliable information about STIs and conduct training for educators of educational institutions and representatives of youth organizations.

In the Vitebsk Regional Clinical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology (hereinafter referred to as VROCCDiC), with the aim of providing advisory assistance to youth and early detection of STIs, the youth center "Doverie" (Trust) was established, which has been successfully operating since 2023.

It is reliably proven that the costs of organizing and implementing primary STI prevention are significantly lower than the economic damage associated with treatment costs and sick leave payments, and contribute to preserving the nation's reproductive health.

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, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are under development. An important area in STI diagnostics is the production of inexpensive express tests for syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV, which allow for early diagnosis of diseases.

The VOKCDiK provides the full spectrum of diagnostic measures aimed at detecting latent infections at a modern level: PCR diagnostics, detection of pathogen DNA, microbiocenosis, seeding for microflora and antibiotic sensitivity, detection of pathogen antibodies.

Early diagnosis of STIs and preventive work among the population to change risky sexual behavior will help preserve reproductive health and reduce the incidence of STIs.