CDC Warns: Sexually Transmitted Disease Reaching Record Levels

TAMPA, FL – Today those old World War II posters warning GIs about the dangers of venereal disease seem ludicrous.

"Loaded? Loose woman may also be loaded with disease," is the maxim on one poster depicting a gun and a group of women dressed in '40s-style clothing from different European countries in which American soldiers were stationed.

Another poster reads: "If you can say condom in English, you know how to say condom in French, Italian and Spanish."

Then there is this memorable poster: "You can't win the war on terror with a scorching case of clap."

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention isn't laughing.

This year the number of Americans contracting sexually transmitted diseases is on target to reach epidemic levels, according to the CDC.

Data released by the CDC in April for three nationally reported STDs -- chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis -- show record numbers, with cases of all three diseases increasing for the first time since 2006.

More than two million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States in 2016, the highest number ever, according to the CDC’s annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report

The majority of these new diagnoses (1.6 million) were cases of chlamydia, according to the CDC. There were also 470,000 gonorrhea cases and almost 28,000 cases of primary and secondary syphilis – the most infectious stages of the disease.

The CDC said those with the greatest risk are people ages 15 to 24, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSMs).

Unfortunately, noted the CDC, because of environmental, social and cultural factors, this population has difficulty accessing quality health care, which is contributing to the higher STD rate.

While all three of these STDs can be cured with antibiotics, if left undiagnosed and untreated, they can have serious health consequences, including infertility, life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth in infants and increased risk for HIV transmission.

“Increases in STDs are a clear warning of a growing threat,” said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “STDs are a persistent enemy, growing in number, and outpacing our ability to respond.”

While young women continue to bear the greatest burden of chlamydia (nearly half of all diagnosed infections), surges in syphilis and gonorrhea are increasingly affecting new populations, according to Mermin.

Syphilis rates increased by nearly 18 percent overall from 2015 to 2016. The majority of these cases occurred among men – especially gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. However, there was a 36 percent increase in rates of syphilis among women and a 28 percent increase in syphilis among newborns (congenital syphilis) during this period.

More than 600 cases of congenital syphilis were reported in 2016, which has resulted in more than 40 deaths and severe health complications among newborns. The disease is preventable through routine screening and timely treatment for syphilis among pregnant women.

“Every baby born with syphilis represents a tragic systems failure,” said Gail Bolan, director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “All it takes is a simple STD test and antibiotic treatment to prevent this enormous heartache and help assure a healthy start for the next generation of Americans.”

MSM also bear a great syphilis burden. MSM make up a majority of syphilis cases, and half of MSM diagnosed with syphilis were also living with HIV – pointing to the need to integrate STD and HIV prevention and care services, she said.

The District of Columbia has the highest rate of syphilis with a staggering 26.7 cases per 100,000 people. Other states with high rates includes Georgia (9.5 cases per 100,000 people), California (7.8), Maryland and Louisiana (7.4), Florida (7.2), New York and Texas (6.3), Illinois (6.2) and Arkansas (5.9).

While gonorrhea increased among men and women in 2016, the steepest increases were seen among men (22 percent). Research suggests that a large share of new gonorrhea cases are occurring among MSM (men who have sex with men). These trends are particularly alarming in light of the growing threat of drug resistance to the last remaining recommended gonorrhea treatment, said Bolan.

Mississippi led the country in cases of gonorrhea (239 per 100,000 people) followed by Louisiana, Georgia, Alaska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina and Delaware (see CDC table).

As for chlamydia, Washington, D.C., once again reported the highest numbers with 1,083 per 100,000 people. Top states in order are Alaska, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware and Arkansas.

During April, national STD awareness month, the CDC is recommending that the federal government step in and assist states in their efforts to combat the epidemic, which now costs more than $16 billion to treat.

CDC has issued the following recommendations:

· Strengthen the congenital syphilis response with focused efforts to improve diagnosis and treatment of pregnant women and ensure prompt treatment of newborns at birth in the 10 states hardest hit by congenital syphilis.

· Help state and local health departments rapidly test for drug-resistant gonorrhea and quickly find and treat affected individuals, as part of the federal government’s Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (CARB) Action Plan.

· Assist state health departments and health clinics integrate STD prevention into care for people living with HIV.

At the same time, the CDC is appealing to state health departments to refocus their resources on STD investigation and services to rapidly detect and treat people living in the areas hardest hit by the STD epidemic.

The agency also is urging health-care providers to make STD screenings and treatments a standard part of medical care, especially for pregnant women and MSM.

It's now or never, said Mermin.

“We have reached a decisive moment for the nation,” said Mermin. “STD rates are rising, and many of the country’s systems for preventing STDs have eroded. We must mobilize, rebuild and expand services — or the human and economic burden will continue to grow.”

Image via CDC