Private MD News

STD rate remains high in Alabama

Category: Chlamydia

High rates of positives STD tests are a common problem throughout much of the country, but the situation is much more severe in certain areas.

For example, officials from Jefferson County, Alabama recently told local news station CBS42 that STD infections are running rampant in the state. They are urging individuals, particularly sexually active young people who are at high risk, to seek STD testing to find out if they are infected.

"Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, we're talking about 4,000 to 5,000 cases a year here in Jefferson county. For the last 10 years, Alabama has been ranked nationally in the top 10," Jim Alosi, the county's health department STD program manager, told the news source. "They need to take precautions and protect themselves by coming in to get tested to be screened."

He added that many common STDs present few symptoms upon initial infection. However, this does not mean they are not serious. A condition like chlamydia can damage a person's reproductive system and even cause death if it is left untreated for too long.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 10.8 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 24 in Alabama have chlamydia, ranking the state sixth in the nation.