In its annual report "Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2007," the CDC finds that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise in the U.S. In addition, the CDC points out that these diseases continue to take a disproportionately heavy toll on women and racial minorities.

The report finds that the number of cases of the most common STD chlamydia climbed to an all-time high of more than 1.1 million in 2007, equal to a rate of 370 cases per 100,000 people, up 7.5 percent from the previous year. While this increase is concerning, CDC researchers note that the increase may be at least partially explained by increased testing due to federal guidelines that recommend STD screening  for sexually active women age 25 and under. The percentage of young women being tested for the infection rose by more than ten percent between 2003 and 2007.

On the other hand, the number of reported cases still vastly underestimates the true number of people infected with chlamydia each year; according to experts, the actual number of cases may be closer to 3 million. The number of cases of gonorrhea held steady from 2006 to 2007 at around 350,000 cases, but as with chlamydia, experts believe the true number of cases may be much higher.

The reason so many cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia go unreported is that they often have no obvious symptoms, but they can lead to complications if left untreated. While both chlamydia and gonorrhea are easily treatable with antibiotics, up to 40 percent of women with untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia infections may develop pelvic inflammatory disease, a condition that causes 50,000 women to become infertile each year. Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea can also cause ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, and other serious health problems.

What’s more, while these diseases can infect men, women make up an estimated three-quarters of all chlamydia cases and they have a higher risk of getting gonorrhea than men. Infected men may also show no symptoms of an infection and may unknowingly pass the diseases on to their sexual partners.

According to the report, syphilis, a disease once on the verge of being eradicated, is making a comeback, with the number of U.S. cases up 15 percent from 2006 to 2007. While the overall number of syphilis infections remains low (around 12,000 cases in 2007), gay and bisexual men represent 65 percent of those cases according to the CDC. Syphilis can be treated easily in the early stages, but if left untreated it can progress to cause serious, even fatal complications such as strokes.

Huge racial disparities also exist in STD cases. While African Americans represent around 12 percent of the U.S. population, in 2007 blacks accounted for about 70 percent of reported gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases (48 percent and 46 percent respectively). According to the CDC, this is likely related to the high rate of poverty among blacks, as studies have shown one of the most important social determinants of sexual health to be socioeconomic status.

When they do occur, symptoms of gonorrhea in men include a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis, sometimes accompanied by painful or swollen testicles. chlamydia symptoms are similar: some men may also feel a burning during urination or have a discharge. In women, in the rare cases in which symptoms of gonorrhea do occur they are mild and may include painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. chlamydia symptoms in women may cause pain in their lower abdomen or notice a burning sensation or a pus-like discharge during urination.

The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women under 26 years old, and supports U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations to screen high-risk, sexually active women for gonorrhea. For more information about STDs, visit the CDCs STD Web site. IF you have questions about STDs but are too shy to ask them in person, join the Healia Health Community for STDs and ask the community, or ask the experts on Healia Health Communities.


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