Thursday, March 22, 2018

Rates of STD Infection in the U.S. Continue to Rise

The rates of infection of most STDs rose again in 2016, according to the CDC. Compared to 2015, chlamydia infections were up 4.7%, syphilis infections increased 17.6%, and gonorrhea was up by 18.5%. The increases are part of a trend that started about a decade or so ago.

The only good news is that rates of HIV infection have been trending slightly downward over the past five years. Compared to 2015, the rate of HIV infection declined by 0.1% in 2016.

The dramatic increases in syphilis and gonorrhea infections in 2016 are cause for concern, of course. Sexually active individuals should be aware of these trends and seek to protect themselves accordingly.

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