CDC:  STD report

     Data on national trends in gonorrhea and other STDs was recently reported by the Centers for Disease Control at the National STD Prevention Conference held in San Diego, Calf.

  Gonorrhea:

    Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. cities hardest hit by gonorrhea experienced increases in rates between 1999 and 2000.  The overall national gonorrhea rate remained stable, where as 13 of 20 cities with the highest rates in 1999 had even higher rates in 2000, indicating ongoing challenges controlling the disease in some communities.  Reasons for the increases vary by community, but may include continued gaps in available treatment and screening services, limited access to quality health care among some populations and reported increases in risk behavior among some populations, including gay and bisexual men.

   Syphilis:

     Data reported on syphilis indicates a continued progress among many U.S. cities with the highest rates of primary and secondary syphilis.  Rates fell in 15 of the 20 cities that had the highest syphilis rates in 1999.  However, several major cities saw dramatic increases in infection rates between 1999 and 2000.  Of the cities with the highest rates in 1999, the largest increase occurred in Norfolk, VA. where the number of cases per 100,000 people rose from 8.9% to 16.4%, an increase of 84.3 %.  The overall national syphilis rate declined from 2.4% cases in 1999 to 2.2% per 100,000 people in 2000.  Despite the progress made across the nation the CDC states that increases in some areas remind us that continued vigilance is required in every community to eliminate the disease.

   Chlamydia:

     Chlamydia remains the most frequently reported infectious disease in the U.S.  In the year 2000 there were 702, 093 chlamydial infections reported to the CDC.  Although, it is estimated that three million new cases of this largely asymptomatic infection occur in the U.S. each year.  Because case reports do not provide a complete account of the burden of disease, researchers must rely on studies of chlamydia prevalence in various groups.  The percentage of women testing positive for chlamydia, in family planning clinics, by state, provides a good indication of where the disease remains most widespread among young sexually active women.  Latest data indicates that chlamydia among young women is lowest in areas with longstanding screening and treatment programs, such as the northwest United States.  Chamydia remains high in areas where screening programs are not widely available, principally in the southern states.