– Many people have been suffering for a long time when they come here, says nurse Siw Anette Fossby. She works at “Test deg” at Sørlandet hospital. An offer where anyone who wishes can check themselves for sexually transmitted diseases completely free and anonymously. At the centre, the number of cases of gonorrhea infection has increased fivefold since 2019. These are worrying figures. Can make you sterile Nurse Stefan Avila believes the increase shows that people know too little about how serious gonorrhea infection can be. He explains that gonorrhea is a more aggressive sexually transmitted disease than chlamydia. – You get more symptoms. In the worst case, it affects fertility and can cause chronic pain, he says to news. Siw Anette Fossby and colleague Stefan Avila have received around 11,000 people at the test station since it started in 2014. Photo: Espen Bierud / news Avila thinks the increase may have something to do with the fact that people are freer now than before. – And then people don’t use condoms. It is the only thing that protects you from sexually transmitted diseases. – Very sad Also on a national basis, the infection numbers continue to rise. 2022 was a year with a sharp increase in gonorrhea infection in Norway. But figures from FHI show that the cases increased further by around 40 per cent in 2023. This surprises the students news meets on campus in Kristiansand: – My immediate thought is that we students are perhaps the worst, says Markus Dall’Osso Teigset. He thinks it is sad that the arrows point in the wrong direction. Tuva Skjæveland is also surprised. – I feel we have become more aware of sexually transmitted diseases and protection. NTNU student Emilie Tegnander believes people must become better at using protection. – From what I hear now, it seems that we need more condoms in the world. Tegnander believes young people are good at using contraception, but that many choose to ditch the condom. She also does not feel that venereal diseases and infection are a topic that is talked about a lot. – But those around me probably use more condoms and know who they are going to have sex with. – Something that I would perhaps recommend to more people, to have a regular sex partner, she adds. More normal with several sex partners But at the test center at Sørlandet Hospital, the trend is the opposite: Siw Anette Fossby is experiencing that more and more people who come and get tested have more sex partners. Frequent change of sex partners increases the risk of infection. And only half of those infected develop symptoms. – That is why it is very important to come and test yourself, she emphasizes. The venereal disease is more easily transmitted in women than in men. Fossby fears that the gonorrhea infection will only continue to rise. Photo: Espen Bierud / news But when should you actually go to the test station? – You should check yourself before each change of partner. Even if you don’t feel any symptoms. If infection is detected, you will receive antibiotic treatment. And the vast majority of treatments are successful, reassures the nurse. The condom is the best and only advice for preventing sexually transmitted diseases. Photo: Erlend Lånke Solbu/Susanne Stubberud Rom / news Prevention is naturally the very best. – If you have a future desire for children: think about sexual health now, says Fossby. And the advice is, as previously mentioned, resoundingly clear and reasonably simple: – Condoms are gold. It is the only thing that protects. Chlamydia infection is also increasing After a decline during the pandemic, 29,271 cases of chlamydia were reported in Norway in 2022. There was a clear increase compared to the pandemic year 2021, when 23,447 cases were reported. The figures for 2022 are at the same level as in the peak year 2019.
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Gonorrhea infection is skyrocketing – experts are worried – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
