CDC Says Sexually Transmitted Diseases Are At a Record High in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control released a report showing a nationwide increase in sexually transmitted diseases for 2014 — particularly, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. There were approximately 1.4 million cases of chlamydia reported, which is the highest number the CDC has ever seen. Syphilis and gonorrhea were also up, with a 15.1 percent increase from 2013 for syphilis and a 5.1 percent rise for gonorrhea.

The report also showed a specific group to be affected. Around half of the new cases belonged to young people, ages 15 to 24. “America’s worsening STD epidemic is a clear call for better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention,” said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, in a statement. “STDs affect people in all walks of life, particularly young women and men, but these data suggest an increasing burden among gay and bisexual men.”

While the CDC doesn’t state any possible reasons for the increase, it could very well be just a sign of the times. Earlier this year, the Rhode Island Department of Health suggested the rise in cases of sexually transmitted infections could be attributed to social media and dating apps.