Reports of chlamydia are up in Rock County, Wisconsin

Over the past year, reports of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Rock County, Wisconsin have increased 18 percent, and there has been a 32 percent spike in the number of new chlamydia cases, according to the Janesville Gazette.

The newspaper explained that county health officials are unsure whether more individuals are having unprotected sex or if more instances of testing have led to an increase in diagnosed STDs.

"We preach all the time about increased screening. If you’re sexually active, you should be screened at least once a year and whenever you change partners. If people are doing what we’re telling them to do, maybe the numbers are up because they’re being screened," Health Department Nursing Director Janet Zoellner told the news provider.

However, Zoellner also said that there were fewer cases of gonorrhea recorded in 2010 compared to the previous year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chlamydia is the most frequently reported STD in the U.S., affecting more than 1.2 million people annually. The organization notes that many people live with chlamydia for years without experiencing any symptoms of the disease. However, untreated infections may cause irreversible damage to a woman's reproductive organs.