Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in San Diego County. In fact, the county has seen an increase in reported cases of gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia that's higher than the national averages. KPBS reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
San Diego County reported a six percent increase in cases of gonorrhea between 2005 and 2006. There was a nine percent rise in Chlamydia, and a 21 percent hike in syphilis.
Monica Sprague is the director of medical services at the local chapter of Planned Parenthood . She says public health officials need to step up their efforts.
Sprague : We need to educate our young people, and the rest of our population, that these diseases are real, and just because people are asymptomatic, doesn't necessarily mean that they do not have an active infection.
The Centers for Disease Control calls the rise in sexually transmitted diseases a hidden epidemic. A person with an STD is more susceptible to the virus that causes AIDS.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
