The presence of sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) have once again increased in Michigan.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia reached an all-time high in the United States as a whole, with Michigan experiencing similar trends.

The state has recorded between 45,000 and 51,000 cases of chlamydia annually since 2008. Gonorrhea cases dropped nearly by half from 2008 to 2014 but have climbed 70 percent since then including a 10 percent jump in 2018 to 16,922 cases. Reports of syphilis had dropped following an outbreak in 2013 but jumped 36 percent in 2018 to 654 cases.

Most cases are being seen in adolescents, African American men and women, and men who have sex with men.

“Many infected people are unaware of their status which allows them to unknowingly pass it to their partners,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “All sexually active individuals should speak to their health care provider about regular testing so they can get proper treatment and prevent the spread of disease.”

Understanding risk, abstaining from sex, reducing the number of partners and consistently and correctly using condoms are all effective strategies to prevent the spread of STDs, Khaldun said.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/hivstd.