Gonorrhea outpaced by elusive disease

Press, 16 September 1976, Page 6

Gonorrhea outpaced by elusive disease

Gonorrhea in New' Zealand is being outpaced by another sexually transmitted disease :— the exact nature of which eludes clinicians.

The disease, non-specific urethritis, does not confer immunity, and its treatment is prolonged, a Christchurch venereologist, Dr W. M. Platts, said in Christchurch last evening, speaking to a meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. Non-specific urethritis w r as now twice as common m New Zealand youth as gonorrhea. Its symptoms were similar to those of gonorrhea, and could lead to inflammation of the joints, eyes and skin.

Two of every three persons appearing at the Christchurch Venerea] Disease Clinic with a discharge had non-specific urethritis, said Dr Platts, LTniversity students were among the main carriers. The disease did not confer immunity; people could become re-infected any number; of times.

Other diseases increasing in incidence were virus infec-

itions, among them genital; herpes, which had no cure. It appeared like a cold sore.i and sometimes forced those infected to lie up for several weeks at a time. Virus infections were be-: coming extremely common.! and also did not convey im-j munity. Patients referred to the Christchurch clinic were increasingly younger, he said. More were coming from schools; it was no longer unusual to examine 12-year-olds. When being counselled these young people often admitted knowing that venereal disease was a consequence of casual intercourse. but thought it could never happen to them. Others said they had sub-: mitted to the mood of the I moment, but said later that had the consequences of their actions been explained toj; them earlier they would! never have had sex. Usually! alcohol was a factor. It was not outlandish tor expect a girl who had be-| ( come sexually active at 15 i to be frigid when she mar-! 1 ried, said the counsellor at < the clinic (Mrs M. Ward.) '

A healthy dose of fear • would do no harm, she said, if it lowered the incidence of casual sex among young (people. F'ir was better than the intense sense of lost : self-esteem that troubled (many girls. ! Of women examined at the ■Christchurch Women’s Hospital recently,, one in 40 had gonorrhea and did not know it. Gonorrhea was now the most common disease in the U.S.A. Sweden was now undertaking vast publicity campaigns to lower the incidence of gonorrhea. The campaigners’ slogans asked for a sense of dutv towards society, and pushed tne condom and the pill. The incidence of gonorrhea jin all Western countries but [Sweden’s was still rising. (Last year new cases of [gonorrhea referred to the (Christchurch Clinic passed 11000 for the first time. I Parents could no longer (tell themselves that their (children would stav out of danger, said Dr Platts. A (straight portrayal of the (consequences of casual sex was probably the best course.