Changes in testing and incidence of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> and <i>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</i> – the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the three Scandinavian countries

Ivarsson, Lovisa; Campa, Magdalena de Arriba Sánchez de la; Elfving, Karin; Yin, Hao; Gullsby, Karolina; Stark, Lisa; Andersen, Berit; Hoffmann, Steen; Gylfe, Åsa; Unemo, Magnus; Herrmann, Björn

doi:10.1080/23744235.2022.2071461

Cited by 10 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This may reflect the fact that gonorrhoea infections are more often symptomatic compared with chlamydia, thus leading individuals to seek medical help more actively. This was also seen in other European studies comparing patient characteristics before and during the pandemic (7,8,17). In comparison, positive rates for T. pallidum in 2020were similar to previous years, but decreased significantly in 2021.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…This study hypothesized that casual sexual encounters would have decreased during the period that recommendations for social distancing were in place due to the pandemic and, therefore, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) would decrease for this period. Previous studies have shown that pandemic restrictions had varying effects on the incidence of STIs in Europe ( 7 , 8 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Northern Finland in 2019 to 2022

Mäki-Koivisto¹,

Sinikumpu²,

Jokelainen³

et al. 2022

Acta Derm Venereol

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The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic led to major restrictions in daily life and social contacts in Finland in March 2020. The effect of these restrictions on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is unclear. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence and positive rates of sexually transmitted infections in Northern Finland between 2020 and 2021 and compare these with the years prior to the pandemic. Numbers of positive Chlamydia trachomatis, HIV and hepatitis C samples were lower in 2020 to 2021 than in previous years, whereas more gonorrhoea and syphilis was found during pandemic than in previous years. The number of new cases of C. trachomatis reported each month decreased in the first months of the pandemic, but exceeded the prior pandemic -level in autumn 2020. When the mean positive sample rates were compared with the years 2015 to 2019, there was a significant decrease in positive C. trachomatis (p < 0.001) and hepatitis C (p < 0.001) sample rates in both 2020 and 2021. The positive rates for Treponema pallidum in 2020 did not differ significantly (p = 0.38) from previous years. In conclusion, these results show that sexually transmitted infections occurred despite recommendations for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, easy access to STI testing should always be available, even during exceptional circum-stances.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Northern Finland in 2019 to 2022

Mäki-Koivisto¹,

Sinikumpu²,

Jokelainen³

et al. 2022

Acta Derm Venereol

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“…reported a sharp decrease in influenza in Denmark, Norway and Sweden during the 2019–20 influenza season following the interventions against COVID-19 [ 8 ] while Folkehelseinstituttet also reported an ongoing reduction in contagious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway [ 9 ]. A recent study of invasive infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae or Neisseria meningitidis in 26 countries also reported a marked decline [ 10 ], and a Scandinavian study on Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae showed a limited effect on the spread of these two infections [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 preventive measures coincided with a marked decline in other infectious diseases in Denmark, spring 2020

et al. 2022

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We aimed to descriptively analyse the possible impact of the national COVID-19 interventions on the incidence of common infectious diseases in Denmark during spring and summer 2020. This observational study focused on national register data on infections caused by 16 different bacterial and viral pathogens. We included new cases registered between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2020. The weekly number of new cases were analysed with respect to the COVID-19-related interventions introduced during 2020. We found a marked decrease in infections associated with droplet transmission coinciding with the COVID-19 interventions in spring and summer 2020. These included decreases in both viral and bacterial airway infections and also decreases in invasive infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis. There was also a reduction in cases associated with foodborne transmission during the COVID-19 lockdown period. We found no effect of the lockdown on infections by invasive beta-haemolytic streptococci group B, C and G, Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia, Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Clostridioides difficile. In conclusion, we found that the widespread interventions such as physical distancing, less travel, hygiene measures and lockdown of schools, restaurants and workplaces together coincided with a marked decline in respiratory infections and, to a smaller extent, some foodborne-transmitted infections.

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“…Following the immediate decline, Belgium found no overall changes in the positivity rate of chlamydia and gonorrhoea across 2020 23. Norway, Denmark and Sweden observed a relatively quick rebound of detected chlamydia cases, while Norway and Sweden observed longer lasting decreases in reported gonorrhoea cases in 2020 24. Interestingly, increases in gonorrhoea detection were reported in both Japan and Finland in 2021 25 26.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…23 Norway, Denmark and Sweden observed a relatively quick rebound of detected chlamydia cases, while Norway and Sweden observed longer lasting decreases in reported gonorrhoea cases in 2020. 24 Interestingly, increases in gonorrhoea detection were reported in both Japan and Finland in 2021. 25 26 Our findings demonstrate the importance of continued disease surveillance during and post-public health emergencies to understand the local epidemiology of diseases.…”

Section: Original Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on chlamydia and gonorrhoea notifications and testing in Queensland, Australia: an interrupted time series analysis

Dalmau

Ware

Field³

et al. 2023

Sex Transm Infect

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ObjectiveTo investigate trends in testing and notifications of chlamydia and gonorrhoea during the COVID-19 pandemic in Queensland, Australia.MethodsStatewide disease notification and testing data between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2021 were modelled using interrupted time series. A segmented regression model estimated the pre-pandemic trend and observed effect of the COVID-19 pandemic response on weekly chlamydia notifications, monthly gonorrhoea notifications and monthly testing figures. The intervention time point was 29 March 2020, when key COVID-19 public health restrictions were introduced.ResultsThere were 158 064 chlamydia and 33 404 gonorrhoea notifications and 2 107 057 combined chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests across the 72-month study period. All three studied outcomes were increasing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediate declines were observed for all studied outcomes. Directly after COVID-19 restrictions were introduced, declines were observed for all chlamydia notifications (mean decrease 48.4 notifications/week, 95% CI −77.1 to –19.6), gonorrhoea notifications among males (mean decrease 39.1 notifications/month, 95% CI −73.9 to –4.3) and combined testing (mean decrease 4262 tests/month, 95% CI −6646 to –1877). The immediate decline was more pronounced among males for both conditions. By the end of the study period, only monthly gonorrhoea notifications showed a continuing decline (mean decrease 3.3 notifications/month, p<0.001).ConclusionThere is a difference between the immediate and sustained impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reported chlamydia and gonorrhoea notifications and testing in Queensland, Australia. This prompts considerations for disease surveillance and management in future pandemics. Possible explanations for our findings are an interruption or change to healthcare services during the pandemic, reduced or changed sexual practices or changed disease transmission patterns due to international travel restrictions. As pandemic priorities shift, STIs remain an important public health priority to be addressed.

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Changes in testing and incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae – the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the three Scandinavian countries

Cited by 10 publications

References 23 publications

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Northern Finland in 2019 to 2022

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Northern Finland in 2019 to 2022

COVID-19 preventive measures coincided with a marked decline in other infectious diseases in Denmark, spring 2020

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on chlamydia and gonorrhoea notifications and testing in Queensland, Australia: an interrupted time series analysis

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