CDC Report Shows STDs Are Rising at an Alarming Rate

Reported cases of three nationally notifiable STDs -- chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis -- have increased for the first time since 2006, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the 2014 STD Surveillance Report.

The 1.4 million reported cases of chlamydia represent the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to CDC, a rate of 456.1 cases per 100,000 population, up 2.8 percent since 2013. Rates of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis -- the most infectious stages of syphilis -- and gonorrhea have both increased since 2013, by 15.1 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively. In 2014, there were 350,062 reported cases of gonorrhea (a rate of 110.7 per 100,000) and 19,999 reported cases of P&S syphilis (for a rate of 6.3 per 100,000).

STDs continue to affect young people -- particularly women -- most severely, but increasing rates among men contributed to the overall increases in 2014 across all three diseases.

"America's worsening STD epidemic is a clear call for better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention. "STDs affect people in all walks of life, particularly young women and men, but these data suggest an increasing burden among gay and bisexual men."

Research needed to better understand increases among gay and bisexual men

P&S syphilis among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been increasing since at least 2000. In 2014, rates of P&S syphilis increased among MSM, who account for 83 percent of reported cases among men when the sex of the partner is known. Also concerning is that more than half of MSM (51 percent) diagnosed with syphilis in 2014 were also HIV-positive. Infection with syphilis can cause sores on the genitals, which make it easier to transmit and acquire HIV.

Syphilis is currently the only STD for which information on the sex of the sex partner is reported. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that MSM are experiencing similar increases in gonorrhea and chlamydia infections, underscoring the need to further understand what is contributing to the rise.

Gay and bisexual men face a combination of social, epidemiologic, and individual risk factors that can fuel high levels of STDs. Higher prevalence of infection within sexual networks increases the likelihood of acquiring an STD with each sexual encounter. Additionally, barriers to receiving STD services such as lack of access to quality health care, homophobia, or stigma may all contribute to greater risk for this population. CDC recommends screening at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea for all sexually active MSM.

To better identify and address specific challenges facing gay and bisexual men, CDC is concentrating research efforts to better identify and address specific challenges facing gay and bisexual men, developing educational resources for providers to engage them in sexual health services, and improving efforts to offer more culturally relevant care.

Young People Affected By STDs

The 2014 data also show that youth are still at the highest risk of acquiring an STD, especially chlamydia and gonorrhea. Despite being a relatively small portion of the sexually active population, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 accounted for the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea in 2014 and almost two thirds of all reported cases. Additionally, previous estimates suggest that young people in this age group acquire half of the estimated 20 million new STDs diagnosed each year.

Despite recommendations from the CDC and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for annual chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women younger than 25, experts believe far too many young people are not tested, and therefore don't know they are infected.

"The consequences of STDs are especially severe for young people," said Gail Bolan, M.D., director of CDC's Division of STD Prevention. "Because chlamydia and gonorrhea often have no symptoms, many infections go undiagnosed and this can lead to lifelong repercussions for a woman's reproductive health, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility."

Preventing STDs among youth is a key priority for CDC. CDC encourages the use of expedited partner therapy (offering treatment to the sex partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea without a prior medical exam) where legally permissible, recommending the most effective treatment options, and providing resources to state and local health departments to support on-the-ground STD prevention efforts.

To reduce STDs, Americans must take steps to protect themselves. For sexually active individuals, testing and treatment according to CDC's recommendations, using condoms consistently and correctly, and limiting the number of sex partners are all effective strategies for reducing the risk of infection and consequences to health.