Costa Rica records 2,954 syphilis cases and a 12% increase in patients with gonorrhea

Two test tubes prepared for syphilis and gonorrhea tests rest on a rack in a microbiology laboratory while staff process analyses. (Illustrative image Infobae) The Ministry of Health of Costa Rica reported a marked increase in syphilis and gonorrhea diagnoses during 2026. The official epidemiological report, based on records from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), confirmed that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) maintain an upward curve that most strongly affects the young population and shows deep territorial disparities. Through epidemiological week 40 of 2026, the country accumulated 2,954 cases of syphilis in all its forms, a figure that exceeds the 2,481 infections reported in the same period of 2025. This difference represents a 19.06% rise in national notifications. The highest concentration of diagnoses is found in the 20 to 34 age group, which accounts for 1,217 sick people; the 25 to 29 subgroup leads in incidence with a rate of 108.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. Geographically, the province of Limón shows the most concerning picture, with a rate of 109.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, almost double the Costa Rican average, which stands at 56.6. By volume, San José concentrates the largest absolute number of diagnoses, with 1,200 case files. The official report also warned about detections in children under one year of age, a condition that requires exhaustive clinical reviews to determine how many events correspond to vertical transmission or congenital syphilis during gestation. Weekly behavior of gonorrhea notifications in Costa Rica during the first 40 weeks of 2025 and 2026 (Courtesy: Ministry of Health CR). As for gonorrhea, the health system added 1,335 patients compared to 1,188 the previous year, which equals a 12.37% increase. More than 50% of diagnoses fall on adolescents and young people between 15 and 29 years old, a range where the 20 to 24 group records 355 infections. The distribution by gender shows a marked gap: the rate in men reached 44.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants compared to 6.4 in women. This proportion confirms that the reported burden in the male population is seven times higher than the female one. Syphilis arises from the bacterium Treponema pallidum. Its initial manifestation consists of a painless ulcer called a chancre on the genitals, rectum, or mouth. If the person does not receive adequate antibiotic treatment, the infection progresses to secondary phases with skin rashes and mucosal lesions, and can lead to late phases with neurological, cardiovascular alterations, or irreversible damage to internal organs. Gonorrhea, for its part, is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which colonizes the mucous membranes of the genital, urinary, rectal, and pharyngeal tracts. It causes burning when urinating and purulent discharge in the male urethra. In women, symptoms are usually mild or nonexistent, which hinders early detection and favors serious complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pain, and infertility. A healthcare professional draws blood from a pregnant woman during a prenatal checkup consultation. (Illustrative image Infobae) Effective prevention of these diseases demands the uninterrupted use of condoms in all sexual practices, since they represent the proven physical barrier against the fluids and lesions that transmit the bacteria. Health authorities recommend periodic screening tests in sexually active people, which ensures timely detection before the development of sequelae. Prenatal control takes on priority status to apply serological screenings in each trimester of gestation and eradicate mother-to-child transmission. In the face of a positive result, the medical indication requires completing therapeutic regimens with penicillin or other prescribed antibiotics, along with the simultaneous treatment of sexual partners to prevent continuous reinfections.