STIs and the homosexual collective

• April 29, 2024

The sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are spread from person to person through intimate contact that occurs, almost exclusively, during sexual intercourse, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. STIs do not respect sexual orientation, age or socioeconomic status; we are all susceptible to contracting them.

However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English), in recent years there has been an increase in cases of syphilis in men who have sex with men in various cities and areas such as Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Southern California, Miami and New York City.

In 2006, for example, 64% of reported cases of primary and secondary syphilis corresponded to men who had sex with men . The concern is that in recent outbreaks there were high rates of HIV co-infection ranging from 20% to 70%.

The health problems caused by syphilis in adults are in themselves serious, and now it is also known that genital cankers What causes syphilis in adults also makes it easier to transmit and contract HIV through sexual contact.

Hepatitis A and B between gay and bisexual men

The United States Immunization Action Coalition, warns about the infection of Hepatitis A (VHA) and B (HBV) among gay and bisexual men, and recommends their vaccination. According to the agency, men who have sex with men are at a higher risk of being infected by these viruses, a probability 10 to 15 times higher than the general population.

Both viruses are transmitted through sexual activity and it is believed that about 5% of people in the United States will be infected with HBV at some time in their lives. The coalition warns that the only way to prevent contagion with these viruses is getting vaccinated and maintaining more protected sexual relations.

Concern for lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)

It is a sexually transmitted infection caused by three strains of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Visual signs include one or more genital papules and / or ulcers and Swelling of the lymph nodes of the genital area. LGV can also produce rectal ulcers, bleeding, pain and discharge, especially in people who engage in receptive anal sex.

For CDC specialists, outbreaks in the Netherlands and in other European countries among men who have sex with men have raised concerns about LGV cases in North America. The genital lesions caused by LGV can be confused with other ulcerative STIs, such as syphilis, genital herpes and chancroid and the signs and symptoms associated with rectal infection can be mistaken for those that cause ulcerative colitis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) in women

The same source indicates that doctors do not know very well how VB is contracted. The disease can spread among women who have sex with other women. Any woman can get BV, but there is a greater risk of getting it if she has a new sexual partner or multiple sexual partners; use an intrauterine device (IUD) to prevent pregnancy and douching.

Women do not get VB for having contact with toilets, bedding, swimming pools or touching objects that surround them. Women who have never had sex are rarely affected.