10 Essential Facts About Chlamydia
Disease 'detectives' Spot Worrying New Trend As Cases Of 15th Century STI Surge
DISEASE 'detectives' have spotted worrying new trend in people suffering with early stages of syphilis, who reported vision and hearing loss.
It's not unheard of for the 15th century sexually transmitted infection (STI) to damage people's eyesight or hearing if it's gone untreated for years.
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It's not unheard of for syphilis to cause eye or ear issues in the later stages of infectionCredit: PA:Press Association2
But Chicago based researchers have warned that syphilis sufferers are reporting these symptoms in the early stages of their infectionsCredit: Getty ImagesBut new research presented at the 2024 Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference in Atlanta claims syphilis sufferers are reporting these typically late-stage symptoms in the early stages of their illness.
Chicago-based researchers said 28 people reported these kinds of symptoms in the city last year and nearly a third of them were in the early stages of their infection.
On top of this, more than a third of these patients (68 per cent) hadn't experienced other symptoms typically caused by syphilis, like rashes or sores on their genitals or mouth, as reported by CNN.
Doctors often use these kinds of symptoms to spot if someone has syphilis, so it was worrying to researchers that some patients weren't getting them.
"Providers definitely need to be screening more and be aware that this is what we're seeing," said Dr Amy Nham, lead study author and one of the "disease detectives" assigned to the Chicago Department of Public Health.
Syphilis is an STI that can cause serious health problems if goes untreated.
It typically spreads via direct skin-to-skin contact, according to the NHS, most commonly through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is infected.
But it can also be passed on to an unborn baby during pregnancy, which is referred to as congenital syphilis.
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Meet longevity biohacker Dave Pascoe, 61, who has the body of a 38-year-oldSyphilis was rife during medieval times, with an epidemic erupting in Europe in the mid-1490s.
It remained a significant medical problem until the mid-20th century, with medical advances leading to better treatments and a dramatic drop in case numbers.
I'm a GP - here are 5 symptoms you have chlamydia and how you can treat itSadly, this wasn't the last we saw of the 15th century STI, as cases have increased in the last few years.
Recent government figures showed that syphilis diagnoses in England surged to their highest level since 1948 following trends seen in the US, where the disease reached highs not recorded since the 1950s.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization estimated that 7.1million adults aged 15 to 49 acquired it globally in 2020.
In the US, men who have sex with men have historically been most affected by syphilis.
But infections in heterosexual men and women have more than doubled since 2019, with congenital syphilis also on the rise.
Dr Nham was tasked with examining syphilis cases with unusual symptoms - known as neurosyphilis, ocular syphilis, and otic syphilis or NOO syphilis - after Chicago health providers flagged their were noticing an uptick.
After combing through medical records dated between January and August 2023, she identified 28 people with NOO syphilis, 75 per cent of them men and 71 per cent Black, aged between 23 and 82.
About half said they were heterosexual, while six of them were gay men.
One in three of the patients (32 per cent) were HIV-positive.
Dr Nham said she'd expected more of them to be so, as having HIV can make syphilis symptoms more severe.
Symptoms of syphilis and its stages
THE symptoms of syphilis are often mild, making them difficult to spot.
They also tend to change over time, and come and go, so it is easy to presume you aren't infected, even when you are.
The most common symptoms of the infection include:
These signs may not appear until three weeks (or more) after you're infected.
Sometimes the symptoms can improve or go away completely, but if you have not been treated the infection is still in your body.
This means you can still pass it on and you're at risk of getting serious problems later on.
Potential complications include:
Syphilis tends to happen in stages.
Some of these problems may not appear for many years after being infected with syphilis.
At any point in the infection, syphilis bacteria - Treponema pallidum - can invade the nervous system and affect the brain, eyes or ears.
This may cause headaches, brain swelling, strokes, and mental changes.
Eyes may become sensitive to light or swollen, or sight may be affected and people may also experience hearing loss, dizziness, or tinnitus if the infection reaches their ears.
Source: NHS, WHO, CDC
Nineteen of the 28 patients didn't have typical syphilis symptoms like chancre sores or rashes.
The most common symptoms patients experienced were headaches, personality changes or altered mental status, and eye problems like vision loss, sensitivity to light or eye swelling.
"They're not the most specific symptoms, which is why it's really important that providers are doing appropriate screening and asking patients for risk factors," Dr Nham said.
The study only zeroed in on syphilis cases in Chicago, but Dr Nham said she'd been collecting case reports from other parts of the US and said doctors are seeing similar trends in other parts of the country.
She speculated that the rise in atypical symptoms could be due to shortages of syphilis treatments in the US.
The preferred treatment for syphilis, an injection of long-acting penicillin called Bicillin L-A, which has been in short supply for a year.
Dr Nham warned: "There could just be an increase in untreated or inadequately treated patients, which is leading to more severe outcomes of syphilis."
It comes after a cluster of eye syphilis infections was reported in Michigan, after five women slept with the same man.
In the UK, doctors were warned to be on the lookout for syphilis in all pregnant women under new NHS guidelines, after medics flagged "increasing number of diagnoses" of the medieval STI in both expectant mums and unborn babies.
