Catalonia, the community with the highest number of cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia in Spain.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to spread. growing trend in Spain over the past year with an increase in gonococcal infections by 42.6 percent, or gonorrheaand 24.1 percent in case syphilis between 2021 and 2023, according to the report “Epidemiological Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Spain 2023.”
Data published by the National Epidemiological Center of the Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII) places Catalonia as a territory of Spain with lHighest incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia. Specifically, it said there were 34,403 cases of gonococcal infections reported in 2023, up from 16,115 in 2021 or 25,449 in 2022.
The incidence rate for autonomous entities in 2023 is presented in a very wide range: from 9.24 to 165.30 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The highest incidence rates of gonorrhea were recorded in Catalonia (165.30), Madrid (94.08), Basque Country (78.37) and Andalusia (58.64). The lowest rates were recorded in Ceuta (1.20), Melilla (2.34), Aragon (9.24), Castile and Leon (12.59) and Extremadura (16.12).
Of the total number of reported cases 44.2 percent (15,216 cases) they had information about the transfer. Of these, 39.3 percent corresponded to homosexual relationships between men, 5.8 percent to men with heterosexual relationships, 17.2 percent to heterosexual relationships among women, 34.5 percent to men with unspecified sexual transmission and 3.2 percent to women with unspecified sexual intercourse. In eight cases diagnosed in newborns, the virus was transmitted from mother to child.
Cases of chlamydia
Regarding Chlamydua trachomatis infection, the frequency increased in the period 2016-2023. to the global CCAA, which reported the cases. In 2023, the highest rates were observed in Catalonia (194.56), Navarre (124.97), Basque Country (102.78) and Madrid (85.97). Those with lower scores were Melilla (1.17), Aragon (5.52), Castile and Leon (13.26) and Castilla-La Mancha (13.82). Ceuta reported no cases.
He 46.6 percent (17,238 cases) They were women the mean age at diagnosis was 28 years, with women being younger than men (24 years and 31 years, respectively). Most cases occurred between the ages of 25–34 years (36.4 percent) and 20–24 years (25.6 percent). The percentage of cases between the ages of 15 and 19 was 9.9 percent, with 16.2 percent of the total cases occurring in women and 4.4 percent in men.
Almost 11 thousand cases of syphilis in 2023
As for syphilis, 10,879 cases were reported in 2023. up from 6,841 in 2021 and 8,531 in 2022. Likewise, the increase in chlamydia incidence was 20.7 percent annually between 2016 (the first year for which data is available, with 7,239 cases) to 2023 (36,983 cases).
The highest figures were recorded in 2023: Canary Islands (53.91), Balearic Islands (33.97), Madrid (32.52) and Catalonia (30.54). The lowest incidence was in La Rioja (2.17), Castile-La Mancha (3.36) and Aragon (6.11). As with gonococcal infection, rates were higher in men (40.66) than women (5.27), and the age group with the highest rates was 25 to 34 years (64.97 per 100,000).
The report also includes seven confirmed cases of early congenital syphilis (under two years of age) in 2023. The diseases corresponded to five boys and two girls, all of whom were diagnosed in the first months of life.
Finally, regarding lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), an infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis L1-L3, the report notes that 1807 cases in 16 autonomous regions They have a surveillance system. The highest rates were observed in Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, Navarre and the Basque Country. The CCAA of Cantabria, Castile-La Mancha, Ceuta and Melilla did not declare any cases of the disease in 2023.
Prevention plan
To combat the growing problem of STIs, Spain has launched the HIV and STI Prevention and Control Plan 2021-2030, with the aim of eliminate these infections How public health challenge for 2030. The plan is based on a comprehensive approach covering prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, chronic disease care and improving quality of life, while also addressing stigma and discrimination.
In accordance with this plan, the Ministry of Health and the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC) have developed new guidelines for the treatment of STIs.