By NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) issued a health alert Monday concerning increases in the sexually transmitted infections, gonorrhea and syphilis.

Neisseria
Image/CDC

Concerning gonorrhea, Pennsylvania (exclusive of Philadelphia) reported a 21.83% increase in gonorrhea, from 9,012 cases reported in all of calendar year (CY) 2019 to 10,980 cases reported in CY 2020.  44 out of 66 counties reported an increase.

The reported 10,980 cases in CY 2020 represents the highest number of Gonorrhea cases in more than 30 years.

Additionally, during CY 2020, Pennsylvania (exclusive of Philadelphia) reported a 2.49% increase in reported Primary and Secondary (P&S) Syphilis, from 522 cases reported in CY 2019 to 535 cases reported in CY 2020.

The reported 535 cases reported in CY 2020 represent the highest number of reported P&S cases in approximately 30 years.

Individuals under age 30 are accounting for a significant portion of the increases in reported STI cases. In CY 2020 this segment of the population represented: 63 percent of the reported gonorrhea, 42 percent of the reported P&S Syphilis, and 83 percent of the reported chlamydia.

The DOH recommends that all sexually active individuals between the ages of 15 and 30 are routinely offered screening for STI and HIV.

In response to the recent increase in Primary and Secondary especially in individuals under 30 years of age, the DOH is recommending that all pregnant females be offered a test for syphilis at the following intervals:

• At the first prenatal visit
• At the third trimester of pregnancy
• At the delivery of a child, or
• At the delivery of a stillborn child

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