Rates of sexually transmitted diseases in St. Louis still high Parenthood Ideas

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases in St. Louis still high

January 21, 2012 – 8:29 pm

The number of new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in the St. Louis area increased in 2010, according to an annual report released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The city of St. Louis ranks second for chlamydia, third for gonorrhea and 20th for syphilis rates when compared to U.S. counties and independent cities, according to the city health department’s analysis of the data.

Close to 4,600 new chlamydia cases were diagnosed in the city last year.

“Our message is still the same,” said Pamela Rice Walker, health department director. ”The only way to be completely safe and not complicate your life is to abstain. If you can’t do that, be monogamous. If you can’t do that, practice safe sex and use a condom. If you can’t do that, you’re going to get an STD.”

Nationally, there were an estimated 19 million new cases of STDs contracted last year, costing the country $17 billion.

Blythe Bernhard covers health and medicine. Follow her on Twitter @blythebernhard

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