STI's on rise in US

CDC reports that sexually transmitted cases are increasing.

The CDC's latest study on STDs found:

* 1.2 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2008, up from 1.1 million in 2007.

* Nearly 337,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported.

* Adolescent girls 15 to 19 years had the most chlamydia and gonorrhea cases of any age group at 409,531.

* Blacks, who represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for about 71 percent of reported gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases in 2008.

* Black women 15 to 19 had the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea.

* 13,500 syphilis cases were reported in 2008, an almost 18 percent increase from 2007.

* 63 percent of syphilis cases were among men who have sex with men.

* Syphilis rates among women increased 36 percent from 2007 to 2008.

It shouldn't be this hard folks. You have several options to decrease your chances of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease. First, you can abstain. No sex means no sexually transmitted diseases. If that's not for you, you can find yourself a monogamous relationship with a person who likewise has no STI's (sexually transmitted infection). Third, you can practice safe sex, which means wearing condoms. Of course, condoms may* reduce, but won't eliminate your risk of acquiring HSV or HPV, the two STI's which are carried by large portions of the sexually active population. You'll need to consider that when deciding to have sex.

*Depends on where your partner is infected with HSV or HPV.

STD Greeting Cards

Did you give your partner an STD? Having a difficult time as to how you're going to break the bad news to them? Don't fret. Email them!

The site, www.InSPOT.org , is a way for people newly diagnosed with an STD to notify their partners to be tested, too. The e-cards, a sort of greeting card you’d rather not receive, are direct and to the point.

Sexually transmitted diseases. Never a fun thing I imagine, and not really a trivial matter. Some can be/are eventually fatal (syphilis and HIV), can lead to other life-threatening complications/diseases (HPV), or increase the risk of contracting a fatal STD (gonorrhea and chlamydia). The following link is to the CDC webpage on STDs.

The site featured in the first link is: inSPOT dot org which stands for [STD] Internet Notification Service for Partners or Tricks. You really can't make this stuff up.