[Incidence of venereal infections in soldiers of the German Federal Armed Forces].

The incidence of venereal diseases in the German Armed Forces is presented with reference to statistics covering a 20-year period. The chief interest is in gonorrhoea and syphilis. The most new admissions were registered in 1960 and 1971 with 605 and 601 per 100,000 men actual strength. On the other hand, in 1926 the numbers in the German Imperial Forces and in the British and American Armies were about 4,000-5,000. Armies of occupation are particularly at risk. Thus, in 1922 25,400 of 100,000 British soldiers in Germany were infected in comparison with only 7,890 in the German army. The number of venereal infections in the German Forces is lower than ever before in the German Forces. Syphilis infections have decreased steadily for years. In 1977 only 80 cases were reported for the entire Federal Forces, among these latent syphilis was predominant. The epidemiological situation in the civil population ought to be similarly favourable.