Abstract

PIP: The Russian Federation has had a well developed state system for the surveillance and control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) since World War II. The system is centered around clinical dermatovenereology (DV) services controlled by the Ministry of Health, and in the regions by the Divisions of Health Care. DV Service provides free diagnosis, treatment, and partner notification conducted by DV dispensaries. STDs are monitored through mandatory universal notification by physicians of newly identified cases. The following STDs must be reported: syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, urogenital chlamydiosis, human papillomavirus infection, genital herpes, mycoplasmosis, candidiasis, and bacterial vaginosis. The rate of syphilis increased to 265 cases per 100,000 population in 1997, a 63-fold increase since 1993. The level of gonorrhea declined from 1984 to 1990, then increased from 1991 to the reported 1993 rate of 230.9/100,000; incidence declined from 1994. These data, however, do not reflect the actual situation because of under-reporting due to self-treatment and treatment by private practitioners. More than 26,000 cases of adolescent syphilis were reported in 1997.