California STD Rates Reach 20-Year High

The number of gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia cases in California increased for the second year in a row in 2015, according to The Sacramento Bee. The California Department of Public Health said the cases are multiplying faster than anywhere else in the country. The numbers also amount to a 20-year statewide high for the three sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Although California health insurance marketplace Covered California reported that 439,000 people signed up for insurance during the latest open enrollment period, fewer people are getting tested for STDs these days, experts said. They’ve also stopped using condoms, which The Sacramento Bee attributed to less fear of contracting HIV.

“Thirty years ago if you got HIV, it was a death sentence,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease for the UC Davis Medical Center. “The treatment for HIV has gotten better – it’s easier, it’s more effective, which makes people less afraid of getting HIV. So if they’re having sex without condom use, other STDs are transmitted.”

In a written statement, Dr. Heidi Bauer, chief of the Department of Public Health’s STD control branch, said the gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia numbers were highest among the age 15 to 24 demographic and females.

Also, the California Department of Public report noted:

• The number of Chlamydia cases increased among African-American adolescent females
• The number of gonorrhea cases increased among African-American males

And “men who have sex with men account for more than 62 percent of the state’s gonorrhea cases and 84 percent of primary and secondary syphilis cases,” The Sacramento Bee said.

The number of new STD cases has been decreasing in Sacramento for years thanks to free home-testing kits, per the county’s public health department, and sex education in school, according to Dr. Blumberg. The California Healthy Youth Act requires all school districts to teach middle and high school students about sexual health and HIV prevention.

Gonorrhea, Syphilis, and Chlamydia Symptoms

According to the CDC, men may have no gonorrhea symptoms, or they may suffer:

• A burning sensation while urinating
• A white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
• Painful or swollen testicles

“Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms,” the CDC said. “Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.” For example, symptoms can include a burning sensation while urinating or vaginal discharge. Women may also bleed between periods.

As for Chlamydia, men and women may suffer the same symptoms as above, but the STD can permanently damage a woman’s reproductive system and make it difficult or impossible for her to get pregnant in the future, the CDC said.

Syphilis symptoms are more complicated. Sores can be confused for ingrown hairs, cuts, or random bumps, and symptoms occur in the following three stages:

• Primary Stage. During the first stage, a person may have one or multiple sores that are firm, round, and painless. They’ll last three to six weeks with or without treatment.
• Secondary Stage. Regardless of whether the person sought treatment, he or she may develop rashes and/or sores in the mouth, vagina, or anus.

“The rash can look like rough, red, or reddish brown spots on the palms of your hands and/or the bottoms of your feet,” the CDC said. “The rash usually won’t itch and it is sometimes so faint that you won’t notice it.”

Other symptoms include fever, headache, a sore throat, swollen lymph glands, muscle aches, fatigue, and hair loss. Like the primary stage, symptoms will go away whether or not the person sees a doctor.

• Latent and Late Stages. If the person isn’t treated for syphilis, he or she may have it for years without realizing it. Late-stage syphilis, which occurs 10 to 30 years after the infection began, causes muscle coordination problems, numbness, paralysis, blindness, and dementia. It can even cause death.

The Importance of Health Ins

The number of gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia cases in California increased for the second year in a row in 2015, according to The Sacramento Bee. The California Department of Public Health said the cases are multiplying faster than anywhere else in the country. The numbers also amount to a 20-year statewide high for the three sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Although California health insurance marketplace Covered California reported that 439,000 people signed up for insurance during the latest open enrollment period, fewer people are getting tested for STDs these days, experts said. They’ve also stopped using condoms, which The Sacramento Bee attributed to less fear of contracting HIV.

“Thirty years ago if you got HIV, it was a death sentence,” said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease for the UC Davis Medical Center. “The treatment for HIV has gotten better – it’s easier, it’s more effective, which makes people less afraid of getting HIV. So if they’re having sex without condom use, other STDs are transmitted.”

In a written statement, Dr. Heidi Bauer, chief of the Department of Public Health’s STD control branch, said the gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia numbers were highest among the age 15 to 24 demographic and females.

Also, the California Department of Public report noted:

• The number of Chlamydia cases increased among African-American adolescent females
• The number of gonorrhea cases increased among African-American males

And “men who have sex with men account for more than 62 percent of the state’s gonorrhea cases and 84 percent of primary and secondary syphilis cases,” The Sacramento Bee said.

The number of new STD cases has been decreasing in Sacramento for years thanks to free home-testing kits, per the county’s public health department, and sex education in school, according to Dr. Blumberg. The California Healthy Youth Act requires all school districts to teach middle and high school students about sexual health and HIV prevention.

Gonorrhea, Syphilis, and Chlamydia Symptoms

According to the CDC, men may have no gonorrhea symptoms, or they may suffer:

• A burning sensation while urinating
• A white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
• Painful or swollen testicles

“Most women with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms,” the CDC said. “Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.” For example, symptoms can include a burning sensation while urinating or vaginal discharge. Women may also bleed between periods.

As for Chlamydia, men and women may suffer the same symptoms as above, but the STD can permanently damage a woman’s reproductive system and make it difficult or impossible for her to get pregnant in the future, the CDC said.

Syphilis symptoms are more complicated. Sores can be confused for ingrown hairs, cuts, or random bumps, and symptoms occur in the following three stages:

• Primary Stage. During the first stage, a person may have one or multiple sores that are firm, round, and painless. They’ll last three to six weeks with or without treatment.
• Secondary Stage. Regardless of whether the person sought treatment, he or she may develop rashes and/or sores in the mouth, vagina, or anus.

“The rash can look like rough, red, or reddish brown spots on the palms of your hands and/or the bottoms of your feet,” the CDC said. “The rash usually won’t itch and it is sometimes so faint that you won’t notice it.”

Other symptoms include fever, headache, a sore throat, swollen lymph glands, muscle aches, fatigue, and hair loss. Like the primary stage, symptoms will go away whether or not the person sees a doctor.

• Latent and Late Stages. If the person isn’t treated for syphilis, he or she may have it for years without realizing it. Late-stage syphilis, which occurs 10 to 30 years after the infection began, causes muscle coordination problems, numbness, paralysis, blindness, and dementia. It can even cause death.

The Importance of Health Insurance in STD Treatment

Syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia can all be cured with the right antibiotics, so it’s wise to have health insurance in case you need them. For a California health insurance quote, contact Cost-U-Less today by calling 800-390-4071.

urance in STD Treatment

Syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia can all be cured with the right antibiotics, so it’s wise to have health insurance in case you need them. For a California health insurance quote, contact Cost-U-Less today by calling 800-390-4071.