What are the most common STDs in the New Orleans area?
In terms of numbers, chlamydia. We divide them up into bacterial and viral. It turns out that overall, genital herpes (a viral infection) are the most common in the population because it accumulates over time. (It can’t be cured with antibiotics.) Human papillomavirus (HPV) is another. (The CDC ranks HPV as the most common STD in the United States.) Neither is reported to the health department. The big three — chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis — are all bacterial. These are the ones that are reported. Others are perceived to be less significant in our population. We have very good tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and they are perceived to have a significant public health impact. Q: Is there a concentration of STDs among certain age groups? A: Yes, indeed. There are very distinct age group distributions. Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are mostly in the 15- to 20-year-olds, where the chlamydia is concentrated. For women, it’s true for gonorrhea as well. For men, the peak group
