CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Health officials say gonorrhea rates in Wyoming jumped 50 percent from 2016 to 2017, contributing to a dramatic rise in the sexually transmitted disease over the past half-decade.
Courtney Smith, the communicable disease surveillance program manager at the state Department of Health, said Wyoming’s gonorrhea case count has gone up 529 percent over the past five years.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported Thursday that the department attributes the increase to more anonymous sex and more partners, coupled with a drop in condom use.
The department said Niobrara, Fremont and Laramie counties had the highest gonorrhea rates in 2017.
The Centers for Disease and Prevention says gonorrhea is especially common among people ages 15 to 24. It can be cured with antibiotics but can cause lasting problems if left untreated.
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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com
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