North Dakota health officials say they have recorded fewer STD cases to date this year. Through the first six months of 2005, the state Health Department has confirmed 810 chlamydia cases and 35 gonorrhea cases, compared with 835 cases of chlamydia and 61 gonorrhea cases during the same period in 2004. No syphilis cases have been confirmed so far this year. According to Kirby Kruger, a disease specialist with the Health Department, chlamydia continues to affect young people, with almost 77 percent of the cases found in people ages 15-24. Though the decline in the number of cases is encouraging, it would be premature to call it a trend, said Kruger. "It still indicates we have a lot of young people out there that are engaging in sexual activity and they aren't taking protective measures," he said.

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