Chlamydia, Gonorrhea on the Rise

Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are growing more prevalent in the US—especially among young people and gay and bisexual men, a CDC report finds. The agency reports 1.4 million chlamydia infections in 2011, with 457.6 cases per 100,000 people, up 8% from 423.6 per 100,000 the year before. As for gonorrhea, the CDC saw 321,849 infections in 2011, with 104.2 cases per 100,000 people—a 4% rise from 100.2 per 100,000 the previous year.

Some 13,970 primary and secondary syphilis cases were reported to the CDC last year, with 72% of them among men having sex with other men. There were 4.5 cases per 100,000 people, the same rate as the previous year, USA Today notes. "STDs continue to threaten the health and well-being of millions of Americans," says one of the report's authors. (More chlamydia stories.)