BAGUIO CITY , Philippines – A rise in sexually transmitted infections and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is being seen to upgrade even into an epidemic as a measles outbreak is also in the offing.
According to city health officials, HIV/Aids cases in the city have steadily risen from 10 for the years 1992 to 2002 to 25 cases for the period of 2004 to 2009 alone.
A150 percent increase in reported cases in just a five-year period has alarmed Baguio social hygiene clinic chief Dr. Celia Brillantes.
The situation tagged as alarming, at least half or 17 HIV/Aids patients have already died from the total 35 cases reported here since 1992.
To top it, even the number of non-gonococcal STI like syphilis is also on the rise here.
Cases of syphilis infections have been increasing which according to Brillantes, is a proxy-indicator that HIV/AIDS cases are increasing.
Brillantes said that those who turned out to be positive with HIV are not only with sex workers but also overseas Filipino workers and those with multiple sex partners, particularly those having homosexual relations. For the period of 1992 to 2002, seven out of 10 positive cases were OFWs.
From 2004 to 2009, Brillantes reported that four OFWs per year become infected with HIV/Aids in the city.
Though the latest reported cases in the city according to the health social hygiene clinic involves men having sex with men.
This, as confirmed cases of measles in the city also rose to seven for the period of Feb. 26 until March 19, with 60 more suspected cases being placed under surveillance and testing.
“Technically it’s an outbreak because by the definition of the word itself, there is already a sudden increase in the number of cases which we have than in previous years,” epidemiology and surveillance unit head of the city health office Dr. Donna Tubera said.
This prompted the city health office to launch a simultaneous immunization of 95,000 children aged six months to 12 years old here.
As of last week, more than 45,000 children were given vaccines or one half of the targeted population, including all school children in the city.
Reportedly caused by the rubella virus, the type of measles is different from German measles or tigdas-hangin.
Rubella virus, which causes measles, is a highly contagious virus usually transmitted from person to person through infected air droplets and direct contact.
Rashes starting at the forehead and neck spreading through the body and lasting for about three days coupled with high-grade fever occur during the infection. Cough, red eyes, and runny nose also occur. - By Artemio Dumlao (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com
