Research: Magazine Gay Globe
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Marked Increase in STIs Among Seniors Due to Lack of Sexual Education
According to Radio-Canada, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) are sharply rising among older adults. This surprising trend can be partly explained by the lack of sexual education in this age group, where condoms are sometimes perceived as sinful. Family physician Marc Steben debunks the misconceptions about this generation.
“They went to school where religion was still important and there was absolutely no sexual education. […] We’ve always had the impression that it was a disease of the young.”
Older adults also use dating apps, just like younger people, leading to a multiplication of partners. “[Retirement homes] become mini-cities where all people of the same age are connected.”
HIV: A New Probable Cure After a Bone Marrow Transplant
According to AFP, a seventh probable case of HIV cure after a bone marrow transplant has been reported: a 60-year-old German man no longer has any trace of the virus in his body, according to research presented ahead of the 25th International AIDS Conference. The sexagenarian, declared HIV-positive in 2009, received a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia in 2015 and was able to stop his antiretroviral treatment at the end of 2018. Nearly six years later, he has no detectable viral load, according to researchers who will present their work in Munich.
Increase in Syphilis Cases in the Americas, Accounting for 42% of New Cases
According to CP, in 2022, the number of cases worldwide increased by more than a million to a total of 8 million. In the Americas, new syphilis cases among adults aged 15 to 49 increased by 30% between 2020 and 2022, according to the WHO report. The continent currently has the highest incidence in the world, with 6.5 cases per 1000 people, representing 42% of all new cases. Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can be sexually transmitted or spread through blood, which can be prevented and cured.
Reducing Syphilis Incidence in Nunavik with a Rapid Test
According to Radio-Canada, Nunavik public health plans to deploy a new rapid test to more easily detect syphilis in Quebec’s northern communities. Researchers from McGill University have been investigating the issue. Since 2018, in the village of Puvirnituq, they have been testing a new rapid test, which was not yet approved.
In just 15 minutes, dispensary staff can now have a reliable result, which is very encouraging for the research teams.