Epidemiological trends of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, genital herpes and syphilis in India from 1990 to 2019: analysis from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD 2019)

Background Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV are a major public health concern globally. The goal of this study is to analyse the trends of the five most common STIs; chlamydia, gonococcal infection, trichomoniasis, genital herpes and syphilis in India and its states from 1990 to 2019. Methods We extracted data pertaining to STIs from the Global Burden of Disease study, 2019 (GBD 2019), and analysed the burden of disease based on individual STI, for both sexes, across multiple age groups, and for each state and union territory of India. Results Incidence of STIs increased by 82.79% from 54.64million in 1990 to 99.88million in 2019, and disability-adjusted life years decreased by 48.66% from 1.51million to 0.77million, which is primarily attributed to a decline in disability-adjusted life years for syphilis. The incidence was higher in men compared to women. The incidence rate for chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes increased, the incidence rate for syphilis declined, whereas the incidence rate for gonococcal infection did not show any substantial change. Most of the disability-adjusted life years and deaths in 2019 were contributed by syphilis. Conclusion The burden of STIs in India is substantial and calls for comprehensive efforts to stem the tide of increasing incidence of STIs. Enhancing surveillance, increasing awareness and targeted control programs are recommended for the affected populations.