Yesterday we told you about Montana perhaps gaining ground in the battle against gonorrhea, while facing an alarming rise in syphilis. Breakups are never fun and this one was no exception. Vanderziel suddenly found herself back on the dating scene. The thenyear-old Missoulian says she was drinking too much at that time and not making great decisions:. Meaning, she says, not always demanding her partners wear a condom, or discussing sexual histories.
Before long Vanderziel started to notice unusual symptoms. She ignored the problem for a while, but eventually sought help. The diagnosis was positive for chlamydia. They're getting it from male partners, or sharing it with male partners, so the disease is probably equal should the men be tested as often," Neilson says.
Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, however, it can lead to serious complications, including infertility. There are many explanations behind the alarming rise in sexually transmitted infections. One of them is the emergence of the new "hook up culture. Pretty much the all of my friends have had some sort of STI, or been exposed or know someone who has," Vanderziel says.
Further aggravating infection rates is the tricky nature of sexually transmitted infections. Sometimes they present no obvious symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea testing of all sexually active women younger than 25 years of age.
Men who have sex with men should talk to their healthcare providers about general sexual health screenings. Treatment is just a step away. We all make mistakes. We can all move forward. Learn more about STIs, including prevention, symptoms and treatment options. Search Query Show Search. Support MTPR. Show Search Search Query. Play Live Radio. Next Up:. All Streams. Celebrate MTPR's 60th anniversary with us! Join us February 7th at 6 p. Montana News. Centers for Disease Control.
