Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise across the nation, but the problem is particularly acute in Los Angeles County, it was reported today.
Not only does the county have the most cases, it also has some of the
highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in California and the
nation, the Los Angeles Times reported this morning.
Some public health experts have blamed the heavy use of online dating
apps, arguing that they lead to more casual sex among people 25 and younger,
who are the most likely to be infected and also the least inclined to seek
testing, according to the newspaper.
Though the precise cause of the increase is not clear, some
entrepreneurs and public health officials are trying to tackle the problem with
technology. Dozens of organizations now offer STD tests that can be ordered
online and mailed to homes. The customer provides a sample, sends it back to a
lab and receives results within a few days. But as these tests become more
popular, experts warn that they may not always be accurate.
Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in the U.S. had been
fluctuating for several years, but all surged in 2014. A particularly
staggering statistic, the 1.4 million chlamydia cases reported that year,
marked the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to The Times. In
California, the per-capita incidence of the three diseases is higher and has
been climbing since 2010.
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