Answer Man: Asheville, Buncombe County seeing STD rise? HIV, syphilis, other diseases?
ASHEVILLE - A reader concerned about national news of rising sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases asks what is happening with those diseases locally.
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Question: I recently read an article about sexually transmitted diseases being at epidemic proportion in the United States. What does the county health director in Buncombe report in terms of data comparing 2023 with previous years? What are the numbers for specific sexually transmitted diseases? Information regarding treatment would also be helpful.
Answer: Sexual health and medical professionals have been sounding the alarm about STDs, particularly syphilis cases, which surged nationally in 2022 to their highest level since 1950, according to a report released in January by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
STDs can be spread "by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has an STD," the CDC says.
The state is reflecting what is happening nationally, Dr. Ellis Matheson, Buncombe County public health director, told the Citizen Times.
"North Carolina is seeing an increase in the number of reported cases of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases," Matheson said.
Locally, the rates of human immunodeficiency virus have vacillated among county residents − from 10.1 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 5.3 in 2018 to 10.8 in 2022. That comes from the latest data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
HIV weakens a person's immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. There is currently no effective cure for HIV. But with proper medical care, it can be controlled, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Buncombe, the rates of chlamydia, another STD, have stayed largely steady from 2015 to 2022, while gonorrhea infections have risen, from 119 cases per 100,000 to 140.
Syphilis infections, meanwhile, have climbed in the county. In 2015 there were 27 cases of early and late-stage syphilis. In 2022 there were 58 cases. Per 100,000 people, that's a rise of 4.8 cases to 8.4 for early syphilis, and 5.9 to 12.8 for late syphilis.
That increase worries health professionals. It's because even though the numbers are still relatively low, the disease can do real damage.
Syphilis can affect the brain and nervous system, causing dementia, tinnitus and, in some severe cases, death. Permanent vision impairment, including total blindness, is another possible consequence of untreated syphilis.
Luckily, it's treatable with antibiotics. But the problem is people may not know they have it. Taking precautions and getting tested are the key, said Matheson, the county health director.
"It's important to know your HIV and sexually transmitted infection status and the status of your partner," she said, noting consistent condom use is also a good strategy. (For those concerned about HIV, Matheson also suggested considering PrEP, a medicine that can be taken via injection or pill to reduce changes of infection.)
"We encourage people to get tested by scheduling an appointment with their medical provider," Matheson said.
Residents can make an appointment at the county's Reproductive and Sexual Health Clinic at 40 Coxe Ave. by calling 828-250-5000.
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Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Answer Man: Asheville area seeing STD rise? HIV, other diseases?
