Record increase in U.S. infections from three sexually transmitted diseases

CDC Chlamydia chart

The number of people getting sexually transmissible diseases (STDs) is increasing:

Record increase in U.S. infections from three sexually transmitted diseases

September 27, 2017

Health officials are reporting another record increase in infections from three sexually transmitted diseases.

More than 2 million new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported in the United States last year — the most ever. http://www.courant.com/nation-world/ct-std-rates-record-20170927-story.html

It is estimated that there are 20 million new STDs in the U.S. each year, and half of these are among young people ages 15 to 24 years. Across the nation, at any given time, there are more than 110 million total (new and existing) infections. 2 These infections can lead to long-term health consequences, such as infertility; they can facilitate HIV transmission; and they have stigmatized entire subgroups of Americans.

Yet not that long ago, gonorrhea rates were at historic lows, syphilis was close to elimination, and we were able to point to advances in STD prevention, such as better chlamydia diagnostic tests and more screening, contributing to increases in detection and treatment of chlamydial infections. That progress has since unraveled. …

In 2016, a total of 1,598,354 cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infection were reported to the CDC, making it the most common notifiable condition in the United States. This case count corresponds to a rate of 497.3 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 4.7% compared with the rate in 2015. During 2015–2016, rates of reported chlamydia increased in all regions of the United States. …

Among young women attending family planning clinics participating in a sentinel surveillance program who were tested for chlamydia, 9.2% of 15–19 year olds and 8.0% of 20–24 year olds were positive. …

In 2016, 468,514 gonorrhea cases were reported for a rate of 145.8 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 18.5% from 2015. During 2015–2016, the rate of reported gonorrhea increased 22.2% among men and 13.8% among women. …

In 2016, 27,814 P&S syphilis cases were reported, representing a national rate of 8.7 cases per 100,000 population and a 17.6% increase from 2015. During 2015–2016, the P&S syphilis rate increased among both men and women in every region of the country; overall, the rate increased 14.7% among men and 35.7% among women. …

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. 4 Over 40 distinct HPV types can infect the genital tract … Persistent infection with some HPV types can cause cancer and genital warts. HPV types 16 and 18 account for approximately 66% of cervical cancers in the United States, and approximately 25% of low-grade and 50% of high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions, or dysplasia. 9,10 HPV types 6 and 11 are responsible for approximately 90% of genital warts. …

Incidence and prevalence estimates suggest that young people aged 15–24 years acquire half of all new STDs and that one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD, such as chlamydia or human papillomavirus (HPV). …

The incidence of many STDs in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (collectively referred to as MSM) – including primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis and antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhea – is greater than that reported in women and men who have sex with women only (MSW). … MSM accounted for 80.6% of male P&S syphilis cases with information about sex of sex partners in 2016 … https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats16/CDC_2016_STDS_Report-for508WebSep21_2017_1644.pdf

I recall a statistic, from several years ago, that indicated about 1/4 of unmarried British females got a sexually transmitted infection the first time they had sex and about 1/5 of unmarried USA females did as well. Years back, it was reported that aAbout 1/2 of sexually-active unmarried USA teenage females reportedly have a SDI/STD (Reuters, March 11, 2008). Homosexual males may have the highest rate of STDs of any group (http://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/stdfact-msm.htm). Promiscuity in the UK, USA, and elsewhere continues. New Zealand females have been reported to be the most promiscuous in the world (New Zealand women most promiscuous Sydney Morning Herald AAP – Oct 13, 2007. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/13/1191696214489.html).

The fact is that turning to biblical morality would eliminate gonorrhea, as well as all other STDs. God does not want people involved in sexual immorality:

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:24-32)

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)

Notice that the Bible says that promiscuity is a sin against the body.

The Bible says that obeying God’s laws protects from diseases:

9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.

12 “Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. 13 And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock. 15 And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you. (Deuteronomy 7:9-15)

Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) agrees that avoiding promiscuity is the best defense:

The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STDs are to abstain from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. (Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/STD.htm, viewed 03/24/13)

Being faithful to biblical admonitions against fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are the “most reliable ways to avoid transmission” of sexually-transmitted diseases.

STDs affect society in many negative ways.

The Bible has long warned against sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18), including homosexuality (Jude 7), and that deadly pestilences would be around in the end times (Matthew 24:4-8; Revelation 6:7-8). They were prophesied to increase for those who disobeyed God’s laws:

58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues — great and prolonged plagues — and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:58-61)

As far as diseases of Egypt, it is reported that Egyptian prostitutes would get a tattoo in their pubic regions to supposedly prevent STDs (see Tattoos: History and Biblical Teachings).

Notice also an end time prophecy:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-8)

The CDC is ever learning about STDs, but does not emphasize abstinence for the unmarried and other aspects of sexual morality.

Keeping God’s laws prevents STDs and their resulting problems.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when?
Tattoos: History and Biblical Teachings Would you like to know more about the history of tattoos, social concerns about tattoos, health risks of tattoos, and what the Bible teaches about them? Here is a related video titled Should Christians Get a Tattoo?
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的
 Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.