Georgia residents are urged to maintain awareness of STD risk

A recent article published in the Savannah Tribune indicates that although it has been 30 years since the first case of HIV was diagnosed in the U.S., many Georgians are still unaware of the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their risk of infection.

The newspaper highlighted that rates of STDs are especially high in southern parts of the country and that Georgia has the sixth highest HIV prevalence in the nation. Moreover, Savannah has the most HIV-infected residents in the state, second only to Atlanta.

However, HIV is not the only area of concern in regard to STDs in Georgia, since the state also has one of the highest rates of syphilis, the news provider explained. The news source noted that individuals who are at high risk for contracting an STD due to engaging in unprotected sex or intercourse with multiple partners should receive testing at least one time each year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 21 percent of the more than 1.1 million Americans who are infected with HIV have not received a proper diagnosis.