The cases of sexually transmitted diseases are rising and the topic should return to discussion and people should be reminded of the basic rules of prevention, alerted Miguel Silva, surgeon and clinical director of Hospital da Luz Funchal, in an interview to RTP Madeira, on April 4. “People lost the fear of sexually transmitted diseases, engage in risk behaviours, believe that everything is treatable and don’t apply the basic means of prevention, namely the use of condoms”, he pointed out. The result is “the resurgence” that we are seeing of diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HPV, in a much higher number than expected, considering the massive educational and prevention campaigns conducted since the 80s, in the aftermath of the outbreak of AIDS. “The HIV infection is in fact controllable with medication. And we have today the HPV vaccine (human papillomavirus), but that does not exclude the need of adopting prevention measures. Nevertheless, it led people to lose the fear of sexually transmitted diseases (thinking that some are even eradicated…), believing that everything is treatable and neglecting the protection measures, namely the use of a condom”, explained Miguel Silva. This problem affects people of all ages and not only teens, “by adopting behaviours that endanger their own health and the health of others, such as risk behaviours and with multiple partners”. Miguel Silva further explained the main symptoms of some of those diseases, alerting: “Quite often people underestimate the symptoms and wait for it to pass, but the disease will start spreading and after a while it may put life at risk”. Therefore, “those who have risk behaviours, with unprotected sexual relations or with multiple partners, must be tested regularly and consult their family doctor”. The General Medicine and Family specialist is the most adequate “gateway” for the assessment. Miguel Silva on RTP Madeira (between minutes 19:30 and 39:30)
