STDs and Dermatologic Symptoms

Sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDs/STIs) are common health issues in the United States, according to Kenneth J. Tomecki, MD, staff physician in the department of dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic, and past president of the American Academy of Dermatology.¹ He cited 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that revealed 1 in 5 people in the United States had an STI. In that year alone, there were 26 million newly acquired STIs, nearly 50% of which were acquired by people aged 15 to 24 years. Nearly $16 billion was spent on direct medial costs.²

In light of these statistics, it is important that physicians expand their knowledge about different STDs and how to treat them, Tomecki said.

Tomecki ended his presentation with key facts about the STDs/STIs in 2022:³

• There are 1 million STIs acquired every day worldwide, with most patients being asymptomatic,
• Each year there are an estimated 374 million new infections, with one fourth of STIs being chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis,
• More than 500 million people 15 to 50 years old are estimated to have genital HSV infection and up to 1 million pregnant women had syphilis as of 2018,
• There are as many as 350,00 adverse outcomes
• The drug resistance of these diseases is increasing, notably in gonorrhea

Disclosure

Tomecki reported no relevant disclosures.

References

1. Tomecki, K.STDs: the dirty half dozen. Presented at: 2022 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference for PAs & NPs; June 3-5, 2022 Scottsdale, AZ and virtual.
2. CDC newsroom. CDC. Published January 25, 2021. Accessed June 3, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0125-sexualy-transmitted-infection.html
3. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Accessed June 3, 2022. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)