Original Title: Las infecciones de transmisión sexual. Situación en la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco. Efectividad de las intervenciones preventivas

Authors' objectives: • Analyse the evolution of STDs within the Basque Autonomous Community. • Summarise the information available on sexual conduct and STD prevention programmes and measures in the Basque Autonomous Community. • Review the effectiveness of different measures for the prevention of STDs. • Draw up recommendations for the prevention and treatment of STDs in the Basque Autonomous Community.

Authors' results and conclusions: The development of gonococcal infections (GI) is of great relevance as these are indicative of relatively recent high-risk sexual conduct, and for this reason are used to monitor conducts that facilitate the transmission of HIV. This study demonstrates that the tendency in our environment has been similar to that of a number of other European countries with a significant increase in Neisseria gonorrheae isolations since 1998 among homosexual males. Likewise, since 2003, the number of cases of syphilis shown has been higher than expected. The high prevalence of HIV infection in cases of GI (14%) and infectious syphilis (18%) suggest an increase in unprotected sexual practices between HIV (+) persons, with the aggravating circumstance that these STDs facilitate the transmission of HIV.

Authors' recommendations: According to information obtained from an analysis of Osakidetza STD clinic data, together with the epidemiological trends of neighbouring countries, it is recommended that the public be alerted to this situation in order to take measures against a possible intensification of these infections in our environment. A number of different recommendations are made in order to tackle STD-related problems in the Basque Autonomous Community. These are grouped in three major areas: 1) Information systems; strengthen the epidemiological surveillance system; establish guidelines for the research, handling and control of outbreaks of STDs; study the prevalence of STDs in high-risk populations (immigrants, adolescents, etc.); gather information in a uniform manner in STD centres; develop regulations and resources to facilitate the investigation of contacts. 2) Prevention of STDs: review and strengthen prevention strategies in high-risk groups; carry out information campaigns on STDs among the population in order to increase their knowledge of these diseases and their preventive measures; promote sexual health and safe sex between HIV (+) persons; carry out further studies on sexual behaviour; improve early detection of high-risk conducts for STDs in primary care. 3) Health services: improve STD services; establish and enhance coordination between STD services with primary care services, family planning services, emergency services and specialist areas such as gynaecology, urology and dermatology; improve access to STD clinics; provide appropriate diagnostic techniques; remove fluoroquinolones as the antimicrobials of choice in the treatment of non-complicated gonorrhoea; performance of studies of the resistance to antibiotics in all isolations of N. Gonorrhoeae; create an STD commission for the Basque Autonomous Community.

Authors' methods: • Descriptive study of proportional morbidity and time trends detected in the cases treated in the STD clinics of the Basque Health Service (Osakidetza). • Gathering of information on sexual practice and conduct and of the STD/HIV measures and prevention programmes in the Basque Autonomous Community. • Analysis of the effectiveness of the different STD preventive measures.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2007

URL for published report: https://www.euskadi.eus/contenidos/informacion/2007_osteba_publicacion/es_def/adjuntos/d_07-03_inform_ITS.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: C/ Donostia – San Sebastián, 1 (Edificio Lakua II, 4ª planta) 01010 Vitoria - Gasteiz

Contact Name: Lorea Galnares-Cordero

Contact Email: lgalnares@bioef.eus

Copyright: <p>Basque Office for Health Technology Assessment, Health Department Basque Government (OSTEBA)</p>