The trend of STD in COVID times- A retrospective hospital-based study from Northeast India

Abstract

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are considered to be a burden for mankind since long. Different studies showed variation in epidemiology of STD. Our study is targeted towards unveiling the prevalence of STD during covid times. : To study the change of prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases during covid times.: A retrospective study of all patients, who attended the outpatient department (OPD) of Dermatology, Venerology and Leprosy (DVL) of Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Assam, India was done. All the follow-up cases and patients who showed no evidence of STD were excluded from the study.: In the study period (2020-21), out of the 10,954 patients who attended the DVL OPD, 90(0.8%) patients had STD, whereas, in the year (2019-20), total of 57,275 patients attended the clinic, among which 272(0.5%) patients had STD. STD was more among males than females, showing a male: female ratio of 1.9:1 in 2020-2021 as compared to 1.5:1 in 2019 to 2020. Some results were similar in both the study period; like the mean age group was 36 years, most females were housewives and males were shopkeepers and majority of the patients with STD were married. In our study from 2020-21, Herpes genitalis with 29 cases (32.2%) was the most common STD, followed by syphilis and urethral discharge with 17 (18.8%) cases each. Vaginal discharge with 11(12.2%) cases, genital warts with 7(7.7%) cases, GUD-non-herpetic with 5(5.5%) cases and balanoposthitis with 4(4.4%) cases were other STDs during the 2020-’21 period. When compared to 2019-20, herpes genitalis was most common with 72(26.4%) cases followed by vaginal discharge with 58(21.4%) cases, syphilis with 43(15.8%) cases, urethral discharge with 58(21.4%) cases, GUD-non herpetic with 26(9.6%) cases, balanoposthitis with 21(7.8%) cases and warts with16(5.8%) cases.Amidst the COVID-19 crisis and lockdown, a decline in the overall number of patients was seen and similar trend was observed among STD patients reporting to our hospital. Among these, the majority had genital ulcer disease of viral origin. Females were most commonly affected and a decline in bacterial STDs was also seen.