In 2022, there was a strong increase in gonorrhea cases in Norway, especially among young heterosexuals. FHI asks the health service to be vigilant.
- Gonorrhea is highly contagious. Now we need to get young people to use condoms, says senior advisor Øivind Nilsen from FHI.
“The strong increase in infections among young women is particularly worrying. Women are more likely to become infected and are more likely to suffer from more serious illnesses than men, says Øivind Nilsen.
The incidence of gonorrhea increased significantly in the 10-year period from 2010 to the 2020 pandemic, especially among men who have sex with men, but fell sharply during the pandemic. In 2022, the incidence increased again. This has been especially evident since August, among young heterosexuals, due to the normal reopening of universities and colleges. This shows data from the Communicable Disease Notification System.
Reported cases in women have increased tenfold in a few years
Data for 2022 show a ten-fold increase in reported cases of gonorrhea among women compared to previous years, from 51 cases in 2012 to 499 in 2022.
The majority of those who were infected in 2022 are between the ages of 20 and 29, with a median age of 22 for females and 25 for heterosexually infected males.
FHI notified doctors and clinics infection control in the most affected municipalities, including Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim and Stavanger, about the situation last August. This was followed by targeted information for student communities and health centers, including extensive media coverage.
The worrying trend continues in 2023. In January alone, 277 new cases were reported, of which 116 were among women. If this trend continues, more than 2023 cases of gonorrhea are likely to occur in 3000.
Outbreak of fear among young heterosexuals
- Gonorrhea is highly contagious. The potential for an outbreak is significant if the infection now appears among heterosexual youth, where frequent partner changes and low condom use are common, says Øivind Nilsen.
Increased awareness of the disease and awareness of the risk of infection among young people is particularly important.
“Now we need to get young people to use condoms. Remember that almost all infections occur when meeting a new or casual partner - always use a condom then, she urges.
It is important to treat the infection correctly and track the infection closely
– Targeted testing and diagnostics and appropriate selection of antibiotics for treatment, as well as accurate tracking of infections in healthcare service are now crucial to controlling the situation, says Nilsen.
The Directorate of Health and the Institute of Public Health are closely monitoring the situation. They are currently sending letters to city doctors in the country with information about the situation, advice on preventive measures, access to testing, treatment and the importance of the exact infection of the tracing paper. FHI has also prepared information materials aimed at the general public, which can be used by health services.
About gonorrhea
- Gonorrhea is transmitted sexually through the mucous membranes of the genitals, throat or rectum.
- The risk of infection during unprotected vaginal intercourse with an infected partner is 50-70% for women and 20-30% for men.
- If left untreated, gonorrhea can be contagious for several months.
- Gonorrhea can be passed from mother to baby during birth and cause a serious eye infection.
- About half of all women who get gonorrhea have no symptoms.
- The time from infection to onset of symptoms is usually about a week.
- The most common symptoms in women are changes in secretions, menstrual bleeding and pain in the lower abdomen. Men usually experience symptoms in the form of burning during urination as well as purulent discharge from the urethra.
- The infection can progress to salpingitis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women, and swelling and tenderness of the epididymis in men. It can cause late effects such as chronic pain and infertility.
- A gonorrhea infection in the throat or rectum usually has no symptoms or is misinterpreted as having another cause.
- The infection is treated with antibiotics. The correct use of antibiotics is very important because bacteria easily develop resistance.
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Source: Norwegian Directorate of Health
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