The state of California announced on Monday that there were more than 300,000 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and early syphilis reported in 2017 – a record number for the state.
The number of cases is 45 percent higher than just five years ago and could be attributed to a few factors, according to officials.
Among the findings, chlamydia and gonorrhea rates were the highest among people under 30. Rates of chlamydia are highest among young women, and males account for the majority of syphilis and gonorrhea cases.
STDs can cause a number of serious health problems. If left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Syphilis can cause permanent loss of vision, hearing and other neurologic problems.
- It’s much easier these days to find sexual partners thanks to dating apps and social media.
- More people are choosing to get tested and thus more cases which previously would’ve gone unreported now are getting reported.
The California Department of Public Health says that STDs can be easily prevented by taking measures to practice safe sex.
“STDs are preventable by consistently using condoms, and many STDs can be cured with antibiotics,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “Regular testing and treatment are very important for people who are sexually active, even for people who have no symptoms. Most people infected with an STD do not know it.”
