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PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Chlamydia Cases

Why Is This Important?

Infections caused by the bacterium ''Chlamydia trachomatis'' are among the most frequently reported notifiable disease in Utah, with 10,484 cases reported in 2020. Almost sixty percent of the reported cases were among persons between 15 and 24 years of age. The overall rate for chlamydia in Utah in 2020 was 322.6 cases per 100,000 persons. Females with chlamydia are at risk for developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and both men and women may become infertile as a result of untreated chlamydia. Untreated chlamydia infections can damage the reproductive systems of both males and females. Susceptibility to more serious infections such as HIV also increases when an individual is infected with chlamydia. In addition, pregnant women with chlamydia can pass the infection to their infant during delivery, potentially resulting in pneumonia or neonatal ophthalmia.

Chlamydia, Utah and U.S., 1992-2020

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Data Sources

  • Population Estimates: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
  • The Utah Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Epidemiology
  • National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Data Notes

Rates were calculated by dividing the number of cases for each year by the total population within that year and multiplying by 100,000. Prior to 2009, Utah rates were calculated using the morbidity report date; effective 2009, rates were calculated using the date of diagnosis. At the time of writing, U.S. STD Surveillance Data for 2020 was not yet available.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases include: * sexual activity among young adults 25 and younger * multiple sex partners * prior history of STDs * unprotected sex * illicit drug use [[br]] Those who fall within one or more of these categories should be tested for STDs in regular intervals. Sites of infection may include pharynx, rectum, vagina, cervix, and urethra. Due to anatomical and biochemical differences, women are also at increased risk for acquiring chlamydia than men.

How Are We Doing?

Chlamydia rates in Utah have typically increased during the past twenty years, with the exception of slight decreases in 2004 (2.7%), 2013 (2.9%), and 2020 (6.7%). The overall rate increase can be attributed to increased screening efforts, the use of increasingly sensitive diagnostic testing, efforts to increase reporting by providers and laboratories, and improved information systems for reporting. Such increased rates can be interpreted as an advancement in disease control as more infections are identified and treated, providing an opportunity to intervene in the spread of infection. Chlamydial infections in both men and women are commonly asymptomatic, yet screenings occur more often among females, resulting in higher rates of reported infections among females. However, with the increased availability of urine testing, men are increasingly being tested for chlamydial infection. Over the past 10 years in Utah, the chlamydia rate in men increased by 48.2% as compared to a 27.3% increase in women over this period.

What Is Being Done?

Persons who test positive for chlamydia are confidentially interviewed by a disease intervention specialist from their local health department to educate the patient, ensure proper treatment, and to obtain sexual partner information for follow up. This process helps prevent diagnosed individuals from spreading the infection and the patient from becoming reinfected. The Utah Department of Health HIV and STD Prevention and Surveillance Program, along with local health departments, currently provide STD (sexually transmitted disease) presentations upon request to a variety of organizations, agencies, and facilities.

Healthy People Objective: Reduce the proportion of adolescents and young adults with ''Chlamydia trachomatis'' infections

U.S. Target: Not applicable, see subobjectives in this category

Date Indicator Content Last Updated: 10/19/2021


Other Views

The information provided above is from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services IBIS-PH web site (http://ibis.health.state.gov). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 23:23:49 from Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.gov ".

Content updated: Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:47:42 MST