Over 1 in 100 have chlamydia
The number of Denver residents with a sexually transmitted disease has increased for the fourth year in a row, partly due to fewer men wearing condoms and a rise in women using longterm birth control, Denver Public Health officials said Tuesday.
Chlamydia diagnoses jumped 24 percent in four years, with about 7,317 residents — or more than one in 100 people in Denver — having the infection in 2018. Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the city.
There have also been increases in the rate of gonorrhea infections and syphilis, which grew 150 percent and 75 percent, respectively, last year, according to a news release.
It’s unclear exactly why the numbers are going up, but part of the increase in STDs is being attributed to the decrease in testing.
Screenings for the infections are lagging as more women are turning to longterm birth control, such as intrauterine devices or IUDs. The interval between when women have Pap smears — a test for cervical cancer — performed has also increased, said Dr. Karen Wendel, director of HIV/STD prevention at Denver Public Health, in an interview.
“It’s not even just the community, but it’s also even the medical profession, that seems somewhat unaware of how STDs are re-emerging,” she said, adding that condom use is also down.
Everyone can potentially benefit from getting annual screenings for STDs, especially those who have a new partner or multiple partners, Wendel said.
But it’s recommended that women under 25 years old get annual screenings for STDs as undiagnosed cases can potentially affect fertility or pregnancies. For men who have sex with men and transgender women, it’s recommended they also have annual screenings, but those with an increased risk for STDs should consider getting checked up to every three months, Wendel said.
Gonorrhea infections increased most among Latinos, followed by AfricanAmericans. Communities of color, including Latinos and African-Americans, have seen more than twofold increase in syphilis diagnoses, the news release said, adding that “a lack of access to care may be exacerbating the issue.”