More Americans are contracting certain sexually transmitted diseases, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Chlamydia is the most common STD, with cases rising 4.7 percent from 2015-16. The increase was attributed in part to more sensitive screening techniques.
Gonorrhea and syphilis saw increases as well.
After decades of decline, the rate of STD cases in the country has seen an uptick in recent years. The report cited spotty access to health care and a “deteriorating public health infrastructure” as causes for the turnaround.
The CDC estimates that there are 20 million new STDs per year in the United States. Approximately half of those cases are young people between the ages of 15 and 24.
It is estimated that there are 110 million STD infections at any given time in the United States.
Highest STD rates in the country
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a record high. There are two million reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Even more disturbing, the nation's highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea are in Alabama.
Health officials say last year, one in every 58 people in Etowah County has one of these STDs.
Its population is just over 103,000 people.
We compared those numbers to Alabama's average, and according to the CDC last year, nearly 27,000 Alabamians were diagnosed with chlamydia.
About 4,100 had gonorrhea and 376 with syphilis.
The Alabama Department of Public Health issued a follow-up statement Friday afternoon.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Report 2016 on last week. In the report, the rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia were unusually high in Etowah County.
Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) received several immediate inquiries. The Division of STD Prevention and Control Director, Anthony Merriweather, promptly contacted CDC. Within 24 hours, ADPH received a detailed response from the CDC Surveillance and Special Studies Team.
The reported numbers for Etowah County in 2016 are incorrect. The specific reasons for the difference in the numbers reported by CDC and ADPH have not been determined at this time, but may be related to surveillance system changes that occurred in late 2016.
The ADPH Interim State Epidemiologist, Sherri Davidson, along with the Divisions of STD Prevention and Control, and Information Technology are continuing to work to unravel the origins of the problem and will release a formal report when rectified.
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