New STD cases hit record high in US

More Americans are being diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease than ever before, doctors are warning.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded more than two million new cases of gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia last year.

Yet this is just the tip of the iceberg. "Only those three STDs are required by law to be reported to the CDC by physicians so when you include HIV, herpes and more of the dozens of diseases which can be transmitted sexually but which are not tracked the number of new cases of STDs in the US could be as a high as 20 million each year," says CNN. The vast majority of sufferers are under 30.

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While gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia can all be treated with antibiotics, they have "serious consequences, such as infertility, neurological issues, and an increased risk for HIV", says David Harvey, of the US National Coalition of STD Directors.

The figures reflect a worrying trend in the fight against STDs. Some, such as syphilis, were all but eliminated in the US - but have returned with a vengeance over the past 10 to 15 years.

Medical experts point to funding cutbacks for prevention and healthcare programmes, an ongoing debate about sex education in schools and the increasing use of dating apps as major reasons for the rise in STDs.

The question of how sexual health campaigns target potential victims was highlighted in a second study this week, which found one in every six cases of HIV in Europe is diagnosed in people over the age of 50.