Washington DC is the Sexually Transmitted Disease Capital of the US! (But Your State’s Got ’em Too…)

Well folks, hang on to your hats, because according to Google’s Public Data Explorer it appears that most of the Sexually transmitted diseases tracked by the CDC are generally on the decline, with the exception of Chlamydia (caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria), which is skyrocketing!

And guess, what? The chlamydia capital of the US is none other than our nation’s capital, Washington DC!

A Little Bit About Chlamydia

• Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United States.
• It is estimated that about 2.3 million individuals in the United States ages 14-39 are infected with chlamydia.
• Between half and three-quarters of all women who have a chlamydia do not know that they are infected.
• It can linger for months or years before being discovered.

The good news is that it’s not gonna kill you, though it could permanently harm reproductive organs. Treatment basically involves taking antibiotics and going on your way. Of course, there is still the little matter that if you live in Washington DC about 1.2% of fellow Washingtonians are walking around ready to give you the disease again!

Ok, so you’re saying, “Who cares about a sexually transmitted disease if it really just causes a little discomfort and I can fix it with an antibiotic?” Fair enough. But it just so happens that Washington DC is also the Gonorrhea capital of the US!

What’s This Gonorrhea You Speak Of?

Well, first of all, it’s obviously another Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). But more importantly this little sucker is antibiotic resistant! Meaning that it’s not so easily treatable.

Fun Facts:

• The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.
• More than 700,000 persons in the U.S. get new gonorrheal infections each year.
• Gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints. This condition can be life threatening.
• People with gonorrhea can more easily contract and spread HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
• In women it can lead to internal abscesses (pus-filled “pockets”) and long-lasting, chronic pelvic pain.

The good news is that on average in the US the incidence of Gonorrhea has dropped to about 1/3 of what it was 25 years ago.

But wait! There’s more!

Washington DC Has Highest Syphilis Infection Rates Too!

This article wouldn’t be any fun if the symptoms weren’t getting progressively worse, so keeping with that theme, Syphilis is a nasty, nasty little disease and here’s what you get for playing:

• Over 36,000 people in the US had Syphilis in 2006, and half came from 20 counties and 2 cities.
• Its passed through contact with a syphilis sore on the external genitals, vagina, anus, or inside the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. (Nice!)
• Secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet.
• . The late stages of syphilis can develop 10 – 20 years after infection was first acquired and can damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints.
• Signs and symptoms of the late stage of syphilis include difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia. This damage may be serious enough to cause death.

So, What Can We Learn From All Of This?

• Well, your risk of getting an STD is about .4% in the US assuming you have sex and any sort of physical contact with an infected partner (even with a condom in some cases).
• The Top 10 riskiest states in the union are: District of Columbia, Mississippi, Alaska, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Hawaii and Illinois. In these states your risk of infection averages closer to .6%.
• The 10 Safest states to have unprotected sex in: are New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, West Virginia, Vermont, Maine, Utah, New Jersey (surprise!), Massachusetts, Minnesota and Idaho. In these states your risk of infection averages closer to .25%.
• Never have sex in Washington DC (with anyone). Especially not those dirty, dirty politicians.

There is more related information here:

• The US Centers for Disease Control.
• Google Health
• Google Public Data Explorer

Have fun kiddies! (But not TOO much fun.)