| Show Chlamydia 1999 Cases of Chlamydia in Utah 219 Compiled by Janet Smith Infections due to Chlamydia are among the most prevalent of all sexually transmitted diseases In women these infections often result in pelvic inflammatory disease which can cause infertlity ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain From 1988 through 1991 the UtahS ratio showedUtah rate approximately one-third the national rate However in 1992 the Utah rate increased to about one-half of theS rate The ratio remained relatively unchanged throughout 1997 but the rate rose sharply in 1998 and 1999 This trend may reflect increased screening recognition of asymptomatic infection mainly in women and improved reporting as well as the continuing high burden of the disease Table 65 indicates that women have ahigher reported incidence than do men This may represent poor reporting of infected males and improved detection of asymptomatic infection in women through screening The low rates in men suggest that many of the sex partners of women with chlamydia are not diagnosed or reported In addition men misdiagnosed as having nongonococeal urethritis are treated frequently and not tested for chlamydia In 1998 chlamydia test positivity increased in nine of ten Health and Human Services regions compared with 1997 However the reported increases are most likely due to changes in laboratory test methods and associated increase in test sensitivity Expansion of screening programs to populations with high prevalence of disease may also have contributed to these increases The Utah incidence for females is slightly less Utahmale than half of the national figure incidence is generally higher than half the national figure although in 1995 1996 and 1997 the Utah rate for men dropped to nearly half of the national rate The 1998 rates reflectedslight increase compared to the 1997 figures possibly asresult Table 64 Chlamydia Incidence Utah andS 1988-1999 Year Utah S 818 307 1988 972 406 1989 1454 423 1990 1631 425 1991 1783 895 1992 1679 882 1993 1884 1001994 1904 859 1995 1945 819 1996 2047 887 1997 2186 1052 1998 2541057 1999 Incidence rates per 100 000 population UtahS 380 420 290 260 500 530 530 450 420 430 480 42 Table 65 Chlamydia Incidence by Gender Utah andS 1988-1998 Incidence rates per 100 000 population Sources Utah andS 1994-1998 S Departmentof Human Services -Sexually Transmitied Health and Disease Surveillance of the above-mentioned issues 104 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
