Better keep a lid on it. Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in San Luis Obispo County.
According to the SLO County Health Agency, there was a 14 percent increase in Chlamydia cases in the last year (371 in 2009 and 422 in 2010) and 178 percent increase in gonorrhea (from nine cases to 25). Though the number of new HIV infections per year (15 cases in ’09 to 20 in ’10) remained relatively level, there was a rise in the number of HIV/AIDS patients seeking care (31 cases last year).
Disease experts aren’t sure why there was a sudden rise in some venereal diseases. STD specialists think that some disease strains might be getting more resistant to treatment or that medical outlets might be getting better at diagnosing the ailments, according to a Health Agency statement.
Of course, it might be something even more basic. A county report states the rise might just be due to “some combination of behavioral change.” New Times was unable to determine whether there’s been a local corollary increase in Barry White albums as of press time.
This article appears in Aug 4-11, 2011.