Mpox Cases Soar 860% in Mexico, HIV Still High

MEXICO CITY — The sexually transmitted infection (STI) known as Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, has recorded an 860% increase in cases in Mexico during 2025, with 509 cases so far this year compared to the total in 2024, according to a report from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). The organization noted that this figure does not account for potential underreporting.

The data was released ahead of World Sexual Health Day, observed on September 4. In its report, AHF stated that “unlike several countries in Latin America, Mexico has not developed a specific program for the care and monitoring of Mpox, nor has it requested the acquisition of vaccines through the Revolving Fund mechanism” of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

HIV Leads STI Cases Amid Mixed Progress

The report indicated that HIV continues to “set the pace” among sexually transmitted infections in Mexico. According to the Epidemiology report from the federal Secretary of Health, as of week 32 of 2025, 10,712 cumulative cases had been notified, a figure just 2% lower than the same period last year. In that week alone, 410 new infections were confirmed, a number described as “well above the historical median.”

Citing the CENSIDA Epidemiological Bulletin for April-June 2025, the organization detailed the transmission trends of the virus. Men who have sex with men remain the group with the highest positive incidence in HIV tests, showing a 0.1% increase in 2025 compared to 2017. They are followed by male sex workers. Meanwhile, positivity rates among incarcerated individuals rebounded, rising from 0.3% in 2022 to 0.5% in 2025.

In contrast, heterosexual men showed a decrease of 0.7% over the same period. The report highlighted that most detections are carried out in specialized health units such as the Centros Ambulatorios para la Prevención y Atención del Sida e Infecciones de Transmisión Sexual en México (CAPASITS) and the Servicio de Atención Integral Hospitalaria (SAIH).

Advances and Concerns in HIV Treatment

The AHF report acknowledged advances in access to HIV treatment, with 137,936 people receiving Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), representing a 56% increase since 2018. Furthermore, between eight and nine out of every ten individuals achieve an “undetectable” viral load after six months of medication, meaning the amount of virus in their blood is too low to be detected by laboratory tests.

However, the report emphasized that 39% of cases are diagnosed “late,” and a gender gap persists: for every woman with HIV, there are four men. In Mexico City, the ratio is nine to one.

Other STIs Show Alarming Trends

According to AHF, other sexually transmitted infections are also cause for concern:

• Congenital syphilis rose by 9%, with 354 cases so far this year.
• Acquired syphilis grew by 13%, with 12,482 registered cases.
• Gonorrhea increased by 14%, with 3,487 cases.

In contrast, case numbers decreased for the following infections:

• Lymphogranuloma venereum, -23%.
• Chancroid, -9%.
• Genital herpes, -4%.
• Trichomoniasis, -11%.

Vaccination, Antibiotics, and Regional Challenges

The organization reported that cervical cancer linked to HPV decreased by 22%, which it described as “a reflection of advances in vaccination and screening.” Meanwhile, viral hepatitis presents a “mixed” scenario: Hepatitis A (-54%) and Hepatitis C (-32%) are declining, while Hepatitis B increased by 8%, underscoring the “urgency to expand vaccination schedules.”

The report stated that regional challenges “are intensifying.” Syphilis in adults increased by 30% between 2020 and 2022, with an estimated 3.36 million cases and 68,000 cases of congenital syphilis in 2022. HIV continues on an upward curve: between 2010 and 2023, new infections grew by 9%, reaching 120,000 cases in 2023. Gonorrhea faces an “extra obstacle: growing antibiotic resistance, making it crucial to reinforce timely diagnosis and adequate treatment regimens.”

In general figures, AHF highlighted that, according to the WHO, every day more than one million people worldwide contract a curable STI. In Latin America and the Caribbean, an estimated 38 million sexually active people are living with syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis, and many are unaware of it.

Calls for a Comprehensive Public Health Policy

The organization concluded that “sexual well-being is an essential part of integral health, which implies truthful information, accessible and stigma-free services, relationships based on consent, and the possibility of living sexuality safely and pleasurably.”

José Antonio Matus, Advocacy Coordinator for AHF Mexico, said implementing a comprehensive Sexual Health policy is a priority. He added: “It is required that the Specific Plan in this area considers components of combined prevention to respond to HIV and sexually transmitted infections, including tools to promote self-care, co-responsibility, and the right to pleasure.”

He asserted that public health establishments “must be safe places, with adequate budget and professional personnel that avoid stigmatizing expressions of sexuality and that reach out to key populations.”

Patricia Campos López, head of the AHF Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, commented that sexual health “is not a luxury, it is a right and a public health necessity.” She called to “prioritize prevention, expand access to testing and treatments without barriers, guarantee environments free of stigma and discrimination, and ensure that people have the necessary tools and support to live their sexuality fully, safely, and with dignity.”