Wyoming Sees Rise in STD Cases

After several years of steady increases, the number of chlamydia and gonorrhea cases in Wyoming could reach a record high in 2006, the state Department of Health reported.

Chlamydia reports in the state rose from 787 in 1999 to 1,173 in 2005. For the first six months of this year, 744 chlamydia cases have been diagnosed, said Greg Welch, the health department's STD and hepatitis project coordinator. "If this trend continues, we could see more than 1,400 cases for the year, which will be an all-time high and an increase of more than 25 percent over 2005," he said.

A similar pattern is predicted for gonorrhea. Cases increased from 53 in 2000 to 86 last year, and 68 cases have been reported for the first half of 2006. If the trend continues, said Welch, the state could see an increase of 65 percent over last year.

Methamphetamine use may be behind the increases, state officials said. "Meth use can lead to high-risk sexual behavior such as unprotected sex and multiple sex partners, and locating patients and partners involved with meth is especially difficult," said Welch, adding that two recent gonorrhea outbreaks in Laramie and Natrona counties were linked to the drug.

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