In a ranking of the different U.S. states by the rate of reported STD cases, Louisiana ranks first for primary and secondary Syphilis, while Mississippi ranks first for both Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.
According to diagnoses reported in 2009, the rate of infection is three times higher in women than in men. It is believed that this difference in statistics is due to the fact that women tend to be more comfortable getting tested for the different STDs.
The rate of Chlamydia infection increased from 205.5 per 100,000 population in 1997 to 409.2 in 2009.
The rate of Gonorrhea infection among blacks is 20.5 times greater than among whites while American Indian/Alaska Natives show no clear pattern of infection.Since the year 2000, there has been a steady rise in the number of reported STD cases in the United States. If this is an indication of anything then it’s that no matter how many studies are conducted, we might never even get close to knowing exactly how many people live with STDs in the U.S. Human beings evolved a lot over the last few decades but we are not yet at the point where people freely talk about their sexual health and the sexually transmitted infections. This is a shame really because in this age of innovative communication technologies and cutthroat medical advances, talking about the STIs is not something you should shy away from. The primary reason for this is that early diagnosis and treatment is essential in sexual health. If you are uncomfortable going to your GP about your suspicions that you might have contracted a sexually transmitted infection, private STD testing is possible in a number of sexual health clinics where the STD tests are conducted quickly and in absolute confidentiality. At this point, it might be worth it to mention that over the last couple of years, sexual health testing has been made increasingly easier in the United States. You can now be tested for the deadly STIs in the comfort of your own home with a simple home testing kit. At Safe STD Testing, we do not recommend this method of STD testing for the simple reason that the test will be carried out by yourself or an untrained person and the accuracy of home testing kits may vary.Chlamydia testing and diagnosis
If you suspect you’ve contracted Chlamydia, really there is only one way for you to find out for sure and that’s to get tested. Testing for Chlamydia is simple. All you need to do is provide a urine sample. Some facilities can encourage you to have a swab test instead. The swab test is generally preferred because cells can be collected directly from the site of infection such that if you’ve had anal sex, the sample can be collected from your rectum and if you’ve had oral sex then your throat can be swabbed for infected cells. If you think you might have Chlamydia, don’t delay getting tested. Chlamydia is curable. Left untreated, it can cause a number of pelvic inflammatory diseases and infertility.
Gonorrhea testing and diagnosis
The only way to find out if you have Gonorrhea is to get tested. If you do not wish to go to your GP then you can choose to get private testing. At Safe STD Testing, it is possible to have a Gonorrhea test within a few days of having sex. If you feel there is even a remote chance that you’ve been exposed to the infection, early diagnosis and treatment of Gonorrhea will reduce the risk of any complications developing such as pelvic inflammatory diseases and infection of the testicles. For Gonorrhea testing, women are often encouraged to go for the swab test in which a nurse collects a sample of cells from your cervix or vagina. Cervical smear tests and blood tests do not check for Gonorrhea. For men, Gonorrhea testing is done on a urine sample. In you’ve had oral sex, the nurse may require a swab from your throat. Similarly, if you’ve had anal sex, a swab will be taken from your rectum instead.
Syphilis testing and diagnosis
If you suspect you have syphilis, give us a call right now at 888-380-5571 and visit our local sexual health facility as soon as you can. Syphilis is a curable sexually transmitted infection but if left untreated, it can cause blindness, paralysis and even death. The earlier you get diagnosed for syphilis, the better are your chances of survival. Syphilis testing is easy and quick but a physical examination of your genitals usually precedes the procedure. For men, this involves looking at the penis, foreskin and urethra. For women, it involves an internal examination of the vagina. Syphilis testing is done via a blood test
.Genital herpes testing and diagnosis
Genital herpes can now be diagnosed more easily and more accurately than ever before so if you think that you might have contracted the sexually transmitted infection, visit us at your local sexual health facility as soon as you can or give us a call at 888-380-5571. For genital herpes, a swab test is often encouraged rather than physical examination by your GP. If you’ve been previously diagnosed with genital herpes and you think that you may have a recurrent infection, you need to visit a sexual healthcare professional right away. If left untreated, you can go on to have more severe outbreaks of the infection leading to serious complications.
HIV testing and diagnosis
HIV is a virus most commonly caught by having unprotected sex or by sharing infected needles to inject drugs. Once contracted, the virus weakens the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases, such as cancer. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. Currently, there is no cure for HIV but an early diagnosis of the condition leaves room for treatments to be carried out to enable people with the virus to live a fulfilling life despite having the deadly infection. If you think you might have exposed yourself to HIV infection, you should get tested immediately. The earlier HIV is detected, the more likely it is that treatment will be successful.
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