Surge of Gonorrhea Cases in South Dakota

South Dakota Gonorrhea

A state health official for South Dakota said on Wednesday that he is very startled by the data that shows gonorrhea cases in South Dakota for 2011 has surged to the highest levels in a generation.

According to the preliminary data there were 573 cases of the sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhea, in South Dakota last year.  That is the highest number of cases in a single year since 1987.  South Dakota had 468 reports of gonorrhea in the year 2010.

Many factors are contributing to this problem.  Risky behaviors such as multiple sex partners, unprotected sex, younger individuals having sex, among many other factors.  People 24 years old and younger are being affected the most.  Females account for 66% of the cases.



The data also shows that gonorrhea is 5 times more likely to show up in western areas of South Dakota compared to eastern South Dakota.

It is very important that this young generation of people stay informed and protected against STDs.  Keeping your sexual health status in good standing is very important to stopping the spread of all sexually transmitted diseases.

Another issue is that many people that are diagnosed with gonorrhea are reluctant to reveal their past sexual partners and this gives the opportunity for the sexual infection to spread even further.

The CDC reports that national gonorrhea rates increased from 2010.  The increase is very slight but still not what health officials want to see.