KTLA: STD Cases Hit 30-Year High in California, With Some Diseases Increasing Over 200% in Last Decade

In 2018, Los Angeles saw various sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) reach their highest prevalence rates in over 30 years. Specifically, the California Department of Public Health reported a significant increase in syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. There were over 25,000, 200,000, and 79,000 reported cases of syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, respectively. Syphilis is particularly worrying because it increased for the sixth year in a row, rising 14% from the previous year. The report cited a number of social factors for the increase in prevalence: substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, monetary exchange for sex, and disparities in access to care. Acting State Public Health Officer, Dr. Charity Dean, commented that most people with an STD do not know it, so regular testing and treatment are essential preventative strategies.

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