Sexually transmitted diseases are preventable ailments that can cause harmful and costly complications, including reproductive health problems, fetal and perinatal health problems, and cancer.

In 2016, 50 cases of chlamydia per 10,000 residents were reported in our region, a 231% increase since 2001. However, the rate has dropped 12% since the peak in 2010. New York's rate was higher, at 55 per 10,000 in 2016, and has followed a similar pattern as the regional rate, more than doubling since 2001.

The local counties with the highest number of cases per 10,000 in 2016 were Monroe (63, little change since 2015), Orleans (35, down 8% from 2015) and Seneca (32, up 11% from 2015). The rate in the City of Rochester was 150, a 1% decrease from the previous year and almost three-times greater than their rate of 58 in 2001. The lowest frequencies were in Livingston (20, up 16% from 2015) with the next lowest in Yates (23, down 9% from 2015). The rate decreased in each local county from 2015 except in Genesee, Livingston, and Seneca (up 8%, 16%, and 11% respectively).

Not all sexually transmitted disease cases are reported. Variations in screening procedures and community awareness can have an impact on recorded trends. There are some differences in how the state and Monroe County report data (e.g., out-of-county residents tested by a county provider, duplicate tests), which may result in some discrepancies in data reported for Rochester. Data for this indicator are expected to be released in the fourth quarter.