Wednesday 9 December 2009
The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Surveillance Update released today showed some changes in notifications of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) to those in the previous six-month reporting period.
The report, based on recorded figures from January - June 2009, indicated that the rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia have remained steady for the same reporting period in 2008. The notification rate for syphilis decreased by 38% and for trichomoniasis notifications declined by 26%, the first decline since 2005.
However, the number of notifications of HIV, one of the Blood Borne Viruses covered in the report had increased.
Jamie Broadfoot, Section Head of the Department of Health and Families (DHF) Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Unit said "There was an increase in the number of HIV notifications for the first six months of 2009, with 10 notifications being recorded in this period compared to six in the same period of 2008."
"Some of these were from people travelling to countries of high prevalence, although the majority of these HIV cases were acquired within the NT ," Mr. Broadfoot added.
This highlights the continuing importance of safe sex practices."
Mr Broadfoot said that DHF is continuing to address the spread of STIs through various public health campaigns.
"DHF is implementing a number of strategies to increase STI awareness in young people, and to encourage them to practice safe sex and get tested if they have concerns," Mr Broadfoot said.
"We recently completed the 12-month Safe Sex No Regrets campaign aimed at increasing STI testing for young people with great results.
"NT Sexual Health will also be launching a six-month HIV traveller's campaign in partnership with the NT AIDS and Hepatitis Council in early 2010".
"Nothing will stop the spread of STIs better than people practicing safe sex by using condoms."
For more information visit Safe Sex No Regrets on www.safesexnoregrets.com.au or the Centre for Disease Control website www.health.nt.gov.au/Centre_for_Disease_Control/.
Media contacts: Anna Campbell, 0401 116 144, Darrel Trueman 0401 116 203
