New research from the CDC estimates one in five people in the U.S. carries a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The study looked at figures from 2018.
Although an alarming statistic, the numbers include many people who are not necessarily infectious. For example, it includes people with HIV, many of whom are on treatment and undetectable and therefore cannot transmit the virus.
It also includes people who have herpes. That virus lays dormant for most of the time in nerve cells and can only be transmitted when people have a flare-up or attack – and these can be infrequent.
Other infections can present without symptoms but may cause problems if left untreated for a prolonged period.
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The study determined there were nearly 68 million people with STIs at any point in 2018. Of these, 26 million were acquired in 2018, and half of these new infections were in people aged 15-24.
The infections included in the study were: chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), sexually transmitted hepatitis B, and sexually transmitted HIV.
By far, the most commonly reported infection was HPV, which can cause genital and anal warts.
In fact, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, genital herpes, and HPV comprised 97.6% of all prevalent and 93.1% of all newly-acquired STIs.
The study looked at patients by age and gender. It did not look at sexuality, but other studies have found gay and bisexual men are more prone to sexually-transmitted infections than heterosexual men. The authors suggest more work needs to be done to look at the impact on LGBTQ people and different racial minority groups.
Related: Rising cases of “super gonorrhea” concern health experts
The CDC released the data to highlight the expense that goes toward treating what are, largely, preventable infections.
“Proven STI prevention – at all levels – is a cornerstone of protecting America’s health, economic security, and wellness,” said Raul Romaguera, acting director for CDC’s Division of STD Prevention. “There are significant human and financial costs associated with these infections, and we know from other studies that cuts in STI prevention efforts result in higher costs down the road.”
The CDC estimates around $16billion is spent treating people with lifetime sexual health infections. The vast majority of this ($13.7billion) goes toward treating those with HIV. This was followed by treatment for HPV ($755million).
The study suggests more needs to be done to target 15-24 years olds and to make it easier for people to obtain sexual-health screening, including services at pharmacies, walk-in clinics, telehealth screening, and home-testing kits.
“The burden of STIs is staggering,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “At a time when STIs are at an all-time high, they have fallen out of the national conversation. Yet, STIs are a preventable and treatable national health threat with substantial personal and economic impact. There is an urgent need to reverse the trend of increasing STIs, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected many STI prevention services.”
Related: FDA approves first long-acting HIV medication: a monthly injection
The study demonstrates the importance of getting regularly screened for STIs. The CDC recommends sexually-active gay and bi men have a check-up at least once a year, or every 3-6 months if they have multiple partners.
It also advises gay men to get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B, and, if they’re under 26, against HPV.
You can have the HPV vaccine beyond the age of 26, but you’re already likely to have come into contact with strains of human papillomavirus by then so the younger the better. It’s for this same reason that girls generally receive it while at school. In the UK, the HPV vaccine is now given offered to gay and bi men under the age of 45 who go for sexual-health check-ups.
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1898
kind of burying the lede, aren’t ya?
“…half of these new infections were in people aged 15-24.”
1-in-5 isn’t news. THIS ^ is news.
rural queer socialist
If they are not getting tested and treated – e.g. during pandemic lockdowns, fears, etc – and still spreading disease – to other who are not getting tested and treated … and IS BIG NEWS.
1898
also:
“By far, the most commonly reported infection was HPV, which can cause genital and anal warts.”
this suggests that far too many parents are choosing to not have their kids vaccinated against HPV, which is disturbing
Cam
And considering HPV causes something like 90% of all cervical cancers, these parents are insane for not getting their kids vaccinated.
rural queer socialist
The discussion here
deflecting from PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT SELF AND OTHERS is alarming!
AFTER ALL …
ain’t it your PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT SELF AND OTHERS… By WEARING A MASK!? THEREFORE, it is the SAME – the EXACT SAME – PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to not transmit STIS!
Well, of course it is!
The UTTER HYPOCRISY about that is AMAZING in these discussion!
Kangol2
Part of the ongoing problem is that the US needs comprehensive health and sexual education for children, beginning around age 12-13 (7th grade), at the very least. I can say that I received in-class sex ed at both a public and a Catholic school, but that was before the W Bush abstinence-only era in public schools and the shift to a far more rigid, right-wing approach at most Catholic parochial and private schools. If young people do not know about their bodies, sex and sexuality, and above all how to prevent STIs, and they get most of their info from their friends, social media, porn, etc., they very well could blunder ahead and end up with one or more. The other thing is that HPV vaccination for all children should become standard. It shouldn’t just be for girls but for boys as well.
rural queer socialist
As you say
QUOTE
comprehensive health and sexual education for children, beginning around age 12-13 (7th grade), at the very least
UNQUOTE
WITHOUT moral education to personally responsible for protecting self and others
is a FAILED EDUCATION. We know that EXPLICITLY in the pandemic: We can teach FACTS about masks but if you don’t have the moral training to respect self and others to ALWAYS wear a mask – OR TO ALWAYS WEAR A CONDOM! – all the factual info will fail.
WindChime
It’s universally acknowledged that wherever you have a gay neighborhood where gay men live in a promiscuous lifestyle and continuously hook up with anonymous strangers even during this awful pandemic, the nasty STD rates always skyrocket due to their obsession with sex. The moral lesson here is, gay men need to stop acting like a slut and start to focus more on their spiritual depth and growth.
AZ71
Why cant someone over 45 get the HPV vaccine? Is there a test to see if you’ve come into contact with the various strains of human papillomavirus?
Openminded
I’ve wondered this same thing. What would it hurt if older than 45 got vaccinated?
1898
there are tests but they aren’t particularly pleasant, e.g. a swab of your anus or a swab of the back of your throat. the other issue is that your insurance might not pay for the test if you’re not showing symptoms.
the general assumption is that most adults have been exposed to at least one of the common strains of HPV by the time they’re in their 30s or older, which perhaps is not a fair assumption for 100% of the population, but it makes sense when you consider that HPV can be contracted from oral sex (giving or receiving), rimming (giving or receiving), and rubbing/frot — activities that most people don’t use condoms for
having said all that, you CAN get the vaccine if you’re over 45 but you’ll most likely have to pay for it yourself. insurance companies and medicare/medicaid won’t cover it if you’re over 45 because it’s not FDA approved for people over 45. you would just need to convince your doctor to prescribe it to you anyway.