Sexually transmitted infections increase fivefold in Malaga in a decade

Speaking on World Sexual Health Day, 4 September, the well-remembered Spanish advertising campaign 'Put it on yourself, put it on them', which in the early 1990s advised the use of condoms around the time of an increase in cases of HIV, would be very useful now, the president of the Andalusian section of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) and head of the Dermatology Service of the Regional University Hospital, Leandro Martínez Pilar, has told SUR.

There has been a fivefold rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in just over a decade in Malaga (2014-2024), according to data from the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs on cases of diseases of obligatory declaration (EDO) which SUR has consulted.

In 2024, there were 2,992 STI diagnoses in Malaga, compared to 601 in 2014, so that they have risen in the province by 397.8% in the eleven years between 2014 and 2024, i.e. they have almost multiplied by five.

The growth between 2023 and 2024 was 16.2% and the general trend in the rest of the Andalusian provinces (Malaga is the second, after Seville, with more STIs in 2024, which is normal due to the population and tourism) and also occurs identically in Andalucía where across the whole region the number of STIs increased by 413% between 2014 and 2024. There were 14,613 cases reported last year alone.

By disease, gonorrhoea recorded the most cases (1,207 diagnoses, +1,981%), followed by syphilis (617 cases in 2024, +626%), chlamydia (954 cases, +507%) and genital herpes (149 cases, +40.5%). But there is good news: a total of 182 cases of HIV were reported in 2024 compared to 195 in 2014.

The growth is also exponential across Spain. "In two decades, gonorrhoea has multiplied by 25 and syphilis by 10," says Dr Leandro Martínez. "It is not very different from what is happening throughout Europe," he says, and points to several causes: the perception of risk in the new generations is minimal, he explains. AIDS, despite being a virus that leads to a serious illness, has become chronic, "you don't die of it". It is no longer feared as much as it was in the 1980s and 1990s.

In addition, people are not using condoms or other forms of protection as much and at the same time, there are numerous sex dating apps that encourage multiple sexual contacts with different partners. Another cause could be so-called 'chemsex', sex between people who have consumed intoxicants, which also lowers the perception of risk. "The data is critical: we have to go for big campaigns to raise awareness among the younger and not-so-young generations," he explains, noting that STIs have also recently increased among the over-60s.

The doctor reminds us that gonorrhoea, for example, can cause infertility, syphilis, in very advanced stages, affects the central nervous system and chlamydia can cause infertility. He urges people with suspicious symptoms, to see a doctor to break the chain of contagion.

He goes on to say, "Genital warts are what we see most. If a woman is not vaccinated, it can cause cancer of the uterus; in men, although it is much rarer, it can cause cancer of the penis or anus. Vaccination covers the most prevalent serotypes and prevents cervical cancer," the doctor says.

Celia Fernández Nieto is doctor at Vithas Málaga and explains that there are many sexual practices that existed years ago, such as 'chemsex' or "having sex with multiple partners at the same time, but they were less frequent". She also highlights the need to inform young people that they should "have safe sex" and, in the presence of symptoms, go to the doctor.

"We have been noticing an increase in the incidence and prevalence of HIV in Spain for several years now," she says. "I think we are losing the fear of some diseases, because there is more access to health care and almost everything has treatment, everything can be treated, but there is a lack of studies to know the causes".