Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise in the U.S. and this list of the most sexually diseased states in America will give you an insight into the states that have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases. The 2015 edition of STD surveillance report published by Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the rates of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia (most common STDs in the USA) are plummeting. There were 395,216 reported cases of gonorrhea in 2015 and the biggest problem (besides the huge numbers) is that the bacteria that causes gonorrhea is developing resistance to the antibiotic drugs used for treatment. Among other causes of this increase in transmission of STDs, public health officials also attribute this phenomenon to so-called Tinder effect (tinder effect refers to the rise of dating applications like Tinder). While the relationship between STDs and the rise of online dating apps is still unclear, there is a justified belief that these apps could contribute to rising STD rates. Next time when you swipe through Tinder, be aware of the possibility that you might end up with an STD. If you wondered if there are cities where people are less sexually active, the answer is yes and we bring you the list of the Least Sexually Active Cities in America. But we also bring you the list of cities you should stay away from – Most Sexually Diseased Cities in America.
Any sexually active person can get gonorrhea, syphilis or chlamydia through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex. Gonorrhea is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae and it is a very common STD, especially among people aged 15-24. Gonorrhea can be transmitted from the mother to the baby during the delivery. If untreated, this infection can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic pain and infertility as well as increased risks of getting HIV. Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD in America. It is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria Clamydia Trachomatis and can cause serious health issues if left untreated. In females, chlamydia can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes which can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility as well as increased risks of ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the womb). It is important to mention that chlamydia often does not have visible symptoms and even in that case it can seriously damage the reproductive system.
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Syphilis is less common than gonorrhea and chlamydia but is can be the most serious one if left untreated. Syphilis is divided into stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary. Primary stage is characterized by sores at the original site of infection (usually around genitals), secondary syphilis includes skin rash, fever and swollen lymph nodes while latent syphilis often does not have any symptoms. Tertiary syphilis is associated with severe medical problems such as damage to blood vessels, brain and nervous system and even death. In order to prevent further complications it is important to get tested and properly treat syphilis (as well as other STDs). However in order to prevent getting an STD in the first place it is important to know how to protect yourself. The first recommendation is abstinence from sex (no one will probably listen to this one) but there are more ways to avoid STDs without living in celibate. Reducing the number of sexual partners also decreases your risk of getting an STD and the best option is to be in a monogamous relationship. With both partners being faithful, risks of getting an STD are minimal. If none of these recommendations fit your lifestyle, then make sure that you use a condom (properly) every time you have sex. This reduces the risk of getting STDs such as syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea but it does not fully protect you from getting HPV.
The main source of information for compiling this list of 10 most sexually diseased states in America is CDC’s report on prevalence of STDs in the U.S. I’ve focused on reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis per state and singled out those with the largest number. Then I summed the numbers for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis and those with higher rates are ranked higher on the list. States are ranked according to the number of reported STDs, from lowest to highest. It is important to mention that rates for each STD are expresses in reported cases per 100,000 people. I’ve also added HIV infection rate per state but it does not affect overall ranking since HIV can be transmitted in other ways besides sexual intercourse with infected person. However, since it is a sexually transmitted disease with very serious consequences it is worth knowing rates of HIV infections.
