Montgomery, Alabama and Mobile, Alabama have been identified as two of the cities with the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, according to recent data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC report, the first to be published since the COVID-19 lockdown, analyzed STD rates in various cities across the country, with a notable concentration of high rates in the southern region.
Notably, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania reported the highest rate of STD cases at 1,504 per 100,000 residents, with several cities in the Deep South following closely behind. Montgomery ranked seventh on the list with 1,323 cases per 100,000 residents, with chlamydia being the most prevalent STD in the city, followed by gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV cases. Similarly, Mobile ranked 14th on the list, with chlamydia cases being dominant in the city as well.
The report highlighted that despite accounting for only 39% of the population, the Southern region comprised 68% of the top 25 cities with high STD rates. The study suggested that social and racial disparities, such as lack of health insurance, poverty, substance abuse, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure, could be contributing factors to the prevalence of STDs in these areas, disproportionately affecting minority racial and ethnic groups.
Of particular concern was the rise in syphilis cases, which saw 220 cases of stillbirth or infant mortality in the U.S. within a year, as infants born with syphilis face significant long-term health consequences. Dr. Laura Bachmann, chief medical officer in the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, emphasized the impact of the STD epidemic on communities, especially among Black, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaskan Native populations.
Nationwide, cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and 710,000 cases of gonorrhea reported in the U.S. The findings underscore the importance of addressing STD prevention and treatment efforts, particularly in communities facing social and racial disparities that contribute to high STD rates.