Trends and Problems of Sexually Transmitted Infections

The trends and problems of sexually transmitted infections in Japan are identified from the following four viewpoints: 1) epidemiology, 2) increase in syphilis incidence and Stop! syphilis project, 3) drug resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae , and 4) emergence of Mycoplasma genitalium . The epidemiological information obtained using surveillance data for the following five diseases under Category V of the Infectious Disease Law: syphilis from notifiable disease surveillance, genital chlamydial infection, genital herpes, condyloma acuminatum, and gonococcal infection from the sentinel surveillance. On the other hand, data from welfare science research are also introduced. Syphilis incidence rapidly increased from 2012 to 2018; however, in 2019 and 2020 the reported number decreased. This might be due to the Stop! syphilis project and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ceftriaxone resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae with MIC of 0.5 μg/mL are scattered around the world. Mycoplasma genitalium , which is the third most common sexually transmitted cause of male urethritis after gonococcus and chlamydia, is also becoming an issue regarding multi-drug resistance.