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The number of Minnesotans infected with sexually transmitted diseases has been surging since 1996, showed the report released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for National STD Awareness Month in April. The reportable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Minnesota are – Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis.

The report titled as “Minnesota Department of Health's 2007 Sexually Transmitted Disease Statistics” articulated that the number of cases of STDs in 2006 was 16,428. The number surged to a new high of 17,057 in 2007. More than 17,000 people became infected with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in 2007. That's a 3.8 percent increase over 2006. Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 had some of the highest rates of STD and comprised the majority of chlamydia cases.

“The rate of chlamydia, which can cause infertility, has more than doubled in the past 12 years and is the driving force behind these record number of STD cases. Chlamydia accounted for more than three-fourths of the total number of cases,” Peter Carr, director of the STD and HIV Section at MDH, said.

Minnesota Health Officials reported that among the 13,412-chlamydia cases, nearly 70 percent occurred in teens and young adults ages 15 to 24. Rates remain elevated among communities of color. The greatest increases for chlamydia, compared to 2006 data, have been in Greater Minnesota with an 8 percent increase, and in Twin City suburbs with a 4 percent increase.

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease. In United States of America, 350,000 people suffer from this disease annually and 75% of all reported cases of gonorrhea are found in people between the age group of 15-29. Gonorrhea is caused by bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This bacterium infects the mouth, rectum and genital tract of the infected person. In women, this disease infects the uterus and spreads to fallopian tubes, which causes pelvic inflammatory disease.

Gonorrhea spreads during oral, anal or vaginal sex with infected person. The bacteria of this disease are carried in vaginal fluid and semen and cause a discharge. This disease is caused by sexual relations with an infected person. In women, the symptoms of this disease are: bleeding during sexual intercourse, burning sensation during urination and yellow colored discharge from vagina with pain.

In men, the symptoms of this disease are: yellow or white colored pus in the penis, which causes severe pain, burning sensation during urination and inflammation of testicles. This disease can cause infertility in men if it is not treated properly. People suffering from gonorrhea are at high risk of getting HIV infection.

This disease can spread from infected mother to the newly born baby. If this disease is not treated properly, then infection will spread to other parts of the body and it will damage reproductive organs, joints, heart valves and brain of the patient. Antibiotics are used to cure this disease. The following antibiotics are used to cure gonorrhea:

· Levofloxacin
· Ofloxacin
· Ciprofloxacin
· Cefixime