U.S. News Rise in Chlamydia Cases Overwhelms Fort Wayne, Indiana ClinicAugust 12, 2003 A spike in diagnosed chlamydia cases has strained the Allen
County, Ind., health department's two-nurse clinic that treats
people with STDs. "Our STD Clinic is turning people away at the
door every day," acknowledged Loren Robertson, the county's
health administrator. "Chlamydia is at epidemic levels in the
area."
Adapted from:In the first half of the year, 885 cases of chlamydia were reported, up from 654 in the same time period last year. From April to June, the increase was 45 percent more than last year. According to Fort Wayne-Allen County Health Department Director Kathryn Thornson, the clinic, which cares for many uninsured patients, has been overwhelmed because of the increased number of chlamydia cases and because of the economy. The rise in diagnosed cases concerns Linda Hathaway, program manager at the McMillen Health Education Center. She fears that many people who have one STD often have several, thus potentially allowing the diseases to continue to spread. "If they're having sexual contact with other people, they're probably passing more than one," said Hathaway. "If they've got more than one in their body, it makes them more susceptible to others as well," she noted. Associated Press 08.09.03 This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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