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2008 STD rate increased in Minnesota

Category: Chlamydia

The reported STD rate in Minnesota has been rising for the past three years, leaving some health officials urging more people to either get a blood test or an anonymous STD test to cut down on the spread of the diseases.

According to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the number of reported STDs in the state hit a high of 17,650 in 2008, Emaxhealth.com reports. Two years ago the figure was closer to 16,000.

"Chlamydia was Minnesota's number one reported infectious disease this past year with 14,350 cases," said Peter Carr, director of the STD and HIV Section at MDH. "This represents a 7 percent increase compared to the previous year, a trend of annual increases we have seen for some time now."

Carr added that a surprising statistic from their report concerning chlamydia was a 13 percent increase of young males contracting the disease when compared to the 2007 report.

If left untreated, chlamydia can cause infertility in women as well as in some men, though it is rare. One of the best defenses against the disease is early detection from an STD test.