Triple threat of STDs on march across region
A TRIPLE threat of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis is on the march across our region with more than 620 local cases of sexually transmitted and blood-borne diseases reported to the state’s health bosses in the past seven months.
Chlamydia is the most virulent sexually transmitted infection in our region and the number of Toowoomba residents infected with the “silent” disease could be three times higher than official data shows.
NewsRegional analysis of Queensland Health statistics shows 475 new notifications of chlamydia across the Darling Downs health district of Toowoomba and Warwick since January 1.
In the same period, our region recorded 78 cases of gonorrhea and 12 of syphilis.
Hepatitis C is the region’s most common blood-borne virus with 48 notifications in 2017.
There were nine hep B transmissions and two HIV notifications.
Chlamydia is known as the “silent infection” because symptoms are rare, but if left untreated it can cause chronic pain and infertility in women.
STI expert Professor Basil Donovan warned our region’s young sexually active residents to get tested for chlamydia.
“We’re only actually diagnosing a quarter of the number of cases of chlamydia because we are only testing about 10% of young people each year,” the UNSW Kirby Institute Sexual Health Program head said.
“Kids are embarrassed to go to the doctor and often the doctors are embarrassed to ask about it.”
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Public Medicine director Dr John Hooper said an increase in gonorrhea and syphilis was of concern.
“Even though it may seem embarrassing to talk about, it’s important to be aware of your own and your partner’s sexual health,” Dr Hooper said.
“The most effective way to be protected from the common STIs is to use condoms when having sex, especially if the sexual background of your partner isn’t known.
“People should also undergo sexual health tests so they know if they have an STI so they can undergo treatment and not pass on an infection to sexual partners.”
Queensland Q-PrEPd HIV Prevention Trial operational manager Simon Doyle-Adams said removing the stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases and making treatment easily accessible would reduce transmission significantly.
“Regular screening and offering new treatments and preventions is the key,” Mr Doyle-Adams said.
The State Government’s $62 million Queensland Sexual Health Strategy 2016-2021 aims to reduce transmission rates of STIs and blood-borne diseases.
About $5.27 million will be spent promoting safe sex across the state with $3.7 million of that allocated to regional sexual health services.
“The Queensland Government is aware of increasing numbers of sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses,” a Department of Health spokesman said.
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