Sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis and gonorrhea, on the rise in Oregon

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise nationwide and in Oregon, with public health officials encouraging sexually active individuals to get tested because some people can have an infection without being aware.

The overall number of reported STIs has been increasing nationally since 2014, with no sign of slowing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Young people under the age of 25, racial and ethnic minorities, and gay or bisexual men have higher rates of STIs, which have serious health consequences if not treated early.

The Oregon Health Authority and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point to failures in providing equitable access to quality sexual healthcare for everyone as a cause of higher rates of STIs in racial and ethnic minority groups, gay and bisexual men and young adults.

Factors such as discrimination, poverty, drug use, inadequate access to health care, lack of health insurance, housing and education inequalities can increase the risk for contracting a STI.

Below is a description of each STI and data about cases in Oregon and nationally.

Syphilis cases more than doubled in three years in Oregon

Syphilis is a curable infection that spreads through person-to-person contact, specifically contact with a syphilitic sore.

There are four stages of syphilis, and most cases are caught during the primary or secondary stages.

There were 946 cases of syphilis in Oregon in 2021, with cases more than doubling since 2018. Cases were highest in men ages 30 to 39, according to Oregon Health Authority data.

Since 2020, Oregon has had a higher rate of syphilis cases, which was 22.2 cases per 100,000 people in 2021, than the rest of the country. From 2018 to 2021, syphilis cases across the country increased by about 74%, according to CDC data.

In February, Marion County Health and Human Services warned residents of a spike in syphilis, with a 216% increase from 2018 to 2022.

Oregon cases per 100,000 people from 2012 to 2021 were the highest in Black and African Americans. The highest percent of cases were in Multnomah County, followed by Jackson County, then Marion County and Lane County.

Congenital syphilis causes life-threatening risk to babies

Cases of congenital syphilis – when a mother with syphilis passes onto her baby during pregnancy – also are on the rise, according to CDC data.

Congenital syphilis can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, illness and death in newborns.

Babies born with congenital syphilis can receive treatment that can cure the infection, but treatment must be done right away. Left untreated, syphilis can cause deformed bones, severe anemia, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, brain and nerve problems, meningitis and skin rashes.

From 2018 to 2021, congenital syphilis cases nationwide increased by more than 203%, CDC data shows.

There were 27 cases of congenital syphilis in Oregon in 2021, the 17th highest congenital syphilis rate in the nation, with 66 cases per 100,000 live births. The number of cases has been increasing since 2014. In From 2002 to 2013 there were only three cases in the state, according to OHA data.

About half of the Oregonians who delivered an infant diagnosed with congenital syphilis were houseless or unstably house, according to OHA data. About 50% did not receive prenatal care more than 45 days before the delivery.

Case rates per 100,000 individuals from 2012 to 2021 were the highest in Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Oregonians.

From 2012 to 2021, there have been 13 cases of congenital syphilis in Marion County, 11 in Lane County and 3 in Polk County.

Chlamydia is the most common STI in Oregon

Chlamydia is a common and curable STI but can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible to get pregnant.

It is spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex with a partner who has chlamydia.

From 2018 to 2021, chlamydia cases across the country dropped by nearly 4%, according to CDC data. The decrease in cases is thought to partially be because of decreased testing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were 15,601 cases of chlamydia in Oregon in 2021, which is a decrease from two years prior in 2019. Cases were highest in women ages 20 to 29, according to Oregon Health Authority data.

Case rates per 100,000 Oregonians from 2012 to 2021 were the highest in Black or African American.

Case rates were the highest in Jefferson County, followed by Multnomah County, Malheur County, Marion County, Benton and Lane County.

Gonorrhea continues to increase

Gonorrhea is a common and curable STI that causes infection in the genitals, rectum and throat. Symptoms are typically mild, but serious health complications can occur if it is left untreated.

It is spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex with a partner who has gonorrhea.

From 2018 to 2021, gonorrhea cases nationwide increased about 28%, data from the CDC shows.

In Oregon, cases have been increasing since 2012. There were 6,223 cases of gonorrhea in Oregon in 2021. Cases were the highest in men ages 20 to 29, according to Oregon Health Authority data.

Case rates per 100,000 individuals from 2012 to 2021 were the highest in Black or African American Oregonians.

Case rates in Oregon were the highest in Multnomah County, fifth highest in Marion County, followed by Lane County with the sixth highest rate.

Sydney Wyatt covers healthcare inequities in the Mid-Willamette Valley for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions, and tips to her at[email protected], (503) 399-6613, or on Twitter@sydney_elise44

The Statesman Journal’s coverage of healthcare inequities is funded in part by theM.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, which seeks to strengthen the cultural, social, educational, and spiritual base of the Pacific Northwest through capacity-building investments in the nonprofit sector.