Now, condom no longer protects against some STIs


For men with multiple sex partners who solely rely on condom for protection against sexually transmitted infections (STI), this latest study should be a note of warning. Experts have discovered that STIs such as Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and a new strain of gonorrhea can be transmitted through skin to skin contact even with condom use.

At a cancer meeting held recently at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, Cancer specialists revealed that contracting one of the deadly viral infections, HPV can no longer be prevented by condom.

One of the speakers, an Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and a principal research scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Dr. Nelly Mugo, said that even as we take protective measures using condoms against most STIs including HIV/Aids, the rubber sheaths cannot provide 100 per cent protection against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

“Condoms offer 60 per cent of protection against HPV thus the virus can spread through skin-to-skin contact with infected areas of the skin not covered by the condom such as the scrotum, anus, or vulva,” Dr Mugo said.

The 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, released during the meeting, shows that male condoms are the most popular preventive method against STI among sexually active unmarried women.

Unmarried men too were found to prefer condoms as the popular method to protect against STIs. But for a virus whose disease has no symptoms, the inefficacy of condoms allows for faster and wider spread, especially amongst those with multiple sex partners, the experts revealed.

“The only 100 per cent effective way to prevent HPV transmission is abstinence from any sexual contact, including oral, anal, and vaginal sex. Women can have the virus without having any symptoms but the chance of females infecting men is estimated at less than five per cent of the rates of male-to-female transmission. There are more than 100 types of HPV and about 13 of these are cancer causing, with HPV types 16 and 18 causing approximately 70 per cent of all cervical cancers worldwide, Dr. Mugo said.

He however advised couples to be faithful to their partners if in a relationship, while suggesting vaccination and screening for women.

Sadly, it Is physically difficult to tell whether your partner has the HPV virus unless they have private part warts, yet those who do not have visible signs can also spread the virus, the experts said. According to them, the interesting aspect of this particular virus is that you do not need to have sex for it to be passed on from one person to another.

“The virus is found in the flora of the man-hood, scrotum, vagina, vulva, or anus of a person who has the HPV. One can get infected through kissing or touching infected sex organs or through oral sex. Since cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among adult women, in the developing world, and the second most common cancer among women worldwide, preventive measures include getting a pap smear for women and/or getting vaccinated.

“Better still, it’s important that you be honest with your partner about your s3’x history. Immunizing all girls before becoming sexually active ideally aged nine to 13 years in order to lower the risk of HPV took off in Kenya under a pilot project in Kitui County in 2013, targeting 20,000 girls”, the experts said.

In another development, researchers have identified a new strain of gonorrhea that is resistant to multiple antibiotics, according to a new report. The researchers are concerned about this bacteria strain because they do not know how common it is, and whether it is present in other countries around the world, said David Whiley, an infectious disease researcher at the Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute in Brisbane.

Analysts say that the bacteria’s effects could be worse than those of HIV/AIDS. “This might be a lot worse than AIDS in the short run because the bacteria is more aggressive and will affect more people quickly,” said Alan Christiansen, a doctor of naturopathic medicine.

Even though nearly 30 million people have died from AIDS-related causes worldwide, Christensen believes the effect of the gonorrhea bacteria is more direct.

“Getting gonorrhea from this strain puts someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days,” Christiansen said. “This is very dangerous. It can be passed through skin on skin contact, making condoms only 30% effective.”

“It’s an emergency situation,” said William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. “As time moves on, it’s getting more dangerous. We are losing more lives.”

This gonorrhea strand, HO41, was discovered in Japan two years ago in a 31-year-old female sex worker who had been screened in 2009. The bacteria have since been found in 41 U.S. States, and Norway.

There have already been 5,126 reported deaths since its discovery in 2013.

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