Health Talk: STDs most common contagious disease in U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are about 20 million new sexually transmitted disease infections in the United States each year.

That's a lot of people. To put that number in perspective, it's about 3 million more people than the population of the Netherlands.

April is STD Awareness Month and a good time to talk about the fact that STDs are among the most common contagious reportable diseases in the United States. Half of STD infections are among people 15-24 years of age, and every year the American health care system spends an estimated $16 billion diagnosing and treating STD infections.

There are some common sense ways to reduce your risk of contracting an STD. These include abstinence, consistently and correctly using condoms and being in a mutually monogamous relationship. Since there is no test that can determine how long someone has had an STD, the CDC recommends if either you or your partner has sex with someone else, you both should be tested at least once a year for STDs.

In 2015, over 1.5 million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States, making it the most common reportable STD. Gonorrhea, which has similar symptoms, was second. Over half of those infected have no symptoms.

Although locally, cases number in the hundreds, our county has seen a steady rise of chlamydia and gonorrhea since 2008. When chlamydia or gonorrhea symptoms are present, they often include pain or burning during urination and discharge. These STDs are easily treated, but if they are left untreated they can cause more serious complications down the road for both men and women, including making it difficult or even impossible for women to become pregnant.

With syphilis on the rise across the country, the CDC has drawn particular attention to the infection with the theme for STD Awareness Month 2017 as "Syphilis Strikes Back." In 2015, there were close to 24,000 cases of syphilis in the United States. That's about a 20 percent increase since 2014 and means syphilis is at its highest level in 20 years. McHenry County also has seen a steady increase in cases.

Syphilis is contracted when coming into direct contact with a painless open sore, called a "chancre," of an infected person. It also can be passed from an infected mother to her unborn baby if the mother is not treated before delivery. A typical symptom of syphilis, besides the sore, is a rash, which is usually on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, but also can occur over other areas of the body. If left untreated, syphilis can spread to the brain, the nervous system and cause damage to internal organs, sometimes resulting in death.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as HIV, can be transmitted only through contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid or breast milk. It is not transmitted through casual contact such as sharing food or drinks and shaking hands. HIV weakens the immune system by destroying cells that fight disease and infection.

There is no effective cure, but there is medication that slows HIV progression and helps protect the immune system, enabling those with HIV to live longer than ever before.

The McHenry County Department of Health offers confidential STD screening in Woodstock and Crystal Lake. The offices are at 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Building B, Woodstock, and at 100 N. Virginia St., Crystal Lake. All screenings are low cost and include testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. To schedule an appointment, call MCDH at 815-334-4500. To learn more about STDs, visit www.mcdh.info or www.cdc.gov/std.

Sara Boline is the communicable disease coordinator for the McHenry County Department of Health. She can be reached at 815-334-4500.