Syphilis Sparks Concern in Popular Vacation City
(Link): Syphilis Sparks Concern in Popular Vacation City
- Nevada is experiencing the highest rate of syphilis in the West following an outbreak in Las Vegas.
- Health officials say it’s part of a national spike in cases tied to increased testing, a rise in anonymous sex tied to social media, and a less consistent use of condoms.
- Social media’s link to syphilis in the gay community has prompted health officials to take their educational outreach directly to the websites and apps, in some cases creating profiles or buying advertisements.
- Here’s a closer look at what’s going on:
- What is syphilis? How does it still exist?
- Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that’s been around at least since the Roman times, said Dr. Tony Fredrick, the Southern Nevada Health District’s medical epidemiologist. It’s never really gone away – it just comes in waves. It’s detected by blood testing, which means it’s not a part of the “bundle” of STDs found through urine screening.
- …What’s going on in Nevada?Clark County health officials declared an outbreak in Las Vegas last week after noting a 128 percent increase in reported syphilis cases since 2012, with 615 of the 694 cases involving men diagnosed in 2015. This makes Nevada’s rate of syphilis the highest in the West.
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There’s been an uptick in other parts of Nevada, too, but that could be tied to a population increase, the state health department said. Nevadan youth, meanwhile, are having sex at younger ages and are using condoms inconsistently or improperly.
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Is the rest of the U.S. at risk?
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Syphilis outbreaks have appeared in pockets of the U.S. in recent years, including in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Hawaii. The latest available data, from 2014, showed a 15 percent increase in cases overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
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There’s been an increase in other STDs as well. The most common, chlamydia, has risen to record levels.
- Why are doctors blaming social media?
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Health providers and officials have warned publicly about the prevalence of anonymous sex through social media, particularly with an increase in the use of Smartphone apps.
- Elizabeth Adelman, a senior disease investigator for the health department in Las Vegas, said young people dependent on their iPhones can find quick, easy access to hook-ups. Not meeting in person first can make it harder to negotiate condom use, she said.
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Related Posts:
(Link): Those Times When You’re Glad to be a Celibate, Single Christian – 2 [Herpes Dating Site]
(Link): 60 Year Old Lady Contracted Herpes from Cheating Husband
(Link): The Myth of Safe Sex by D. Foley
(Link): Gonorrhea Super Strain Becoming ‘Untreatable’ (in the UK; may be heading to the USA) – 2015 story
(Link): Planned Parenthood Tells Teenagers “It’s Great to be a Slut”
(Link): Stop Pretending Sex Never Hurts, By D.C. McAllister
(Link): Christian Preacher Admits He Won’t Preach About Sexuality For Fear It May Offend Sexual Sinners
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