Philly has the 3rd highest STD rate in the US

A new survey done by innerbody.com shows that Philly has the third-highest sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates in the US. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released it’s Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report and additional data about the number of reported sexually transmitted disease cases across metro areas and counties.  

To determine the results of this survey, innerbody.com analyzed the statistics on a city-by-city basis and created a list of the top 100 cities with key trends and the highest STD rates. Here’s everything they discovered from their analysis: 

Baltimore, MD topped the list followed by Jackson, MS. Philly came in third place. 

The survey shows that Philly has 1,822 STD cases per 100,000,000. The population includes 1,584,138. 

Philly also had the fifth-most total STD cases with 28,866 cases. 

When it comes to the most prominent STD, chlamydia ranked in first place with 21,119 cases. The CDC says that chlamydia can “cause serious, permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system.” When it comes to men, they rarely have long-term issues with the STD. Chlamydia can be cured with the right treatment provided by a doctor. 

Gonorrhea cases came in second place with 7,288 cases. Gonorrhea can cause health issues for both men and women, according to the CDC. They report that in women that it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, and in men, it could cause “painful condition in the tubes attached to the testicles.” Gonorrhea can also be cured with the right treatment provided by a doctor. However, some strains of the disease are harder to treat than others. 

HIV cases included a total of 499 people. The CDC reports that in 2018, 37,832 people received an HIV diagnosis. There is no cure for the disease, but it can be controlled. 

Philly also has 459 cases of syphilis. Syphilis can cause damage to your heart, brain, and other organs of the body, according to the CDC. Even if you get the appropriate treatment, it is still possible for syphilis to re-infect you. Follow-up testing is key.