testing
as well as a real increased prevalence.
As for syphilis, the figures may be much lower at the moment, but
this was where the largest relative increases were reported. In
2000, 252 men and 75 women were diagnosed with syphilis and in 2001,
614 men and 102 women. This is two and a half times more within
a single year among men.
Who gets STIs?
STIs tend to be concentrated in core groups or sub-groups of the
population. In the UK this includes such groups as men who have
sex with men, certain ethnic minorities and young adults.
Sexuality
Among men who have sex with men, the number of diagnoses of uncomplicated
gonorrhoea rose by 20 per cent between 2000 and 2001 (uncomplicated
means that only the mouth, genitals or rectum were infected). As
for syphilis, while the actual number of cases among men who have
sex with men is low, the rise in that single year was nearly threefold
- 187 per cent between 2000 and 2001. This increase is almost entirely
due to outbreaks of syphilis seen in the London and Manchester regions
during 2001.
Matthew Hodson at GMFA, when asked about the latest
reports, said: “The evidence suggests that many HIV positive
men are having unprotected sex with other positive men as a strategy.
The best advice is for any sexually active positive man to have
regular check-ups for STIs. STIs may not be picked up by the regular
tests at your HIV clinic, so if you are in any doubt ask your doctor.
You should also remember that many STIs are more infectious than
HIV and can be more easily passed on, even if you always fuck with
a condom.”
Ethnicity
The ethnic origin of people diagnosed with STIs is not collected
on the forms that are returned to the PHLS. However, it is collected
as part of the Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance
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