CDC Says 2017 Set Record for Sexually Transmitted Disease Cases

In a new report issued this week, federal health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the U.S. has seen the number of people diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases hit a new high, with nearly 2.3 million new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis reported in 2017. 

Officials said 2017's reported increase in STD cases was a continuation of the "steep, sustained increase" they've seen since 2013. 2017 marks the fourth straight year of increases in STD cases, the CDC said. 

“We are sliding backward,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “It is evident the systems that identify, treat, and ultimately prevent STDs are strained to near-breaking point.”

If the STDs are left untreated, the infections can result in infertility, complications with pregnancy, and increase the risk of HIV transmission. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with antibiotics, but many cases go undiagnosed and untreated experts say. 

Officials say the most troubling aspect of the report is the 67 percent jump in gonorrhea cases since 2013. The bacterial infection has become resistant to most forms of antibiotics, except ceftriaxone. 

That has public health officials worried that a super-resistant strain of gonorrhea may appear in the U.S. in the coming years. A man in was recently diagnosed with a version of the disease with a version of the disease that resisted the commonly prescribed drug combination of ceftriaxone and azithromycin. 

“We expect gonorrhea will eventually wear down our last highly effective antibiotic, and additional treatment options are urgently needed,” said Gail Bolan, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “We can’t let our defenses down — we must continue reinforcing efforts to rapidly detect and prevent resistance as long as possible.”

Experts say the rise in STDs can be attributed to a lack of awareness about the seriousness of infections and changing sexual behavior thanks to dating apps that has led to an increase in condomless sex. 

Photo: Getty Images & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention