STD Concerns Growing in Wyoming

September 7, 2022

With concerns about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) increasing statewide, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is encouraging prevention strategies and testing of residents.

Comparing reported cases in 2021 and 2020, Wyoming experienced a 23.6% increase in chlamydia cases, a 33.5% increase in gonorrhea cases, and a 35.5% increase in syphilis cases. As of 2022, approximately 982 cases of chlamydia, 175 cases of gonorrhea and 35 cases of syphilis have been reported statewide.

Chlamydia is the most commonly diagnosed STI in Wyoming. Of his 2021 chlamydia infections reported in Wyoming, 24 percent occurred in people aged 15 to 19 years, 41 percent in people aged 20 to 24 years, and 27 percent in people aged 25 to 34 years.

Dr. Alexia Harist, state health officer and WDH epidemiologist, said the increased rate was disappointing. “Leaving these infections untreated can lead to prolonged pelvic and abdominal pain and increased risk of HIV, infertility, pregnancy complications, stillbirth and infant death,” she said.

Harist noted that overall STI testing has declined in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years, which may result in undiagnosed and untreated STIs in Wyoming. did.

According to Harist, STI prevention strategies include:

• refrain from sexual contact of any kind
• be tested before starting a new sexual relationship
• Before engaging in sexual contact, ask potential sexual partners if they have been tested since their last sexual partner
• choose less risky types of sexual contact
• Consistent and correct condom use with sexual contact
• limit the number of sexual partners
• Routine testing for sexually transmitted infections

WDH’s communicable disease prevention program manager, Leslie Fowler, reminded residents that testing for STIs, HIV, and viral hepatitis can be important. “STIs can make their presence known through symptoms such as itching, burning, discharge, or visible pain, but most people have no symptoms,” she said. , many people do not realize that while these infections often occur in the genitals, they can also occur in the throat and rectum, so extragenital examinations are performed to identify these infections. It’s important to ask your health care provider about a test or a three-site test.STIs can have serious health consequences.”

“We always say that the only way to know your STD status is to get tested for sure,” Fowler said.

WDH provides detailed STI information, free condom resources, low-cost or free testing, at-home testing options, and STI treatment at www.KnoWyo.org website.

Wyoming’s specific STI testing recommendations are risk-based and can be found online. https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/communicable-disease-unit/sexally-transmitted-disease/health-professional-resources/.

The risks of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and viral hepatitis include:

• Sexual contact without barrier methods (condoms, dental dams, gloves)
• sex with multiple partners
• survivors of sexual assault or sexual abuse
• Sexual contact while drunk or high
• Intranasal or injectable drug use
• anonymous sexual contact

Prenatal care in Wyoming typically includes testing for sexually transmitted diseases, Harist said. “For healthier pregnancies and babies, and to help prevent congenital syphilis in babies, repeat testing should be offered during pregnancy when certain high-risk situations apply,” she said. said. These conditions include:

• Patient or partner has another sexual partner
• Injectable or intranasal drug use
• Unprofessional or handmade tattoos or piercings