The quinquas, the sexas and the septuas… Yes, we’re talking to you. The curves (statistics, not the others) are clear: cases of sexually transmitted diseases increase after the age of 50, among “straight” people.
This is neither banter nor levity. A sex subject in The Mountain?
Certainly, but to talk about prevention. Specialists – biologists, epidemiologists and infectious diseases specialists – are not delighted when they examine the statistics and the curves (notably the data aggregated by Public Health France, June 2023): some are increasing, even though they should not.
HIV (AIDS), syphilis, gonococcal gonorrhea (the famous “piss hot” or “chick”), mycoplasma genitalium, chlamydia, hepatitis B, etc.
Words that we don’t want to hear (and are not pleasant to write).
And a reality that we don’t want to experience at all (in bulk): immunity at half mast, skin rashes, ulcers, inflammation, hair loss, burning when urinating, organ damage, fever, and so on. changes to all colors. Ailments linked to viral, bacterial or parasitic infections.
The most exposed are not those we think
And yet, before summer – see, sex, sun… and protection! –, we had to talk about it, because all of this is still very present: “We clearly see that there are populations more exposed than others, by working on the evolution of the HIV epidemic, for example” , analyzes Dr Fanny Anthony-Moumouni, biologist and head of the free information, screening and diagnosis center (Cegidd) at the Moulins-Yzeure hospital center. “We are seeing more and more patients in the AIDS phase, in the advanced phase of the disease. We were at 24% among HIV positive patients before Covid. Today, we are at 30%.”
Conclusion: “Our message is not getting through to the right people. Men who have sex with men or people in prostitution are informed, screened, I see them. They take the preventive treatment PrEP.”
Young people and men having relationships with highly aware men
Infections have even “declined in homosexual populations”, except those who “practice in secret” and who, in fact, are neither monitored nor screened.
And young people, “those under 25, are very aware. When we do screening sessions at the Mariniers in Moulins, we can see up to 70 in one evening.”
Another preconceived idea, let’s also be wary of “people who present themselves well”: a prostitute can be better protected than the “holy girl”.
A section of the population is of particular concern to the doctor: “Heterosexual people of a certain age, we see very little of them in screening and unfortunately more in the advanced phase of the disease”.
That is to say that people over 50, men and women born in France or abroad, protect themselves little, if at all, and do not check their state of sexual health, whether their partner is regular or no, official or not. Come on, there’s no more risk of having babies, is that freedom? The descent can be brutal: “In Moulins, we recently had three of these patients in the AIDS phase. One died; one has serious after-effects.”
Syphilis canker, to spot!
What if there was only HIV, which cannot be cured, but with which we can now live, by following treatment (research has made gigantic progress).
“We see gonorrhea happening, because it cannot be ignored; it hurts. It’s resolved with a single antibiotic injection at Cegidd. And every time someone comes to see us for an STI, we look for others.” And they find: chlamydia is on the increase. Just like “new” intestinal infections sexually transmitted by enterobacteria of the digestive tract (we’re not drawing a picture for you).
As for syphilis, also on the increase, it is not easy to spot it yourself in the “canker” phase: “The bacteria, which is a spirochete in the shape of a tendril, enters the body making a mark, which will fade away. Which can be external, but also internal and we can miss it. Syphilis can be cured, but it must be treated as soon as possible.”
So, doctor, do you always have to go out covered? ” Yes ! We can not emphasize this enough. Male and female condoms, including for oral and anal sex, protect against everything. There are all sizes, all materials, all tastes.”
Why is it possible today to “end AIDS”? Answers from a doctor from Moulins
“If you go elsewhere, do the tests! »
But… we know that some are reluctant to put on a condom: “If you have occasional sex, put yourself on PrEP, but that only protects against HIV, not others! And what’s more, there is no equality. For women, it’s like the contraceptive pill, it’s every day, because of the hormonal impregnation. For men, there can be PreP on demand, two tablets, minimum 2 hours and maximum 24 hours, before sexual intercourse and then take one tablet the next day at the same time and the day after that. Also make sure “you are well vaccinated against hepatitis B”.
Overall, “if you go elsewhere, do the tests, every three months is a good rhythm. We won’t judge you. Come. Are you unfaithful? Whatever. We won’t tell you to stop. We care, we support.”
To make an appointment. Cegidd can be reached at 04.70.20.88.00. By email : [email protected].
Mathilde Duchatelle
