Posted on 12/24/2003 12:33:53 PM PST by glorgau
VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) -
Vancouver is facing the worst outbreak of syphilis per capita in the developed world, with city health officials fearful of a looming epidemic of the sexually transmitted disease once thought almost wiped out in North America.
Some 254 new cases have been diagnosed locally this year authorities said early this week -- more than the total for North America in two decades, with more expected, said Dr. Michael Rekart of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.
"There's a lot of unsafe sex going on in Vancouver and the disease has simply taken hold," Rekart said. "Our outbreak is primarily among sex trade workers now, but we're worried about it jumping to the gay community and beyond and creating a bigger epidemic," he said.
Until 1997, syphilis was almost non-existent on the North American continent, with only one or two cases reported per year in British Columbia. Then suddenly it took off, with the strain affecting most Canadians traced to developing countries in Asia and Central America, said Rekart.
Health authorities have also noted an increase in new HIV (news - web sites) cases among injection drug users in Vancouver's impoverished downtown east side.
Syphilis, meanwhile, is transmitted by contact with genital lesions or sores which can also expose those afflicted to other sexually transmitted diseases.
In 2000, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority launched a large-scale campaign to curb the growing rate of infection, treating 6,000 people most at risk with three pills taken orally, but the disease persisted and finally appeared in the local gay community.
In 2002, the health authority recorded 186 new cases of syphilis, 15 per cent of them among gay men. This year, it jumped to more than 250 new cases and gay men account for a quarter of infections. Several cases of syphilis in Calgary (Alberta) have also been traced back to Vancouver.
The health authority's chief medical officer John Blatherwick blames a growing apathy in the gay community regarding the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly among younger men. They are weary of using condoms and believe erroneously that AIDS (news - web sites) and other sexually transmitted diseases are curable or manageable.
"Young people think that they're safe from everything and it can't happen to them," Blatherwick said. In fact, local health officials reported a stark rise in new cases of HIV, gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted diseases in the gay community in recent years.
The Internet has also made it easy for people to meet and have anonymous sex with several partners, Blatherwick said.
The US Centres for Disease Control released a report last week blaming an outbreak of syphilis in San Francisco on casual sex between gay men who met in online chat rooms. Nearly 45 per cent of the men surveyed said they met all or some of their sex partners online.
Syphilis can be easily diagnosed with a blood test and most cases can be easily treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated for more than a year, infections can lead to serious brain or heart damage.
"It's the classic tale of Tudor kings going crazy from syphilis," said Blatherwick.
Most cases are diagnosed before they become serious, but one of two Vancouver children infected before birth in the last two years suffered permanent brain, heart and bone deformities. The other was treated successfully and appears healthy, according to doctors.
The health authority hopes to launch a public campaign early next year with funding from the provincial government to communicate the dangers to the public, targeting primarily the gay community through chat rooms and other meeting places.
Cashier: "That'll be five dollars plus tax."
Canuck: "Oh. Is that how you keep these things on?"
Well, they put in government funded safe places to shoot up drugs. A nurse supervised the self administration of the dope to make sure the junkie is doing is safely and cleanly, then they take the doper to a chill out room for their comfort and safety.
Are they going to open government sponsored sex houses now?
Uhhhhh......note to myself. Never buy a used computer from a Canadian.
I believe that prostitution is still legal in Vancouver. I know it was a few years back.
Several years ago (15+), a Canadian friend told me to meet him at a particular table in an alcove at the front end of the bar in the Granville Hotel. I got there and sat nursing a beer. Several good looking things came up to me and tried to engage me in conversation. When they found out I was waiting for a friend they seemed to loose interest!
My friend later told me, laughing uncontrollably, that that booth was known as the place to sit if you wanted to find a cute young thing looking to turn a trick. I was mortified that it wasn't my good looks turning on all those hotties.
Besides, I was cracking wise about Canucks engaging in anonymous sex with people they meet on the internet and.....oh, never mind.
There were only three Tudor kings (in addition to two queens.) Edward died at too young an age, I think, for it to be possible that he went mad from syphilis. I've never heard of either Henry VII or Henry VIII having the disease, but I suppose it might explain some of Henry VIII's behavior later in life.
Is that true? I had no idea syphillis had become so rare. Fewer than 250 North American cases in 20 years?
This is bogus data! A cursory search of the internet will provide you with data from the CDC:
"In the United States, health officials reported over 32,000 cases of syphilis in 2002, including 6,862 cases of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis. In 2002, half of all P&S syphilis cases were reported from 16 counties and 1 city; and most P&S syphilis cases occurred in persons 20 to 39 years of age. The incidence of infectious syphilis was highest in women 20 to 24 years of age and in men 35 to 39 years of age. Reported cases of congenital syphilis in newborns decreased from 2001 to 2002, with 492 new cases reported in 2001 compared to 412 cases in 2002.
Between 2001 and 2002, the number of reported P & S syphilis cases increased 12.4 percent. Rates in women continued to decrease, and overall, the rate in men was 3.5 times that in women. This, in conjunction with reports of syphilis outbreaks in men who have sex with men (MSM), suggests that rates of syphilis in MSM are increasing.
Just another example of the elitie media equalling the idiot, ignorant media!
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