Private MD News

New report cites heavy burden of STDs in U.S.

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

In recent years, progress has been made in fighting syphilis, but the overall number of people receiving positive STD tests remains stubbornly high, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2010 report showed that syphilis rates dropped for the first time in over a decade. Overall, the infection rate dropped 1.6 percent from the previous year. However, the number of young black men infected with the disease increased 134 percent over the last five years.

Progress was more halting in the battle against gonorrhea and chlamydia. The report indicated that gonorrhea cases are already at all-time lows currently, but that the number of new infections increased last year. Chlamydia has been increasing steadily over the past 20 years.

The report indicated that that are more than 19 million new positive STD test each year. This results in a cost of $17 billion.

Furthermore, the reported pointed out that only about half of individuals in high-risk groups actually receive regular STD testing. It said that more people who are most likely to become infected with a disease get screened.