Ottawa sees increase in STD cases, possibly due to more testing, expert says

The incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young Canadians has, like the rate among their U.S. peers, risen significantly in the past few years. In Ottawa, the city's rates of chlamydia and HIV are higher than in any other urban center in the province, according to the city's newspaper, the Citizen.

The Ottawan HIV rate has risen particularly high, overshadowing that of every other provincial town by at least 33 percent, the news source reported.

The city's instances of syphilis and gonorrhea have also become more common in the past year, especially among 15- to 24-year-olds. The newspaper added that chlamydia has become so common in Ottawa that some clinics have had to knock down walls to make way for the increased inrush of patients.

One clinician told the Citizen that the rising rates at least partially reflect the increase in testing among all age groups, although she stressed that they also indicate that youths are having more unprotected sex with more partners.

Individuals of any age who believe that they have contracted an STD may consider using an online testing service if they are concerned about maintaining their privacy.

In the U.S., approximately half of the 19 million new cases of STDs each year are reported by young adults between the ages of 15 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.