Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise nationwide, and Maricopa County is no exception. Syphilis infections in the county have exploded in recent years, as have gonorrhea and chlamydia cases.

However, the number of new HIV infections is stable.

Why is this happening and what can people do to protect themselves?

From 2016 to 2021, syphilis cases surged 175%, gonorrhea increased 70%, and chlamydia rates increased 21%, according to Maricopa County Public Health Department data. Even more shocking was the prevalence of congenital syphilis, transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, increasing by 800% during that period.

The good news is that the number of HIV cases has stabilized and rates have not changed significantly over the same time frame. The county confirmed 531 new HIV infections in 2016 and 542 in 2021.Arizona Department of Health report 552 new HIV infections in Maricopa County in 2021.

Health experts say the rising incidence of sexually transmitted infections could be the result of many factors, including increased testing, decreased condom use and a surge in sexual activity as the coronavirus pandemic subsided. Gay and bisexual men taking the drug PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) may also be a factor. Reduce risk by approximately 99%. Access to PrEP requires him to have his STI tested every 90 days, but may also contribute to reduced condom use during sex.

Melanie Taylor, a medical epidemiologist and infectious disease doctor for the Maricopa County Health Department, said, “Some people may not be using condoms because they are no longer worried about HIV transmission.

Government agencies do not ask STD patients about condom use or publicly report STD cases by risk category, including sexual orientation. In Maricopa County, nearly 60% of his new HIV cases in 2021 were from men who had sex with men, according to state officials.

Taylor Piontek, family nurse practitioner and director of clinical services at the Southwest Center, said the organization is seeing an increase in sexually transmitted infections in all populations, regardless of sexual orientation or demographic. The Southwest Center focuses on healthcare for LGBTQ people, but patients come from “all walks of life,” he said.

“I don’t necessarily think it’s because they’re on PrEP,” Piontek said. “I think most people don’t like condoms. They just can’t get the same feeling.”

Taylor and Piontek say more people are getting tested for STDs, which they applaud. Piontek said that in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when people were at home, the number of people being tested declined even though the Southwest Center was conducting telemedicine visits and offering at-home testing. was decreasing.

STI tests are now more available. “We’re seeing more STI-positive results because more people are being tested,” Piontek said.

Taylor also noted that more people are likely to be tested, and may be tested more frequently, because we’re hearing that the incidence of sexually transmitted infections is rising.

Supply chain issues may also be causing the number of STIs to spike post-pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, a shortage of STD test kits and a shortage of laboratories may have led to an underestimation of infections, which may have led to a surge in infections when supplies were normalized. With lower tests, people may have had STIs longer, making them more likely to spread them, the CDC added.

Piontek suggested that an increase in sexual activity after stay-at-home orders were lifted may have also led to an increase in sexually transmitted infections. “People are having more partners and more apps for sexual encounters,” he said.

“You really need to take the test”

So what can people do? Condoms can help reduce the risk of spreading and contracting sexually transmitted diseases, but they are not 100% effective. That being said, he recommends them to all his patients. The Southwest Center will distribute his 1.7 million condoms across Arizona and southern Nevada in 2022 by mailing his condoms to his bars in clinics. nicepackage.org.

Taylor said testing is also important in preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

“To really understand if you have an STD, you have to actually get tested,” she said. There is, she added.

Piontek said that if gonorrhea or chlamydia occurs in the throat or rectum, it is likely that there will be no symptoms, especially if it occurs in the throat or rectum. manifests as increased urination and frequency of urination, he added.

Syphilis infections are often overlooked because they can present as “a single lesion in the genitals or oral cavity within months of infection” and are usually painless. , a rash may be seen on the palms and soles of the feet.

But syphilis can also be dangerous. Untreated, it can lead to loss of vision and hearing, and in adults it can affect the brain, blood, spleen, bones, and heart.

Testing for sexually transmitted infections is especially important for pregnant women, Taylor noted. This is because congenital syphilis is on the rise and can lead to severe disability and death in children if left untreated.

“In fact, transmission of syphilis from pregnant women to their children can be prevented by having pregnant women go to prenatal care,” Taylor said. This includes syphilis screening and treatment. If positive, she added.

Syphilis treatment is available through county health departments, but the high cost of penicillin injections has prevented the Southwest Center from offering it for “a considerable period of time.” We would like to resume providing treatment at a reduced or discounted cost on a scale.

Maricopa County Public Health Department 1645 East Roosevelt Street is open on a walk-in basis or by appointment from 8am to 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 9am to 5pm Wednesday. The test costs $20 and includes treatment for the patient and sexual partner.

The department also collaborates with the Southwest Center, Chicanos Por La Causa and others on community outreach events.visit stdaz.com.

of the Southwest Center The clinic offers free testing at 1101 North Central Avenue, No. 200 on a walk-in basis only Mondays and Fridays from 8am to 4pm and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 6pm. open for