Academician Pokrovsky explained the sharp surge in sexually transmitted diseases

There are two theories about this.

Over the course of three years of the pandemic, we studied the growth graphs of coronavirus infection. All other “infections” receded, and the flu disappeared altogether for a while. Now, however, everything is back to normal. In some situations, even with a hook. Rosstat, citing data from Rospotrebnadzor, reports a sharp surge in infectious diseases in Russia at the beginning of this year.

In addition to measles, the incidence of which jumped 40 times at once in January, other infections also climbed up, and above all, sexually transmitted infections. Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, well-known epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist Vadim Pokrovsky told MK why this happened.

Experts call the flu situation quite understandable. In January 2023, they were sick six times more often than a year earlier.

Of course, at the height of the pandemic, the Russians were not up to it, but the fact remains: cases of influenza were not registered by the epidemiological surveillance authorities either. Not only in Russia, but throughout the world, influenza has temporarily receded into the background. At first, experts explained that the reason could also be that the two viruses could not circulate at the same time – and the “corona” simply forced the flu out of the arena.

However, in 2022, the flu returned – and they completely began to “walk in pairs”. So a more likely explanation is that in the early years of the pandemic, people paid unprecedented attention to hygiene measures: wearing maxi, maintaining social distance, not crowding and washing their hands. That is, they did everything not to get the flu.

But all these arguments do not explain in any way the fact that a sharp increase in venereal diseases has begun.

As academician Vadim Pokrovsky told MK, the tendency to activate the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is now noticeable all over the world: “Now this issue is being very actively discussed at various sites. STIs show clear signs of activation of the epidemic process. And there are several versions of what is happening. I will name you the most popular and plausible.

First, drugs have appeared in the world that stimulate sexual activity, which leads to more frequent infections.

Second: unfortunately, people have become less likely to use condoms. The media are also to blame, which actively promote the slogan that such infections are not a sentence, that they can be treated. And this is a big mistake. People are relaxed.”

– Does antibiotic resistance against venereal disease pathogens play a role? A few years ago, doctors admitted that today there is almost nothing to treat syphilis and gonorrhea.

– Antibiotic resistance, of course, takes place, but you still need to get infected. People with gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are more likely to contract HIV and infect others. Therefore, treat STIs, but the main thing is to protect yourself from them, use condoms.

– And how to explain the growth of hepatitis A and salmonellosis – one and a half times?

– These are food infections, and here we need to pay attention to the nutrition sector. Perhaps the reason is related to changes in the economic situation?

– And, finally, the growth of tuberculosis. Why?

– This may be due to examinations for covid, in connection with which they began to detect more tuberculosis compensatory. Some believe that migration affects, but I do not really believe. There used to be more migration. We have a habit of blaming foreigners for everything. But it is better to look for reasons with us. Well, you also need to follow the statistics: the January rise can give some errors.