Chlamydia is reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S.
November 18, 2011- Chlamydia is the number one sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the United States. There were over 1.3 million new cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control during 2010. What is alarming is nearly half of the people with the disease do not even know they have it.
The highest rate of chlamydia reported was in Alaska, where there were over 860 cases reported for every 100,000 people. The lowest rate was in New Hampshire where only 186 cases per 100,000 people were reported. Nearly 8% of women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 24 had positive tests for the disease in clinics for family planning.
The rate is eight times higher in African Americans than in whites. Nevertheless, the rates of chlamydia are increasing for both groups equally. The problem is very big and just because the rates are increasing, does not mean the number of people with the disease is increasing. It means that people are just now being tested and finding out they have the STD. Many times there are no side effects therefore the person does not know they have the disease.
Chlamydia can be successfully treated through the use of antibiotics. Complications are not that common in men, but 10 to 15% of women with chlamydia that goes untreated, develop pelvic inflammatory disease.
Gonorrhea rates are at their historic low, but a new strain has been detected that is drug resistant. Syphilis rates also decreased for the first time in ten years.
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