Sexually transmitted diseases hit record highs in the US for the sixth consecutive year, a new report found.
In 2019, there were 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, the three most commonly reported STDs, according to new data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This marks a nearly 30 percent increase in STDs reported to the federal health agency between 2015 and 2019.
In addition, the most notable increase was the number of neonatal syphilis, known as congenital syphilis, which nearly quadrupled in the past five years.
In 2019, there were 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, the three most commonly reported STDs, marking the sixth consecutive year that STDs have hit record highs, according to the CDC.
“ Less than 20 years ago, gonorrhea rates in the US were at historic lows, syphilis was nearly gone, and advances in chlamydia diagnostics made it easier to detect infections, ” said DR Raul Romaguera, acting director of the CDC. department of SOA. Prevention.
That progress has since been unraveled, and our STD defenses have gone down. We need to prioritize and focus our efforts to reclaim this lost ground and control the spread of STDs. ‘
An STD is an infection that is passed from one person to another through sexual contact, whether vaginal, oral, or anal.
Some are bacterial infections that can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics, while others are viral infections that cannot be cured, but can be modulated with antivirals.
STDs don’t always have symptoms and, if left diagnosed and untreated, can have serious health consequences.
Some infections can increase the risk of HIV or cause chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammation, and even infertility.
Currently, STDs cause about 2.7 deaths per 100,000 people, mainly due to HIV and HPV (human papillomavirus) infections.
For the report, the CDC looked at common STDs in 2019, including cases of genital herpes, HPV, or HIV.
Data showed 1.8 million cases of chlamydia, 616,000 cases of gonorrhea and 129,000 cases of syphilis.
In comparison, in 2000 there were 709,000 cases of chlamydia, 363,000 cases of gonorrhea and 31,000 cases of syphilis.
Adolescents between 15 and 24 years of age accounted for 61% of chlamydia cases (above) and 42% of gonorrhea cases
Gay and bisexual made up nearly half of all syphilis cases (above) compared to heterosexual men and women with different partners
The report found that there are differences in STDs, which hit racial groups, gay and bisexual men and young adults the hardest.
Hispanic people were up to twice as likely to have an STD compared to Caucasians, and African Americans were up to eight times more likely.
Homosexuals and bisexuals made up nearly half of all syphilis cases and had a gonorroup rate 42 times higher than the number of heterosexual men in some areas.
In addition, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 accounted for 61 percent of chlamydia cases and 42 percent of gonorrhea cases.
“Focusing on hard-hit populations is critical to reducing inequalities,” Jo Valentine, associate director of the Office of Health Equity in CDC’s Division of SOA Prevention, said in a statement.
To effectively reduce these inequalities, the social, cultural and economic conditions that make it more difficult for some populations to stay healthy must be addressed. These include poverty, unstable housing, drug use, lack of health insurance or regular medical care, and the high burden of STDs in some communities. ‘
The most notable increase was the number of neonatal syphilis cases, known as congenital syphilis, which nearly quadrupled in the past five years (above)
The report also found that the rate of congenital syphilis was 48.5 cases per 100,000 live births in 2019, which has been rising every year since 2013.
The percentage represents an increase of 41.4 percent from 2018 and 291.1 percent from 2015.
This increase also led to an increase in the number of syphilitic stillbirths, from 79 in 2018 to 94 in and 2019 syphilis-related infant mortality from 15 to 34 deaths.
The CDC notes that the key to lowering congenital syphilis rates is an increase in prenatal care in underprivileged communities and timely testing.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, officials had seen a decline in STD screening, treatment, prevention, and partner services.
To reduce STD numbers, the CDC recommends STD express clinics with walk-in testing and treatment, telemedicine appointments for hard-to-reach groups, and partnerships with pharmacies to provide both testing and medication.
“STDs will not wait for the pandemic to pass, so we have to take up the challenge now,” Romaguera said.
“This new data should create a sense of urgency and mobilize the necessary resources so that future reports can tell a different story.”