Pennsylvania: Sexual Disease Increase Reported

On Thursday, Allegheny County Health Department officials reported that cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis all increased in 2005.

Last year, chlamydia numbers increased by 1.8 percent, to 4,341 cases, the highest number since reporting began in October 1991. The county's 75 syphilis cases in 2005 were also the most numerous reports of that STD since 1991 and, with 17 cases recorded so far this year, 2006 could be worse, said health officials. Gonorrhea reports increased in 2005 by 18 percent to 1,807 cases.

The increase may be driven by several factors, said health officials, including a shortage of notification workers, and more people having sex in exchange for drugs and using the Internet to arrange casual sexual contacts. Financial constraints have cut the number of disease intervention specialists, who encourage the partners of STD patients to get tested, from seven in the 1990s to three, said officials.

The syphilis cases alone "are enough to keep the three of us busy," said specialist Mary Dea Johnston. The Health Department is planning to hire another staff member and may use contractors to assist, said Bruce Dixon, its director.

Better reporting and screening may also explain the increase, especially for chlamydia, said Dr. Anthony Robins, a department epidemiologist. Syphilis, however, "was a disease we thought we had under control," he said, since only a few cases were reported in 1998 and 1999.

Of last year's syphilis cases, 43 were men, 15 of whom reported having sex with other men, though a growing number of heterosexuals, particularly women, were infected, said Robins. Of those with gonorrhea, most were heterosexual, 62 percent were people ages 15-24, and 75 percent were black. Seventy-five percent of chlamydia cases were people ages 15-24, and 64 percent were black.

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