Oireachtas committee hears huge rise in STDs likely to be a vast understimation

The official figures for the level of sexually transmitted infection in the community are probably a huge underestimation of what is actually happening, an Oireachtas committee was told yesterday.

Dr Susan Clarke, consultant in infectious diseases at St James's Hospital, Dublin, told the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children that there had been a 12 per cent increase in cases of sexually transmitted disease over the last year or two. However, she said the reporting mechanisms were often not the best and she believed the figures represented a huge underestimate.

There had been no widespread population-based study into the level of sexually transmitted infection in Ireland, Dr Clarke said. However, data from ante-natal clinics and family-planning centres showed chlamydia rates of approximately 10-15 per cent in asymptomatic women.

She said sexually transmitted infections were generally very easy to treat but untreated conditions could cause huge economic burdens in the longer term in dealing with issues such as infertility or ectopic pregnancies.

There had been an outbreak of syphillis in Dublin in recent times which was now generally under control. God only knew how many patients with the condition had gone untreated, Dr Clarke added.

Untreated syphillis can lead to heart disease in later life and there could be a problem with syphillitic heart disease in 15 years' time, she said.

Her unit in St James's faced a "legal nightmare" in cases where children presented with sexually transmitted diseases.

Legally they were obliged to report to the Garda all cases of children under the age of 16 engaging in sexual activity. At the same time, the unit wanted to encourage all patients with the condition to present for treatment. Dr Clarke said each case of this nature was considered on an individual basis by the unit.

There was currently no paediatric service for children with such conditions, she added. The centre at St James's operated six walk-in clinics per week but faced huge demand and people had to be turned away on occasion.

STDs rise dramatically in 10 years

Chlamydia trachomatis ... + 2,000%; 1994: 133 cases ... 2004: 2,803 cases

Herpes simplex ... +426%; 1989: 78 cases ... 2004: 411 cases

Gonorrhoea ... +225%; 1996: 83 cases ... 2004: 270 cases