Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - In Europe in the past four years cases of tropical diseases have steadily increased in number: cases of TB and skin diseases caused by parasites and mycosis have doubled. The latest figures were presented at a world Dermatology Congress in Florence by the Rome based San Gallicano Institute.
From the Congress it emerged that new tropical pathologies are registered in the northern hemisphere as well as an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.
According to the World Health Organisation WHO every year about 330 million new cases are registered and the most widespread infections are the following: 170 million cases of Trichomonas, 62 million cases of infection by gonococci, 89 million cases of infection by Chlamydia, 12 million cases of syphilis. One third of the new cases (111 million) are people under 25.
Experts say the diffusion of diseases previously unknown to Europe is caused by increasing human mobility: as people move so do virus and bacteria. According to WHO every year as many as 1.2 billion people leave their country either temporarily or for good. Out of an estimated 175 million immigrants in the world, 23 million live in Europe. In Italy alone 4.6% of the population consists of legal immigrants from more than 156 different countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and eastern Europe. (AP) (22/11/200Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:286)
