CDC: Sexually transmitted diseases at record high

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week reported a record 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in the U.S. in 2018, including a 40% increase in syphilis among newborns. Chlamydia cases grew 3% to nearly 1.8 million; gonorrhea cases grew 5% to more than 583,000; and syphilis cases grew 13.3% to more than 115,000. Syphilis cases in newborns totaled 1,306, including 94 deaths. Five states – Texas, California, Florida, Arizona and Louisiana – accounted for 70% of newborn syphilis cases. CDC recommends testing all pregnant women for syphilis on their first health care visit, and retesting women vulnerable to the infection and those in high-prevalence areas early in the third trimester and at delivery. The Department of Health and Human Services expects to release next year a federal plan to address the national epidemic of sexually transmitted infections.