Health

Change in number of gonorrhea cases in Massachusetts from 2013 to 2017 Change nationally in gonorrhea cases in that time Change in number of syphilis cases in Massachusetts from 2013 to 2017 Change nationally in syphilis cases in that time Change in number of chlamydia cases in Massachusetts from 2013 to 2017 Change nationally in chlamydia cases in that time 149% 66.8% 48.9% From 2013 to 2017, the federal Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reported a 22-percent hike in cases of chlamydia in the U.S.; 67 percent more cases of gonorrhea and a whopping 76-percent rise in reported instances of syphilis. In Massachusetts, the picture is even more grim. From 2012 to 2017, the CDC reports chlamydia up 47 percent; reported cases of gonorrhea up 200 percent; and syphilis up nearly 120 percent over 2012. Perfect storm Funding cuts mean fewer preven- tion-education resources for vulnera- ble populations such as those ages 15-24, the unin- sured or underin- sured, and less access to afford- able care, said Dr. George Abraham, chief of medicine at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester. Board- certified in inter- nal medicine and infectious dis- ease, he is a professor of medicine at UMass Medical School in Worcester. Reasons for the steady rise in STI numbers are multifaceted, Abraham said, but involve a lack of funding when it comes to prevention. "This is all a good motivator [to fix it] before it is a staggering problem. We don't want to be No. 1 in STIs," he said. Where in the past people were transmitted infections (STIs) would be on the decrease. But one would be wrong. Statistics indicate the exact opposite is true in the U.S., especially in Massachusetts, even more so in urban centers like Worcester. Rates of STIs like gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis are not even holding steady, but increasing. W ith easier testing methods via advanced sci- ence and the ability to com- municate to the masses with the advent of things like social media, one would think sexually Instances of sexually transmitted infections is spiking, particularly in Massachusetts and especially in Worcester urged to have frank conversations about sexual history with potential partners, as a society we've gone past that point now, Abraham said. He urges regular STI testing. "There is no such thing as being too careful," he said, with many infections not producing any symptoms, their host unaware. "You never know the status of a person by looking at them. You can't tell if they're harboring infection." Dating apps often serving as vehi- cles for casual-sex hookups are likely negative contributors to the overall problem as well, said Abraham. Those engaged in risky behaviors like opioid use can be more likely to have multiple sex partners and STIs. Rising rates Chlamydia and gonorrhea are the No. 1 and No. 2 most common STIs in the nation, according to the CDC. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health says chlamydia is the most-frequently reported infectious disease in the Bay State overall. In many ways, chlamydia and gon- orrhea are similar. Someone can have these conditions and not have any symptoms; vulnera- ble populations are men who have sex with men, teens, pregnant women and older women with multiple partners; and damage from the infections – such as infertility and scar tissue – can't be reversed. Both conditions are curable (though there are new, more- challenging antibiotic-resistant • By Susan Shalhoub Gonorrhea, chlamydia & syphilis all on the rise Dr. George Abraham, chief of medicine, Saint Vincent Hospital 8 HE ALTH • Spring 2019 Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention STIs, by the by numbers 79.8% 13.6% 14%

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