Oklahoma is following a national trend with a sharp increase in the number of sexually transmitted diseases.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health says chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis cases rose from 29,716 in 2016 to 31,779 in 2017. The health department announcement came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday that there were 2.3 million cases of STDs in 2017, an increase of more than 200,000 from the year before.
The diseases can be cured with antibiotics. Left untreated, they can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and increased risk of the virus that causes AIDS.
The health department encourages regular testing for STDs, having protected sex, limiting the number of sexual partners and avoiding the use of shared needles.