A new Utah Department of Health (UDOH) report shows that chlamydia and gonorrhea cases are on the rise in the Beehive State. The report finds that chlamydia cases rose by 50 percent while gonorrhea cases nearly doubled during the last five years. The report, “Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Epidemiological Profile Utah 2003-2007,” also found that:

• Chlamydia was the number one most frequently reported communicable disease in Utah. Gonorrhea was number four.
• 23,166 cases of chlamydia and 3,451 cases of gonorrhea were reported in Utah between 2003 and 2007.
• 85 percent of reported chlamydia and 93 percent of reported gonorrhea cases occurred in those who lived along the Wasatch Front.
• These two sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were most commonly diagnosed in 15 to 29 year olds.

The UDOH is aiming to reduce the problem with a new campaign called “Catch the Answers,” that will educate young adults, parents and health care providers about the two common STDs. The campaign asks common questions about chlamydia and gonorrhea and then drives the public to the Web site www.CatchtheAnswers.com for more information.

“Can I catch gonorrhea in a hot tub?,” asks one of the campaign’s new ads. “Can I kiss someone with chlamydia?,” reads another. The ads are reaching out to Utah through radio advertisements, billboards and ads on buses and TRAX.

The new campaign will kick off Saturday, May 2, at the U92 Cinco De Mayo Custom Car Show and Concert at the USANA Amphitheater. Magnets printed with campaign slogans will be planted on vehicles and spread through the parking lot, symbolizing the way that STDs spread through a population. Doors open at 11 a.m.

“We are kicking off the campaign at a concert to reach the age group that is most at risk for chlamydia and gonorrhea,” says Marcee Mortensen, House Bill 15 Coordinator. “Data show that these STDs are hitting young people who live along the Wasatch Front.”

The campaign comes after the passage of House Bill 15 in the 2008 legislative session, which provided funding for the educational campaign.

“I sponsored House Bill 15 because the rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea were skyrocketing, particularly in young people,” says Representative Phil Riesen, House Bill 15’s chief sponsor. “These diseases frequently go undetected and can cause significant health problems such as infertility.”

Chlamydia and gonorrhea often go undetected because many people do not experience symptoms. These "silent" infections can result in pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and even infertility. Any sexually active person can be infected. Both chlamydia and gonorrhea can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth. Transmission can be prevented through sexual abstinence. Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can also greatly reduce, though not eliminate, the risk of STD transmission. In 2007, there were 5,721 reported cases of chlamydia in Utah, and 821 reported cases of gonorrhea.

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