Valentine’s Day is this month, and you know what that means: LOVE is in the air! Something else that’s out and about? Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). While STDs are a concern year round, now is a great time to remind everyone of their presence. At the national level, STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) were at a record high as of 2015. Chlamydia Chlamydia is the most common STD in the United States. It is an easily curable STD that can affect both men and women. Complications from chlamydia are more impactful to women; it can cause permanent damage to the reproductive system, which can make pregnancy difficult or impossible if left untreated. What makes chlamydia tricky is that most people don’t even know they have it since it often has no symptoms. If symptoms do appear, it’s often not until several weeks after infection. In 2015, a total of 1,526,658 chlamydial infections were reported to CDC. That’s 475.3 people per 100,000 in the nation. Nevada came in under the national rate, only slightly better at 455 people per 100,000. Persons ages 15-29 accounted for almost 80% of the chlamydia cases in Nevada. For more information on chlamydia, visit the CDC’s chlamydia page. Gonorrhea Anyone who is sexually active can get gonorrhea, but it is most common in youth and young adults ages 15-24. The infection can cause serious complications if left untreated, but, like chlamydia, it can be treated. Gonorrhea affects men and women differently. Some people with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. Men with the infection are sometimes aware of swelling, discharge and a burning sensation. When symptoms arise in women, they are often mild and mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. While gonorrhea can be cured with the right treatment, it is becoming harder and harder to treat now that drug-resistant strains are increasing. If your doctor treats you for gonorrhea but you are still experiencing symptoms after a few days, you should return to your provider for follow up. For 2015, the national rate of infection is 122.7 people per 100,000. Nevada’s rates are slightly higher at 128 per 100,000. In Nevada, persons ages 15-34 accounted for 76% of the gonorrhea cases. For more information on gonorrhea, visit the CDC’s gonorrhea page. Syphilis Syphilis is an STD that can cause very serious long-term complication if left untreated. It’s important to know that treatment will not be able to reverse any of the damage already done, so it’s important to seek treatment as early as possible. A syphilis infection can result in many possible symptoms. It’s been called “the great imitator” because it can look like many other diseases. There are four stages of adult syphilis:
The national rate for syphilis was 7.6 per 100,000 people. Nevada’s rate was much higher, at 11.8 per 100,000. For more information on syphilis, visit the CDC’s syphilis page. Prevention Tips
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AuthorOPHIE records and analyzes data from disease investigations, identifies risk factors, and provides education on disease prevention in Nevada. Archives
November 2018
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