According to Utah Department of Health Communicable Disease Prevention Coordinator Erin Fratto, chlamydia and gonorrhea are both up. “Chlamydia rates in Utah, although lower, are following a very similar trend to the national rates with a steady increase over the past ten years. Gonorrhea rates in Utah, although lower, have increased significantly more than the national rates over the past four years.” Fratto said that syphilis, although much more sporadic, is also showing a general rate increase.

“The reasons for the increased rates in these infections are,” said Fratto. “STDs are often asymptomatic, meaning there are no signs or symptoms to alert an individual that they are infected and need testing and treatment.  If someone doesn’t know they have an STD, they can unknowingly transmit the infection to their sexual partners, resulting in the increased rates we see year after year.”

“If left untreated, both chlamydia and gonorrhea can lead to serious health problems,” added Fratto. “In women, the infection can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).  PID can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system, potentially interfering with fertility, ectopic pregnancy, and long-term pelvic pain.  Chlamydia and gonorrhea can also cause issues with a man’s ability to father children.  A woman infected with chlamydia/gonorrhea can also pass the infection onto her baby during delivery, causing eye infections and pneumonia in the baby.”

Untreated syphilis may develop serious health issues such as paralysis, numbness, blindness, and dementia. Syphilis may be passed to a baby from an infected mother during pregnancy and can lead to serious health problems including premature birth, stillbirth, and severe birth defects.

“Additionally, infection with any STD can make it easier for a person to get infected with HIV,” said Fratto.

“STDs are spread through vaginal, anal, and oral sex,” said Fratto.  “The only sure way to avoid an STD is to avoid having vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If someone is sexually active, the best way to lower the chances of getting an STD is being in a monogamous relationship with a partner who has negative STD test results and/or using latex condoms the right way every time an individual has sex.”

If an individual believes they might have been exposed to an STD – or simply has had multiple partners – they are encouraged to see their health care provider or their state or local health department for testing. Most STDs are treatable, but only a doctor can help address the issue.

For more information, please see http://health.utah.gov/epi/public or http://www.cdc.gov/std.