March 16, 2023 – According to newly published preliminary data from the CDC.
In the United States, 2.5 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were reported in 2021. Among sexually transmitted diseases, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and congenital syphilis increased by 4.4% overall in 2021.
The variety of syphilis cases amongst women also rose by 49% in 2021, the information shows. Congenital syphilis, wherein the disease is transmitted from mother to child while pregnant, also increased sharply: there was a 24% increase in cases in 2021 in comparison with 2020.
“In the early 2000s, we were close to eradicating syphilis here in the United States, so it's a little frightening to see how strongly syphilis has come back and is ravaging our communities,” said Dr. Joseph Cherabie, assistant professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Experience science live.
syphilis causes sores and rashes and, if left untreated for an extended time frame, carries the danger of significant organ, brain and nervous system problems. Untreated congenital syphilis may end up in stillbirths.
Overall, syphilis cases increased by 25.7% in 2021 in comparison with 2020, mainly resulting from a 49% increase amongst women. Among men, the rise was 19.3%.
The variety of chlamydia cases also increased by 3.1% in 2021 in comparison with 2020. The increase is especially resulting from a 5.4% increase in men. Chlamydia can infect men and girls and cause everlasting damage to a girl's reproductive system.
In 2021, cases of gonorrhea in men increased by 4.1% in comparison with 2020. In women, the speed decreased by 0.3% in 2021. The disease is especially common in people under 25 years of age and, if left untreated, can result in reproductive and fertility problems in each men and girls.
Experts say cases of sexually transmitted diseases are increasing because less attention is being paid to sexual health while public health focus and resources have shifted to COVID-19 and the MPOX outbreak. Increased opioid use can also be seen as a contributing factor.
Chlamydia stays essentially the most common sexually transmitted disease, with 1.6 million cases in 2021, followed by gonorrhea with nearly 700,000 cases and syphilis with 171,000 cases.