ASHM Report Back
Clinical posts from members and guests of the Australasian Society for HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM) from various international medical and scientific conferences on HIV, AIDS, viral hepatitis, and sexual health.
Risk factors for gonorrhoea in heterosexuals
Dr Eric Chow is Senior Research Fellow at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
Risk factors for gonorrhoea in heterosexuals
Eric came in after Praveena a research fellow at Kirby Institute discussed the rise in gonorrhoea infections in women aged between 20-39yrs in the period 2007-2016. She did not have any tangible evidence as to why the increase. One of her to do list was to research as to why?
Eric timely came in to give possible risk factors that might have prompted the rise of gonorrhoea infections in this group of women. Possible factors were sexual partners and condom use, bisexual men, dating sites/apps, alcohol and drug use, travel and other unexplored factors.
There was not enough evidence on 5 of these risk factors to prove that they were the reason for the rise in Gonorrhoea. More information is required and its still work in progress.
Travel and sex to or from a high place of prevalence was the only reason why there is a rise in Gonorrhoea infections.