Syphilis Infections are On the Rise
This is something that men should definitely be aware of because Syphilis is an infection that affects more men than women. More and more people get infected with STDs these days, which calls for better medications. We came to the point when the current medications don’t seem to be as effective anymore.
Back when antibiotics came into the picture, they were so effective against sexually transmitted diseases that people thought they are going to eradicate them completely. However, the year 2000 came by and the numbers suddenly started to increase.
According to a study performed by the European Center of Disease Prevention, 70 percent more people get infected with syphilis these days compared to the numbers measured in 2010. Another interesting fact is that more people have been infected with syphilis than with HIV since 2000.
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All European countries were involved in this study and the same thing is happening in Vienna as well.
People Don’t Have to Report It
Those who are unlucky enough to get an STD are not even obliged to report it. It is recommended to report it, although people don’t have to. An individual can freely evade medical treatment or observation and spread the disease without anyone knowing.
Therefore, the said 70 percent and other numbers related to STDs can be only estimates. The Hygiene Monitor of the Austrian Agency of Health can only verify that syphilis infections are on the rise in Vienna. In 2000, there were only 176 documented syphilis patients, whereas in 2017 the number has gone up to 403.
It was also measured in 2018 when there were 508 recorded cases. While less and less women are infected over time, STDs are becoming much more common among men.
People Take More Risks Year by Year
A syphilis infected sex workers or individuals barely suffer from any symptoms at the beginning. It can cause smaller ulcers but many people don’t even notice they are infected. In the first couple of weeks, syphilis can be easily treated by antibiotics. However, it is hard to know whether you have it or not.
After the first few weeks, it becomes more and more serious. The advanced symptoms of the disease include joint pain, swollen lymph nodes and tiredness. These can go on for years until it becomes so serious that it can cause death.
An increasing number of people get infected every year, but what is the reason behind it? Well, the thing is that a lot of people want to have sex without condom. It also became a common thing to switch partners regularly and since people don’t take it as seriously, they are not even afraid of getting STDs.
Unfortunately, not being afraid doesn’t decrease the chances of getting affected by the disease.
Better Solutions lead to More Irresponsible Behavior
Since people affected with HIV can lead normal lives thanks to PrEP pills, they are not that afraid of the disease anymore. Nowadays they can just get the pill and live a normal life as long as they are taking it. It also prevents them from transmitting the virus through sexual intercourse.
As a result, people eagerly indulge in unprotected sex. The reason why this is really bad is because HIV is not the only disease you can get. This way, people are basically increasing their chances of getting affected by syphilis and things get out of control.