Number of STI tests at sexual health centers is increasing again

At the CSGs, people with a higher risk of STDs can have themselves tested for free. Since August 2019, CSGs also provide care to participants in a national PrEP pilot. PrEP is a medicine that prevents HIV infection. Participants of the pilot receive PrEP and are tested for STDs every three months. The participants are almost all men who have sex with men.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia has been the most common STI for years, especially among young people. More than 20,000 chlamydia diagnoses have been identified by 2021. That is almost the same as in 2019. Of the total number of visits among women, 16.2 percent were diagnosed with chlamydia. This was 21.3 percent among heterosexual men and 12.2 percent among MSM. Those percentages are lower than in 2020, but higher than in 2019. Among MSM in the PrEP pilot, the percentage of chlamydia diagnoses decreased from 11.7 percent in 2019 to 10 percent in 2021.

Gonorrhea

In 2021, the CSGs diagnosed gonorrhea nearly 8,000 times. That is comparable to 2019. This STI mainly occurs in MSM. The percentage of positive gonorrhea tests among MSM was 12.4 percent. That is an increase compared to 2019. Then it was 11.6 percent. Among MSM in the PrEP pilot, the percentage of gonorrhea diagnoses decreased from 10.7 in 2019 to 9.2 in 2021.

Syphilis

In the past year, almost 1,400 cases of syphilis were diagnosed, slightly less than in 2019. In almost all cases, MSM is involved. The percentage of positive syphilis tests among MSM was 2.6 percent. This is comparable to 2019. Among MSM in the PrEP pilot, the percentage of syphilis diagnoses decreased slightly from 2.2 percent in 2019 to 1.7 percent in 2021.

Hiv

In 2021, 128 CSG visitors were told that they have HIV. That is 5 more than in 2020. Among them were 110 MSM. In 2021, 794 people with HIV came to an HIV treatment center for the first time. That was 18 percent less than in 2019.

PrEP-pilot

Since the start of the PrEP pilot in 2019, a total of almost 9,800 people have had their first PrEP consultation. Of them, 3,450 had the first consultation in 2021.

By: National Care Guide

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