Public Health France publishes new figures regarding screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and they are positive, despite the halt caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.
VIH
In 2019, 6.2 million HIV serologies were performed by medical biology laboratories. HIV testing activity has increased since 2014 (+ 10% over the entire 2014-2018 period), and this increase accelerated in 2019 (+ 6% between 2018 and 2019). This increase in screening activity in 2019 was accompanied by an increase in the number of confirmed positive serologies (+ 6% over 2018-2019). The positivity rate, which had decreased between 2014 and 2018, thus stabilized in 2019 at 1.9 per thousand serologies.
Men who have sex with men and heterosexual women born abroad remain the 2 most affected groups and represent 43% and 37% respectively of the findings of HIV status declared between January 2019 and September 2020. People who inject drugs (IDU) and transgender people infected through sex each account for 2% of total cases.
Syphilis
In 2019, 2.6 million syphilis tests were performed by private sector laboratories, an increase of 22% compared to 2017.
The number of recent syphilis diagnoses (less than 1 year old) reported in the RésIST clinician network, which was stable between 2016 and 2018, decreased by 7% in 2019. This decrease is observed in homosexuals and heterosexual men. As in previous years, people diagnosed in 2019 for recent syphilis, within the network, are mainly homosexuals (79%).
Gonococcal infection
In 2019, 2.2 million gonococcal screenings were performed by private laboratories, an increase of 58% compared to 2017.
The number of gonococcal infection diagnoses reported by the ResIST network continued to increase in 2019 (+ 21%) compared to 2017. This increase is observed among homosexuals (+ 29%), while a slight decrease is observed. observed in heterosexuals (-4%). The majority of people diagnosed with gonorrhea in 2019 within the network are men who have sex with men (74%).
Chlamydia trachomatis infection
In 2019, 2.5 million tests for Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection were carried out by the private sector, an increase of 20% compared to 2017. The number of infections diagnosed in the private sector increased by 29% between 2017 and 2019.
In conclusion, “the increase in screening activity for HIV and bacterial STIs, observed for several years and which continues in 2019, is a positive finding in reducing the number of people unaware of their infection”, Public Health France note. However : “lhe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a strong impact on screening activity in 2020. A decrease in the number of screenings of nearly 60% was observed between February and April 2020, both for HIV and for bacterial STIs ” , experts point out.
<!–
