County Health Department watches troubling STI trend

health-safe630348
health-safe630348

The Berrien County Health Department has seen an increase in sexually transmitted infections in the last four years. During this Sexually Transmitted Infections Awareness Week, Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller told us chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common STIs.

“We have had some pretty significantly high incidence rates in those two when you look at Berrien County compared to the state of Michigan, that kind of 2019 to 2020 season,” Miller said.

Miller says in 2019, the county had 544 cases of chlamydia per 100,000 residents. Now, it’s up to 622. For gonorrhea, the rate went from 193 cases per 100,000 to 338. Not only is it easy to prevent those illnesses, they are treatable. Miller recommends expedited partner therapy in these cases.

“If you or your sexual partner or partners, if somebody tests positive, we can treat you, the individual, and any partners you might have had that you might have exposed.”

Miller says gonorrhea has been showing some signs of resistance to antibiotics, meaning it’s important to get tested and treated now before that becomes more difficult. He recommends reaching out to the health department for testing if you suspect you may have an STI.