key: cord-0906121-k2yizh43
authors: de Miguel Buckley, R; Trigo, E; de la Calle-Prieto, F; Arsuaga, M; Díaz-Menéndez, M
title: Social distancing to combat COVID-19 led to a marked decrease in food-borne infections and sexually transmitted diseases in Spain
date: 2020-08-25
journal: J Travel Med
DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taaa134
sha: fcfdcdea118746dc49bf31e23515dccbe39cc931
doc_id: 906121
cord_uid: k2yizh43

Data from a recent epidemiological surveillance network showed a decrease in the reported number of sexually transmitted diseases and food-borne infections. We reflect on the possible drivers and consequences of a decrease in these transmittable infectious diseases linked to human contact in relation to social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Madrid (Spain).

Since the first case of coronavirus in Madrid (Spain) was diagnosed in February 25 th 2020, the pandemic went on to affect over 90.500 persons in this city (as of August Finally, we want to reflect on the role tourism may play in the reduction of infectious diseases in times of COVID-19. Both food-borne diseases and STDs have been associated with tourism 9 , which is of particular concern in terms of public health due to the possibility of disseminating antibiotic resistant strains 10 . Travelers are a risk group for both STD acquisition and transmission because their sexual behavior is modified during travel, with increased casual sex and number of sexual partners 11 . As an example, a recent French study of travel related STIs showed that HIV subtype and Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance correlated well with the countries where these infections were acquired 12 . An optimistic view of the potential effects of this pandemic could be that travel restrictions might help to slow down the incidence of geographic translocation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But that seems a very high price to pay for the loss of tourism and Spanish fiesta. 

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