Panama Study Reveals High Rate of Asymptomatic STIs and HIV

<>

High Rates of Asymptomatic Infections Found in Panama Study

The research was carried out by the organization AHF Panamá alongside the Department of Human Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Panama, according to coverage. Investigators evaluated 308 people recruited through community screening services between 2025 and 2026, using a combination of molecular panels and serological tests. Out of 173 participants who reported feeling entirely well at the time of testing, nearly one in four—or 24.9%—tested positive for HIV or another sexually transmitted infection, as reported.

According to Natasha Dormoi, coordinator for AHF Panamá, cited by, a driving question behind the study was how much infection goes undetected when health systems wait for obvious clinical manifestations. Gilberto Eskildsen, a professor at the Faculty of Medicine and the principal investigator, explained to that Panama typically manages sexually transmitted infections syndromically based on visible patient signs. Because many pathogens produce no outward warnings, the silent nature of these conditions creates a critical bottleneck for timely medical intervention.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea Emerge as Most Frequent Pathogens

Among the specific pathogens identified through molecular diagnostic panels, Chlamydia trachomatis proved most common, with 36 participants testing positive, representing 11.7% of the sample, according to. Neisseria gonorrhoeae followed as the second most frequent infection, showing 26 cases or 8.4%. The screening also detected 26 cases of HIV (8.4%), 18 cases of active syphilis (5.8%), nine cases of herpes simplex type 2 (2.9%), seven cases of Mycoplasma genitalium (2.3%), and five cases of Trichomonas vaginalis (1.6%).

Investigators noted that Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum were excluded from the primary findings because their presence can form part of normal genital microbiota without confirming an infection, per. When combining all clinically relevant results, exactly 100 out of the 308 participants carried at least one of the tracked pathogens, accounting for the 32.5% overall prevalence figure reported. Because individuals could harbor multiple pathogens simultaneously, researchers emphasized that individual infection percentages cannot be simply added together.

Public Health Implications and Recommendations for the Future

The findings were detailed during a technical meeting held for World Sexual Health Day, which drew specialists from the University of Panama, AHF Panamá, and representatives from the Directorate General of Public Health and the STI/HIV/AIDS Section of Panama’s Ministry of Health (Minsa). During the sessions, public health officials discussed shifting toward a combined prevention model that expands molecular diagnostic testing, increases condom distribution, promotes vaccination, and scales up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Researchers also examined demographic breakdowns within the cohort, noting positivity rates of 28.3% among heterosexual participants, 31.5% among bisexual participants, and 32.9% among homosexual participants, according to. Higher proportions appeared among individuals reporting sex work, at 41.7%, and among transgender women participants, who registered a 55.6% positivity rate alongside high specific burdens for HIV and active syphilis. Study authors cautioned that figures for smaller demographic subgroups require careful interpretation due to limited sample sizes.