For the first time in decades, the top three STIs have decreased by 2% over the past year according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
However, over two million sexually transmitted infections were diagnosed within the last year, an all time record high. The New York Times reports these numbers are about a million more than the same figure two decades ago. And in 2023, nearly 4000 babies were diagnosed with congenital syphilis. The Times says doctors are “cautiously optimistic” about the recent downturn.
Some public health measures and medical interventions have proven to be effective in reducing the overall spread of common STIs. The report found that total diagnoses of syphilis dropped by 10% since 2023 a trend that LGBTQ Nation reports is related to the overall improved health of queer men. Among gay and bi men, rates dropped by as much as 13%, but only for primary and secondary syphilis stages.
A similar trend has been seen with gonorrhea, which has declined by 7% over the last year. In 2023, more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported. The CDC reports chlamydia diagnoses remained at a stable rate.
Dr. Jonathan Mermin, CDC director of the National Center for HIV, viral hepatitis, STD and tuberculosis prevention told NYT, a slow leveling out of diagnosed cases could be due to additional funding in public health departments, sexual behavior changes, or the developments of new antibiotics. Doxycycline, also known as doxyPEP, is predicted to have a significant impact on the reduction of syphilis cases.
Other wider initiatives could have an impact on this shift. The NYT cites efforts by local and state health departments to ramp up STI testing in clinics, ERs, jails, and even barber shops and churches. The Biden Administration also established a syphilis task force, with the Food and Drug Administration approving the first even at-home tests for syphilis in August of this year.
