FULTON COUNTY, GA — Total U.S. cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are higher than ever. And rates are climbing fast, according to new data released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with a 19 percent increase in syphilis cases between 2014 and 2015, alone.

In the Atlanta metro area, rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea were below the national rate. But syphilis cases in the Atlanta region totaled 1,097, with a rate of 19 cases for every 100,000 people. That's more than twice the national rate of infection. Most of the syphilis cases in the region are found in Fulton — with a rate of 45 cases per 100,000 people — and DeKalb. Gwinnett and Cobb counties were also included in a list of the 70 counties in the U.S. with the highest syphilis rates.

There are more than 1.5 million cases of chlamydia nationwide, as well as 400,000 cases of gonorrhea and almost 24,000 cases of the most infectious stages of syphilis, according to the new data. Teens and young adults ages 15 to 24 account for nearly two-thirds of diagnosed cases of chlamydia and half of gonorrhea cases. STDs cost the U.S. healthcare system nearly $16 billion a year, according to the CDC. And chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with antibiotics, but most STD cases go undiagnosed and untreated. That puts those infected at greater risk for serious health threats, including infertility, chronic pain and HIV infection.

"We have reached a decisive moment for the nation," said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. "STD rates are rising, and many of the country's systems for preventing STDs have eroded. We must mobilize, rebuild and expand services – or the human and economic burden will continue to grow."

Federal health officials are sounding the alarm as state and local governments nationwide address budget challenges by cutting STD prevention and treatment resources. More than 20 STD clinics have closed within one year, according to the CDC.



"STD prevention resources across the nation are stretched thin, and we're beginning to see people slip through the public health safety net," Mermin said in a statement. "Turning the STD epidemics around requires bolstering prevention efforts and addressing new challenges – but the payoff is substantial in terms of improving health, reducing disparities and saving billions of dollars."