Experts syphilis can be treated if caught early, but it can be serious and potentially life threatening in the long-term if it isn't caught.
Sexually Transmitted Infections Have Surged, And Age Is No Barrier
Since her marriage of more than 20 years ended in divorce, Amy, a 62-year-old Texan, has had a couple of committed relationships and a handful of sexual partners.
Amy is currently seeing a man she described as a "friend with benefits," but it's nothing she takes too seriously. What she does take seriously is talking to him — and every partner — about safe sex practices amid rising rates of sexually transmitted infections in seniors.
"I'm very aware of it," said Amy, who asked to use only her middle name to protect her privacy. "I require proof of negative testing before I become intimate with anyone." She also insists on using a condom.
Between 2012 and 2022, rates of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia more than doubled among those 55 and older, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research suggests many older people are unaware of these risks, and that's keeping them from adequate screening and practicing safer sex.
Joan Price, a sex educator who focuses on senior sexuality and who is the author of "Naked at Our Age: Talking Out Loud about Senior Sex," said she was struck by the variety of reasons older daters may not practice safe sex, or even talk about it with partners.
She often hears some version of, "Oh, I can't get pregnant," she said, or "Our age group doesn't get S.T.I.S." Men have told her they were reluctant to talk about barrier methods of protection because their erections were unpredictable, and using a condom made them go away.
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The Little-known STI That Has Seen A 24% Rise In Cases
The sexually transmitted disease shigella has seen a rise in cases (Picture: Getty Images)We've all heard of the usual host of STIs: chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea, herpes… the list goes on.
But we'll take a guess and say you haven't heard of this lesser-known STI, which has seen a 24% rise in cases over the past four years.
While the exact number of diagnoses are still much lower than the most common sexually transmitted diseases, doctors are concerned about the year-on-year increase of infections.
The STI in question? Shigella (which is more commonly referred to as dysentery).
Dr Bhavini Shah, GP from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, explains what shigella is.
Engaging in any type of anal sex could result in you contracting shigella (Picture: Getty Images) What is shigella and what are the symptoms?'It's a highly infectious bacteria which commonly causes diarrhoea and vomiting, as well as abdominal pain and fever,' he says.
'Shigella is caused by bacteria found in faeces. Only a tiny amount needs to get into your mouth to pass it on – for example, from your fingers. It's often caused by contaminated food, but it can also be passed on sexually.
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'Sex that may involve contact with faeces is a risk. This includes anal sex, fisting, handling a condom or sex toy used for anal sex, oral sex after anal sex, touching someone's backside or rimming.'
How infectious is it?If someone has shigella, Dr Shah says they can be infectious for up to a month, and what is more concerning is the rise in 'antibiotic resistant strains' of the disease.
'There has been a 53% increase in antibiotic resistant shigella from January to November 2023, with 97 cases being reported, compared to just 9 cases for the whole of 2022,' Dr Shah explains.
When you think of dysentery, if that's something you do, you may think of it as a disease people catch in ancient times or in poorer countries where access to proper sanitation was or is limited.
Dr Shah says: 'In the past, dysentery was most commonly caught by people drinking untreated water that had been contaminated with sewage.
There are two types of dysentery:The first type of dysentery is bacillary dysentery or shigellosis, which is caused by shigella bacteria; this is the most common type of dysentery in the UK.
The second type of dysentery is amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis, which is caused by an amoeba (single celled parasite) called Entamoeba histolytica, which is mainly found in tropical areas; this type of dysentery is usually picked up abroad.
Source: NHS
'While this is no longer the case in the UK, it is still a common source of the disease in countries with poor access to sanitary drinking water. Shigella can also be common among young children.'
Is there a treatment for shigella?Now you know that it is possible to contract shigella from sexual activity, you may be wondering how you can get tested if you're experiencing symptoms.
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Read More Stories'If you're experiencing symptoms you should contact your GP or local sexual health clinic,' Dr Shah advises.
'You should explain to them that you may have picked up a gut infection from sex, possibly shigella. The doctor needs to know this so you get the right tests and treatment.
'For most people, the illness gets better on its own after 3 to 7 days. But some people can have a severe illness. If your symptoms are severe or persistent, a GP may prescribe a short course of antibiotics.'
If you think you may have shigella then contact your GP and don't go into work (Picture: Getty Images)As well as visiting your GP, Dr Shah also advises you do the following
He adds: 'Shigella is also highly contagious, so you should try to work from home or take sick leave until at least 48 hours after symptoms cease.
'This is especially important if your job involves handling food and drink or you work in healthcare, as you will need to be given the all-clear by a public health official.
'If you have other symptoms or are worried about your sexual health, it is always best to visit your local STI clinic or order a postal STI testing kit.'
How to avoid contracting shigellaWe're sure you're probably keen to avoid contracting shigella in the first place, and we've got the low down on how you can do that too.
'Shigella can be avoided by practising good sexual hygiene,' Dr Shah says.
'This involves washing your hands after sex, sanitising sex toys, and using a dental dam if you're engaging in anal rimming. It is also important to avoid any sort of oral sex after having anal sex.
'In everyday life, you can easily avoid catching shigella by washing your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap before you eat and after you use the toilet.'
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