CDPH: STDs On The Rise In California

The rates of certain types of sexually transmitted diseases rose substantially in California last year, according to data from the Department of Public Health.

The rate of syphilis infections rose 18% in 2013, to 9.3 per 100,000 Californians, while the rate of gonorrhea rose 13%, to 100.4 per 100,000.

“Sexually transmitted diseases can cause major health problems for people over time,” said CDPH Director Ron Chapman, M.D. “This increase is concerning, particularly because STDs are preventable.”

Although the agency did not break down how the disease was transmitted, the rates were particularly high in San Francisco County – 38.8 per 100,000 for primary and secondary syphilis and 240.2 for gonorrhea, as well as the city of Long Beach. Both have large gay and lesbian communities. Last May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the syphilis rates among gay and bisexual men had doubled in the U.S. since 2000. The gonorrhea rate among gays and bisexuals rose 4% between 2012 and last year. African-Americans are also disproportionately impacted: They're more than six times likely to contract gonorrhea than whites.

By contrast, the rates of chlamydia dropped slightly for the first time since the 1980s.

Chapman stressed the need for sexually active Californians to use condoms.