The growing national STD cases call for an immediate need to keep the spread of the infection under control. The US is still experiencing the uncontrollable surge in STD cases as it had seen six years ago. For six straight years, the rate of infection has risen upwards. Residents who are sexually active should keep themselves protected from common STDs such as chlamydia. With a huge spike in the rates of chlamydia cases in both the male and female population, public health workers opine that the COVID-19 pandemic may have something to do with the increase. This is why it is recommended to go for chlamydia testing often.
COVID-19 Consequences on Chlamydia
The need to stay in curfew has arisen with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has kept many residents under lockdown, and thus fewer people went for STD testing for chlamydia. In addition, many health professionals are transferred to COVID-19 facilities to make up for the limitation of the nation’s total number of health professionals. With lesser STD testing centers open for access, the rate of testing declined. While the number of recorded STD cases declined, the number of undetected cases surged. This has led to widespread infection as many people are having sex without knowing their status.
As the testing centers reopened and more testing was conducted, the huge spike in the number of national chlamydia cases was shocking. Among the total cases, the most numbers were reported in females between the age of 20 to 24 years. The most effective way to curb the increasing rate of infection amid the pandemic is to get tested and get proper treatment. The use of condoms during sex and limiting sexual partners can contribute to minimizing the number of chlamydia cases in the US.
Chlamydia in the US
The most common STD in the US, chlamydia, is transmitted via sexual activities that involve the vagina, penis, anus, and mouth. The infection can also be transmitted from a mother to a newborn and cause complications for the baby. Chlamydia is quite common, with an estimate of 1 in every 10 females with the infection. It is easily treatable with antibiotics. The reports suggest that chlamydia affects young people between 14 to 24 years of age.
Because young women are the most vulnerable to chlamydia, the CDC recommends that every sexually active woman below the age of 25 get tested for chlamydia every year. Pregnant women are also advised to get routine chlamydia tests. Chlamydia is a silent infection and can be present in someone without causing any symptoms. This makes it hard to detect positive cases because many people don’t go for tests.
Chlamydia shouldn’t be taken lightly just because it is common and easily treatable. Prolonged infection can lead to various health consequences by damaging the reproductive organs. Untreated chlamydia can lead to infertility and PID in women. There shouldn’t be any stigma revolving around STDs. The more open people are to how sexual health operates, the better the chance to keep the infection under control. There are several testing locations in the US that offer confidential STD tests that offer tests for chlamydia. Get tested to protect yourself from an infection that can decrease the quality of living.
National Chlamydia Infection Rates
Among the most common STDs reported in the US, chlamydia is the most prominent one. In a study between 1997 to 2017, the infection rate of chlamydia rose from 206 to 529 cases per 100,000 people. The following years only followed the upward trend as more tests suggest positive cases of chlamydia.
The CDC report in 2018 states that nearly 1.8 million people were living with chlamydia in the nation, with an estimate of three million cases per year. Some states are worse affected than others. Mississippi and Alaska are some of the top ten states in the nation with the highest rate of chlamydia infection. Mississippi holds the national record with the highest rate of chlamydia infections at 847 cases per 100,000 people. As of 2019, New Hampshire has the lowest cases of chlamydia infection.
The nation is witnessing higher rates of infections over the years, and public health workers are doing their best to keep the infection from climbing further. According to the CDC, in a study between 1985 and 2019, the highest cases of chlamydia were recorded at 1,808,703 cases in 2019, while the lowest cases were in 1985 with an infection rate of 17.4 cases per 100,000 people living in the US.
In another report in 2018, young people between the age of 20 to 24 years are at the highest risk for getting infected with chlamydia. They account for a huge number of the national chlamydia cases. In the report, women have a reportedly higher rate of infection at 4.109.5 per 100,000 people, while the chlamydia rate of infection for men stands at 1,871.5 per 100,000 people. Females between this age group account for nearly half the total chlamydia cases reported in the nation.
Race and ethnic groups also play a role in the number of cases reported. The black population recorded more cases of chlamydia than the white population. In a new 2019 CDC report, the black population accounts for the highest rates of chlamydia infections. Black women account for a higher rate of infection with 1.435.7 per 100,000 people, while men have an infection rate of 1,010.2 per 100,000 people.
Just because more cases are reported in the above group of people does not mean you should lose your guard. The infection can occur to anyone who has an active sexual life. Care should be given to vulnerable groups, and the public should spread sexual awareness to make people understand why STD tests are important. If you are sexually active, the best thing you can do to care for your sexual health is to go for routine STD tests and have a blissful sexual life.