Sexually Transmitted Diseases are hunting young individuals who fall between the age of 15 to 24. According to the Center for American Progress (CAP), more than 20 million new STD cases are reported every year in the United States.
In this article, we walk you through what are STDs, symptoms, how many STD cases do New York city records, and much more.
Some STDs which are caused by viruses, like HIV can be deadly if not diagnosed and treated at the earliest. Unlike HIV some STDs like Trichomoniasis and Chlamydia are caused by bacteria and parasites which can be cured as the invaded pathogen can be terminated with antibiotics.
New York State (NYS) is ranked at the top followed by NYC regions including Bronx, Kings, Queens, and Richmond. The Rochester Region is ranked third after NYC.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State ranks 9th, 17th, and 11th among all US states in 2019 for the total number of diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and primary and secondary syphilis, respectively.
In New York, the following are the top 3 STDs that have the highest cases reported in the year 2019, as per the Department of Health of New York State (NYS):
Women may experience vaginal symptoms that may include discharge, burning urination, and spotting. In men, Chlamydia symptoms may include urethral discharge, pain when urinating, and inflammation of the testicles. The bacteria can also affect the rectum after anal sex, or spread from another infected area, such as the oral cavity and throat in case of oral sex.
Women with Gonorrhea can encounter unusual discharge, spotting, and inflammation of the vulva. In men, symptoms can include thick discharge from the urethra, painful urination, and redness and swelling of the urethral opening.
Even though the reports from CDC and DoH of New York are highly credible as they are Government funded non-profit organizations, they claim a certain amount of cases of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and other STD cases go undiagnosed and therefore unreported, and several highly prevalent STIs, such as human papillomavirus, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis, are not reported at all. Which can give an overview that the real numbers can be higher than the actual cases reported.
Even the treatment of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be said to be curable only if diagnosed at the earliest. STDs tend to leave long-term defects in both men and women.
Untreated STDs can lead to an infection of the female reproductive organs, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - which increases the risk of infertility, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy. In men untreated STDs may cause severe pain and swelling in the testicles, resulting in sterility.
In this article, we walk you through what are STDs, symptoms, how many STD cases do New York city records, and much more.
What are STDs?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases which is also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are diseases that are caused by different types of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens. These microorganisms get transmitted between people when they are having sex. Now, sex here also includes oral and anal sex. Some people have a misconception that oral sex is safer compared to vaginal or anal sex. That’s not the case, oral sex is as highly contagious as vaginal/anal sex.Some STDs which are caused by viruses, like HIV can be deadly if not diagnosed and treated at the earliest. Unlike HIV some STDs like Trichomoniasis and Chlamydia are caused by bacteria and parasites which can be cured as the invaded pathogen can be terminated with antibiotics.
Which NY States have the highest STD cases? -
According to the Department of Health of New York, a 2019 surveillance report has concluded that the following regions have high transmission rates as per the cases reported. If you are residing in any of these regions and being sexually active, get screened for STDs at a nearby lab in NYC.New York State (NYS) is ranked at the top followed by NYC regions including Bronx, Kings, Queens, and Richmond. The Rochester Region is ranked third after NYC.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State ranks 9th, 17th, and 11th among all US states in 2019 for the total number of diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and primary and secondary syphilis, respectively.
What are the most common types of STDs that have been reported in NYC?
Now, talking about STDs there are a variety of types and most people fear that they are affected with HIV, which is the most popular among STDs. However, HIV is not highly reported, thanks to active HIV awareness campaigns and steps taken by WHO and Governments across the world to condense the HIV spread.In New York, the following are the top 3 STDs that have the highest cases reported in the year 2019, as per the Department of Health of New York State (NYS):
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhoea
- Syphilis
Chlamydia STD
Chlamydia is an STI caused by the bacterium called Chlamydia Trachomatis, it is a highly contagious bacteria that can transmit through oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Chlamydia is the most common notifiable STD in the US. Most of the time this STD tends to maintain a low profile and many have no outward symptoms or no immediate symptoms after contraction. It may take up to one to three weeks for the symptoms to occur after transmission.Women may experience vaginal symptoms that may include discharge, burning urination, and spotting. In men, Chlamydia symptoms may include urethral discharge, pain when urinating, and inflammation of the testicles. The bacteria can also affect the rectum after anal sex, or spread from another infected area, such as the oral cavity and throat in case of oral sex.
Gonorrhoea STD
Similar to Chlamydia Gonorrhea has a bacterial agent that causes the disease, it is called as bacterium Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. It can be spread between partners through sexual intimacy. Symptoms of Gonorrhea are not noticeable until 5 days or a week after the transmission, typically, it takes anywhere between 5-60 days of transmission.Women with Gonorrhea can encounter unusual discharge, spotting, and inflammation of the vulva. In men, symptoms can include thick discharge from the urethra, painful urination, and redness and swelling of the urethral opening.
How accurate is the NYC STD surveillance data?
There are some demographics in the data surveillance presented by DoH of New York City. It depicts the highest rates among females who are between the age of 15-24 years. And the highest rates are continued to be seen in young people, non-Hispanic black individuals, and men who have sex with men living in the state of NY.Even though the reports from CDC and DoH of New York are highly credible as they are Government funded non-profit organizations, they claim a certain amount of cases of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and other STD cases go undiagnosed and therefore unreported, and several highly prevalent STIs, such as human papillomavirus, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis, are not reported at all. Which can give an overview that the real numbers can be higher than the actual cases reported.
Treatment for STDs
Not all STDs can be treated even if diagnosed at the right time, this includes virus-causing STDs like HIV and Herpes that have no cure to date. However, STDs that are caused by bacteria and other agents like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be cured with the right medications.Even the treatment of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be said to be curable only if diagnosed at the earliest. STDs tend to leave long-term defects in both men and women.
Untreated STDs can lead to an infection of the female reproductive organs, like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - which increases the risk of infertility, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy. In men untreated STDs may cause severe pain and swelling in the testicles, resulting in sterility.
Conclusion
Living in the internet era, it is hard not to get caught by dating apps and hanging out with strangers, that is even more impossible if you live in a city like New York City. Education can prevent anything and provide anything. It is vital to spread awareness of STDs among sex partners and to talk about the importance of safe sex and getting screened for STDs at least once every 6 months.
