Tarrant County ranks No. 2 nationally in increase of syphilis cases - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

-

Syphilis cases are on the rise in Tarrant County even as chlamydia and gonorrhea are on the decline, a new report shows.

Tarrant County ranked No. 2 among the nation’s counties in the percentage increase of syphilis cases from 2016 to 2017, according to a recent Health Testing Centers analysis of the 2017 STD Surveillance Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I would have expected Tarrant County to be more middle of the road,” said Dr. Nikhil K. Bhayani, an infectious disease specialist with Texas Health Resources. “This is pretty spread out.”

But, he noted, “it’s a diverse county.”

Across the country, nearly 2.3 million cases of the three STDs were diagnosed in 2017, according to the new report.

“We are sliding backward,” Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said in the report. “It is evident the systems that identify, treat and ultimately prevent STDs are strained to near-breaking point.”

STD statistics

The STDs in America report analyzed CDC data to see which areas of the country were being most affected by the rise in STDs.

Texas was singled out once, on the list of the top five states with the highest rates of syphilis in 2017. The country’s average was 31.4 cases for every 100,000 residents. The rate in Texas was 43.5. Louisiana led the nation, followed by Nevada, California, New York and Texas.

Tarrant County had the fifth-largest drop in gonorrhea cases, down 10.6 percent, for a rate of 141.4 cases for every 100,000 residents. It also had the third-largest decrease in chlamydia cases, down 8.2 percent, for a rate of 427.6 cases for every 100,000 residents.

Tarrant’s 9.8 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents were up 55.6 percent.

“Syphilis is a disease that lies dormant and usually you screen older people for this,” Bhayani said.

Dallas County saw the largest increases in chlamydia and gonorrhea cases across the country, with nearly 50 percent more cases of both those STDs than the year before.

Overall, chlamydia and gonorrhea were most frequently found among men and women between 15 and 25 years old. Syphilis was found most often in older age groups.

Tarrant cases

Here are Tarrant County cases, according to the Texas STD Surveillance Report:

▪ 8,387 chlamydia cases in 2017, down from 9,002 in 2016.

▪ 2,760 gonorrhea cases in 2017, down from 3,079 in 2016.

▪ 676 syphilis cases in 2017, up from 543 in 2016.

STD facts

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can be cured with antibiotics.

“The bottom line is to use protection and know who your sexual partner is,” Bhayani said.

He did say some patients with gonorrhea are beginning to see more resistance to antibiotics. “But there are different options.”

Two Tarrant County health clinics provide regular testing, diagnosis and treatment for STDs: The Tarrant County Public Health main campus, 1101 S. Main St. in Fort Worth, and the Tarrant County Public Health Center, 2596 E. Arkansas Lane in Arlington.

Both are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

“With STD rates setting record highs and showing no sign of slowing down, it is up to the American public to take precautions regarding their sexual activity,” the STD Surveillance report stated. “Getting tested for STDs is vital to the health and safety of you and your partners, even if precautions are taken and protection is used.”

Free testing

April is Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness month and free STD testing is available in Tarrant County. Several additional times and locations are pending, but these locations and days are firm, according to Tarrant County’s health department.

April 3: Tarrant County Community College’s North East Campus, 828 Harwood Road in Hurst, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 6: Charles F. Griffin Sub-Courthouse, 3500 Miller Ave. in Fort Worth, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 9: LVT RISE, 8201 Calmont Ave. in Fort Worth, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April 11: Tarrant County Community College’s South Campus, 5301 S. Campus Dr. in Fort Worth, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Every Friday in April: Resource Connection, 2300 Circle Dr. in Fort Worth, 8 a.m. to noon.



https://ift.tt/2HNwdsB

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Manual on meat inspection for developing countries

-
Image
sinusitis treatment :: Article Creator My 'sinus Infection' Turned Out To Be A One In A Million Nasal Cancer At Just 28 - And Doctors Had To Cut My Eye Out To Save Me By Emily Joshu Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 06:33 EDT, 20 April 2024Updated: 06:35 EDT, 20 April 2024 A 28 year-old California woman has described the shock of being diagnosed with a deadly sinus cancer that affects fewer than one in a million people - and led to the removal of her right eye. The 'golf ball-sized tumor', which had spread throughout her face, was first mistaken for a sinus infection by the woman's doctors.  Annika, who posts about her condition on TikTok, woke up one morning in 2023 and noticed that the inner corner of her right eye was sore.  While she at first thought nothing of it, by the time the evening rolled around, 'my face started to really, really hurt on the right side,' she said in a video.  The next day, her...
Read more

Rash behind ear: Causes, other symptoms, and treatment - Medical News Today

-
Image
A rash behind the ear may occur due to a variety of different medical conditions. Certain viral infections and autoimmune diseases may cause a rash behind the ear in both children and adults. While some causes, such as contact dermatitis, are not concerning, other causes, including rubella, may be more serious. In this article, we look at some of the causes of a rash behind the ear, as well as the other symptoms that they may produce and how to treat them. Contact dermatitis is an allergic reaction to a particular substance. If an allergy-inducing substance comes into contact with the skin behind the ear, a rash can form. Allergens that may cause contact dermatitis behind the ears include: shampoos soaps other hair care products For example, hair dye products contain an ingredient called paraphenylenediamine (PPD), which is a common contact allergen. Symptoms Contact dermatitis causes itchiness, dryness, and flaking of the skin that came into contact with the allergen. Diagnosis A doc...
Read more

Freddie Mercury's haunting last picture before tragic death from Aids - Irish Mirror

-
Freddie Mercury's final days in 1991 remain enshrined in mystery, nearly 30 years on. The Queen frontman succumbed to his battle with Aids on November 24, having released a public statement just 24 hours previously that confirmed he was HIV+. Rumours had been swirling about his health status for a number of years, with speculation that he had been tested for HIV and Aids as far back as 1986, after his health declined so rapidly that Queen had to halt their 1987 Magic Tour before it was due to finish. Freddie, real name Farrokh Bulsara, had been something of a recluse in his last two years, preferring to stay at his lavish Garden Lodge home in west London's Kensington than rub shoulders with other celebrities at showbiz parties. Tragically, Freddie's health continued to deteriorate in private, as feverish speculation mounted that he was gravely sick. The last known photos of him show how much weight he had lost during his rare public appearances towards the end. On Sep...
Read more