Based on the report submitted by the Alaska Division of Public Health, Alaska has the most cases of Chlamydia and second-highest number of gonorrhea cases in the United States.

In 2010 alone, Alaska reported a total of 6,026 cases of Chlamydia. That number is 13 percent higher than the previous year. 849 out of 100,000 people in Alaska are infected with Chlamydia; a roaring ratio compared to the national rate of 417 per 100,000.

On the other hand, despite the reports of national decrease in the cases of gonorrhea, Alaska maintained a 179 per 100,000 rates of gonorrhea cases. In 2010, the incidents increased to 23 percent from the previous year; a total of 1,273 reported cases in 2010 alone.

Alaska’s HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Program Coordinator, Susan Jones, said that the rates may be due to Alaska’s demographics. The cases of gonorrhea and Chlamydia are centered on the youth and on the average, Alaska has more teenagers to young adults compared to the majority of the states.

Jones added that the sexually transmitted diseases are prevalent among the ethnic groups. The worst cases of infections are reported largely from the native population of the state. She said that lack of access and timely treatment exacerbates the problem.

In line with this, the Alaska Medical Board, just recently changed their rules allowing physicians to give preventive medication to sexual partners of those who are infected with sexually transmitted diseases even before they have been examined.

Jones said that the rationale behind this ruling is the fact that Chlamydia symptoms are very mild and are often disregarded.