Sexual risks draw fire from doctor

Press, 29 May 1978, Page 14

Sexual risks draw fire from doctor

Young people should be more aware of the dangers of sexual activity, said a Christchurch Deputy Medical Officer of Health (Dr M. A. Brieseman).

Anyone could contract a venereal disease if there had been a change of boyfriend or girlfriend only once. “One of our problems is that we are afraid to moralise,” he said.

Although the numbers treated at the Christchurch Hospital’s V.D. clinic were about the same as the previous year, some bacteria became resistant to penicillin, the usual cure. Many people thought that if they got venereal disease they would be all right after a “shot” of penicillin, Dr Brieseman said, but this was not always the case. Venerea] disease could also be caused by three types of virus which did not respond to antibiotics. These included the viruses causing serum hepatitis and foetal abnormality as well as that thought to be related to cancer of the cervix.

Last year, 610 new cases of gonorrhea and 12 new cases of syphilis were treated at the hospital clinic, which was attended by 4500 people altogether. Of these, 367 were male and 243 were female. It was not uncommon for perons to be reinfected, Dr Brieseman said.

Females were Just as likely to contract venereal i diseases as males, but they had symptoms less often than men. Those who suspected they had venereal - disease could telephone 729999 to discuss their symptoms and where to receive treatment, Dr Brieseman said.

The Health Department attempted to reduce the incidence of venereal disease by contacting the people who report for treatment and locating their contacts. The department had a nurse working full-time urging the contacts to seek treatment, he said. Because there was a social stigma attached to venereal disease, some people did not like being seen going into the clinics. They sometimes preferred to go to a doctor who treated them but he had to rely on the patient bringing in the contact. There were probably people who had venereal disease but did not seek treatment because they had no symptom or did not bother, said Dr Brieseman. “We can only count the casesthat come. There is no way' of knowing how many do not come," ne said.

A doctor in the depart* ment would give lecutres on social hygiene to school groups if their headmaster asked for such advice. Dr Brieseman said.