Consider a prevalent disease affecting your country, for example, HIV or cancer. Looking at the last 10 years, what is the trend of the prevalence? What could lead to an increase or decrease in the prevalence of the disease?
Your Discussion must be at least 250 words in length, detailing your thoughts and position using references from the readings for support. Also be sure to pose 1-2 well thought out questions from which your colleagues can formulate a response or generate further discussion. Be sure to cite any references using APA format.
1. Consider a prevalent disease affecting your country, for example, HIV or cancer.
I chose Syphilis for this assignment. The pathogen of Syphilis is Treponema pallidum (Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum), actively motile with elongated spiral fungi. Most cases have occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM), but those with multiple sexual partners, Those with a history of STIs also have the risk factors; and it can be transmitted through actual sexual intercourse and also oral sex or kissing with carriers (DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES DISEASE CONTROL DIVISION, 2015). There is no vaccination for Syphilis because even if you are infected and develop antibodies against Treponema Pallidum, the antibodies cannot prevent syphilis infection. The use of a condom throughout sexual intercourse protects against Syphilis. However, it is difficult to prevent infection between partners because it can be transmitted even by kissing. Continuing to check her for Treponema pallidum in a health care facility protects herself and her partner from syphilis infection and progression of symptoms.
2. Looking at the last 10 years, what is the trend of the prevalence?
In my country, the annual number of new syphilis infections hovered between 500 and 700 cases/year for about ten years; however, after breaking through the 1,000 level in 2013, it reached 2,000 cases in 2015, 4,000 cases in 2016, 5,000 cases in 2017, 7,000 cases in 2018, and finally exceeded 10,000 cases in 2022 for the first time (Bando, 2022). In the past, Syphilis was overwhelmingly more common in men, but now 34% of those infected are women, most of them in their 20s and 30s (Yoneda, 2022).
3. What could lead to an increase or decrease in the prevalence of the disease?
One of the factors in the increase of Syphilis prevalence is the presence of dating apps and online dating services that have rapidly developed and spread in my community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of gender, opportunities to have sexual intercourse with an unspecified number of people have increased, making it difficult to trace and identify the route of infection. Therefore, the most at-risk population is sexually active young men and women in the '20s - '30s. The prevalence of Syphilis in Japan is expected to continue to increase. It is essential to educate patients so that they can detect infection as early as possible, receive treatment, and prevent the further spread of infection.
Questions
・How common is Syphilis in your community?
・How can we protect ourselves from infection of Syphilis?
Thank you for reading, guys!! (415 words)
Have a nice day!!!
References
Bando, T. (2022). The number of people infected with Syphilis hits the 8,000 mark, the worst ever. The surge in young women. Four presumed causes and points to keep in mind (Japanese). Yahoo! News. Retrieved from https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/tarobando/20221011-00318885
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES
DISEASE CONTROL DIVISION. (2015). Syphilis Clinical Management. Retrieved from https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/files/publichealth-cdc-syphilis-clinical-mgnt.pdf
Yoneda, Y. (2022, November 2). Number of syphilis cases exceeds 10,000 for first time. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14758501
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