Humboldt Sees Spike in Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Humboldt County Department of Health & (and) Human Services DHHSPress release from the Department of Health and Human Services:

County health officials are reporting a recent spike in HIV cases after an unusual number of infections were confirmed in April. Several of the cases are believed to be related.

Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis locally.

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Donald Baird said Humboldt County typically sees one positive syphilis case a year. That has increased up to five a week.

“There is an unprecedented number of STDs in Humboldt County, reflecting a national trend,” he said. “All of these diseases are treatable, but they have to be diagnosed first and can be most contagious in the early stages.”

It’s important for people to be honest with their medical providers about their sexual history and get tested regularly. People who have multiple partners, men who have sex with men and intravenous drug users who share needles are at greater risk.

Dr. Baird said some of those at highest risk are people who have anonymous partners, a practice made easier by the prevalence of smart phone hookup apps.

To find out if you are at risk or to make an appointment to get tested for STDs, call your health care provider or the Public Health Clinic at 707-268-2108.

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19 Comments
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Bc
Guest
Bc
5 years ago

Kinda takes the fun out of meeting someone new and exciting.

Connie Dobbs
Guest
Connie Dobbs
5 years ago
Reply to  Bc

It does add a little zing to meeting someone you’ve lived with for years.

life is good OG
Guest
life is good OG
5 years ago

Increase of HIV. Increase of needle use in area. Maybe the old needle exchange isn’t working. More needles, more needles in he streets, more cases of HIV. Go figure.

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
5 years ago

Correct. If I had to bet, the HIV cases are most likely from needles, not sex.

Hubertus
Guest
Hubertus
5 years ago

Wait, wait… are you actually arguing needle exchange programs *increase* needle garbage? Not only is there zero evidence for this (and in fact there’s evidence that suggests the opposite), but it’s an unintuitive argument on its face: the whole point is taking in dirty needles to give out fresh.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
5 years ago
Reply to  Hubertus

I’d bet needles still get shared,maybe only for the day or group,instead of week.
But not everyone uses the convenient dog poop bags on the trail. Junkies are even lazier than dog owners.

Pointing it out
Guest
Pointing it out
5 years ago

Blaming needle exchange and more needles equals more HIV? Needle exchange programs are a means of harm reduction. If users (who are obviously going to use, regardless of circumstances) have access to clean syringes then sharing decreases. And you can’t give yourself HIV with a clean needle. Don’t blame people trying to help that are using methods proven beneficial in many other places.

life is good OG
Guest
life is good OG
5 years ago

I vote bull crap. Junkies are lazy. Meth heads are lazy. They don’t care about a clean needle. They care about getting high. There is no harm reduction no matter what these people say. There has been an increase in overdoses, an increase in needles found on the streets and now an increase of HIV which is blood borne. Talk all the crap you want. As someone who knows junkies and meth heads I know what I see. Imagine using toilet water to shoot yourself up with their fancy new needles. Or how about water right off the street with a bright shiny needle. Makes me sick. No matter how you look at it the city has enabled what is now a larger segment of the community to be dependent on drugs. Let’s get some stats on how many have been taken off the streets, rehabilitated and are now working members of society. That’s what I want to hear.

Jonathan Dowe
Guest
Jonathan Dowe
5 years ago

Who really cares if junkies & druggies get HIV/AIDS or any other disease? The sooner they die off and the more that die will be a lot fewer with whom we have to deal and very good riddance.

Someone
Guest
Someone
5 years ago

Giving them more needles does not equal responsible needle usage. You think a strung out junkie is gonna wait for a clean needle? They wont, trust me. They will straight up steal someone elses or grab one off the ground. Your whole reasoning is that junkies use responsibly when they have access to more needles. There is no such thing as responsible intravenous drug use or responsible, health conscious junkies.

Pointing it out
Guest
Pointing it out
5 years ago

“There is no harm reduction,” you obviously have no clue what you’re talking about. I believe many in the medical profession would disagree with you. But that’s okay, everyone has a right to an opinion. I forgive you and your righteous ignorance

life is good OG
Guest
life is good OG
5 years ago

Save your forgiveness for someone who wants and/or needs it. I’m talking about the organizations that hands out the needles as a free for all. Maybe it does indeed benefit someone. Maybe the people who are active drug abusers down at the Needle exchange program down by the library. They get their free clean needles. And your right. Everyone has a right to an opinion without having to call someone ignorant who doesn’t happen to agree with you! Moving on now. It’s a beautiful day and I’m going to enjoy it.

Terry L. Clark
Guest
Terry L. Clark
5 years ago

It’s all the damned increased taxes and government “user fees”–more and more people are getting screwed royally!

Mendocino Mamma
Guest
Mendocino Mamma
5 years ago

It’s also a testament to the fact that you can’t get into the doctor. Appointments are few and far between often several weeks out. Back in the day Public Health used to be able to test you and pass out free condoms. That has been a thing of the past, budget cuts wiped those programs out. and now we’re paying the price 🙁

Diamond
Guest
5 years ago

Most likely sexually transmitted since other STIs are also on the rise.

anon
Guest
anon
5 years ago
Reply to  Diamond

You win the prize for being the first one to add 2 + 2. All these other goofs are arguing about needle programs when the real answer was in the HEADLINE!

Taurus Ballzhoff
Guest
Taurus Ballzhoff
5 years ago

Worked in the Lab for 41 years. Nowhere has as much Chlamydia/GC (often co-occurring) as Humboldt County.

If you shag him, bag him.

Wash your hands when you are finished…

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

It’s all the fault of smart phone hook up apps.

Jonathan Dowe
Guest
Jonathan Dowe
5 years ago

When I was working at a major hospital in the SF Bay area, some gentleman presented with syphilis chancres in his colostomy opening. He`d had a colostomy some years prior and had found a clever way to overcome his handicap. One does have to admire his partner for his absence of discrimination.