CDC marks STD Awareness Week amid sustained increase in cases
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According to the CDC, the United States reported a record number of STD cases for the 6th consecutive year in 2019. CDC data also show that 68 million STIs occurred in the U.S. in 2018 alone.
For this year’s STD Awareness Week, which falls during the second full week of April each year, the CDC is encouraging physicians to talk to, test and treat their patients for STDs, and to advocate for youth testing and raise awareness for the treatment of syphilis.
In observance of the week, Healio compiled some recent stories about the growing STD burden and related research.
US reports record number of STDs for 6th straight year
The U.S. reported more than 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in 2019, the sixth consecutive record-setting year. The sharpest increase was observed in congenital syphilis, the incidence of which has nearly quadrupled since 2015. Read more.
Pandemic causes ‘mass disruptions’ in STD field
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused large shifts in resources that have interrupted progress in the development of vaccines and treatments for STDs. Read more.
Around 20% of people in US have an STI, CDC finds
In 2018, around 20% of people in the U.S. had an STI, with half of new infections occurring among people aged between 15 and 24 years, CDC researchers found. Read more.
Twice-daily oral cefixime nearly 90% successful in treating early syphilis
An oral cefixime regimen administered twice daily for 10 days was nearly 90% effective in treating early syphilis, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Read more.
Many transgender women with HIV are not tested for STIs, analysis finds
A large proportion of transgender women with HIV have not been tested for syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea, despite guidelines encouraging annual STI testing for sexually active people with HIV. Read more.
USPSTF: Screen all sexually active women, but not men, for chlamydia, gonorrhea
A draft recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force encouraged physicians to screen for gonorrhea and chlamydia in all sexually active women aged 24 years and older. Read more.
Studies may overestimate connection between PrEP, STIs
An analysis published in JAMA Network Open demonstrated that STI rates among men who have sex with men were high and increasing before they initiated PrEP and remained stable afterward. Read more.
Positive STI test in patients with HIV may indicate risk for HCV reacquisition
Findings published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases suggested that a positive STI test may indicate a higher risk for hepatitis C reinfection among patients with HIV who are treated with direct-acting antivirals. Read more.
References:
CDC. STD Awareness Week. https://www.cdc.gov/std/saw/index.htm. Accessed April 14, 2021.
CDC. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/prevalence-incidence-cost-2020.htm. Accessed for April 14, 2021.
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CDC. STD Awareness Week. https://www.cdc.gov/std/saw/index.htm. Accessed April 14, 2021.
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