Minnesota STD rate hits a record high

Recent data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows that there were more reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) found among state residents during 2010 than in any other year, according to an article published by Fox 9 News.

The news provider stated that 17,760 Minnesotans were diagnosed with either gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis last year.

Chlamydia accounted for the largest portion of these reports, with 15,294 new cases, the news source explained.

"Not only does this total represent a 6 percent increase from the previous year, it’s the highest number of cases ever recorded in Minnesota in a single year since we began tracking chlamydia back in 1986," Peter Carr, a manager at the Department of Health, told Fox 9.

He noted that state health officials are implementing a number of new strategies to address the rising STD rate, including a statewide action plan that will aim to prevent the spread of chlamydia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, undiagnosed or untreated STDs can result in a number of serious health conditions, including infertility, vision loss or organ malfunction.

Anyone who would like to be screened for these infections may consider using online testing services.