The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the annual cases of sexually transmitted diseases have climbed to an all-time high for the sixth year in a row.
What We Know:
- A 2019 STD Surveillance Report on Tuesday, April 13th, found that there were more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reported across the United States in 2019. That’s nearly a 30 percent increase in reportable STDs from 2015 to 2019.
- Those primarily affected by STDs are consistently racial and ethnic minority groups, gay and bisexual men, and young people. The report features a statistic that demonstrates how Black people were 5-8 times more likely to contract an STD than non-Hispanic White people. On top of that, cases of congenital syphilis or syphilis found in newborns nearly quadrupled in the last 4 years.
- Raul Romaguera, acting director for the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, stated, “Less than 20 years ago, gonorrhea rates in the U.S. were at historic lows, syphilis was close to elimination, and advances in chlamydia diagnostics made it easier to detect infections. That progress has since unraveled, and our STD defenses are down. We must prioritize and focus our efforts to regain this lost ground and control the spread of STDs.”
- Since the COVID-19 pandemic has stretched resources and healthcare workers, the CDC is proposing new innovative techniques to prioritize STD testing. Their plans include walk-in STD express clinics, partnerships with pharmacies & retail health clinics to provide on-site treatment, and increasing telehealth appointments.
The CDC says while people with STD infections do not always experience symptoms, it is important to be tested regularly. If STDs remain untreated, people can potentially see an increase in the risk of HIV infection, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, severe pregnancy, and newborn complications or infant death.
