Oklahoma remains in the top 10 for its high rates of STDS

Oklahoma has seen a significant increase in sexually transmitted disease infections over the past few years, causing great concern among the public health community.

In 2015, Oklahoma had the fifth-highest rate of gonorrhea in the United States and, in 2016, the seventh-highest rate of chlamydia.

Additionally, from 2013 to 2015, Oklahoma saw a 77 percent increase of first- and second-stage infections of syphilis.

State epidemiologist Kristy Bradley told the state Board of Health at its Tuesday meeting that social networking apps are one of the biggest drivers of the increase.