Baltimore has the 7th Highest overall STD Infection rate in the U.S.

After enjoying years of success, public health officials in Maryland are scrambling to address a disturbing increase in new HIV cases in Baltimore and other major cities in the state. Among newly diagnosed HIV cases, the percentage of young people ages 20-29 nearly doubled — from 16% in 2003 to 31% in 2012 (the most recent data available). Worse still, this trend is skewed along racial lines, with 75% of all HIV cases occuring among African Americans, mostly gay black men.

Since many young people don’t even know they are infected with an STD, treatment that can halt or even cure many STDs in early stages is delayed, meaning the disease is given more time to strengthen its hold on the body and cause permanent internal damage.

“We have a situation where we are somewhat victims of our own success with the epidemic,” said Dr. Patrick Ryscavage, medical director of the JACQUES Initiative at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “HIV has gone from what was seen as a terminal illness to a chronic disease. We tell patients we expect them to live full healthy lives if they come in and seek treatment.”

The fact that HIV can now be controlled with powerful and effective daily medications may be allievating some of the pressure to take an STD test, especially in young people. However, without a test, you cannot know for sure if you have HIV or most other STDs. And left untreated, many of these diseases quickly cause irrepairable damage to your body, and you inadvertently spread it to your other partners, perpetuating the epidemic.

You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to reguarlarly test for STDs and HIV. Private Testing Center has over 2000 locations nationwide, including over 70 testing labs within a 50 mile radius of Baltimore. We make it easy and convenient to get answers. Call us today.