Definition
Rate of newly reported cases of chlamydia by date of diagnosis per 100,000 persons.Numerator
Number of newly reported cases of chlamydia by date of diagnosis.Denominator
Number of persons in Utah.Data Interpretation Issues
Reported chlamydia rates are calculated by dividing the number of cases within the population of interest by the total number of persons within that population, then multiplying by 100,000. It should be noted that rates within small populations are volatile; a small change in the number of cases can noticeably change the rate. This change may look significant, but, statistically, it may not be. Caution is strongly recommended when interpreting small case numbers and rates.Why Is This Important?
Infections caused by the bacterium ''Chlamydia trachomatis'' are among the most frequently reported notifiable disease in Utah, with 11,107 cases reported in 2022. Almost sixty percent of the reported cases were among persons between 15 and 24 years of age. The overall rate for chlamydia in Utah in 2022 was 328.7 cases per 100,000 persons.
Females with chlamydia are at risk for developing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and both men and women may become infertile as a result of untreated chlamydia. Untreated chlamydia infections can damage the reproductive systems of both males and females. Susceptibility to more serious infections such as HIV also increases when an individual is infected with chlamydia. In addition, pregnant women with chlamydia can pass the infection to their infant during delivery, potentially resulting in pneumonia or neonatal ophthalmia.How Are We Doing?
Chlamydia infections continue to be the most frequently reported STI in Utah. In 2022, the rate of chlamydia was 328.7 per 100,000 persons. This is a decrease of 2.3% from 2021. Chlamydia rates in Utah have typically increased during the past ten years, with the exception of slight decreases in 2013 (2.9%), 2020 (6.7%), and 2022 (2.3%).
Over the past 10 years, rates in females have averaged twice that of males. Chlamydial infections in both men and women are commonly asymptomatic, yet screenings occur more often among females, resulting in higher rates of reported infections among females. However, with the expanded availability of urine testing, men are increasingly being tested for chlamydial infection. Over the past 10 years in Utah, the chlamydia rate in men increased by 39.1% as compared to a 21.5% increase in women over this period.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Chlamydial infections are the most frequently reported notifiable STI in the U.S., with 1,649,716 cases reported in 2022. Of these reported infections, 66.0% were among those 15 to 24 years of age. The overall rate for chlamydia in the U.S. in 2022 was 495.0 cases per 100,000 persons. The chlamydia rate in Utah is significantly lower than the U.S. rate. In 2022, the chlamydia rate in Utah ranked 44th in the nation. (CDC. [https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2022/tables/2.htm], 2024)
In Utah in 2022, persons aged 20 to 24 years reported the highest rates of chlamydia in both males and females. The rate for females in this age group in Utah in 2022 was 1,988.0 cases per 100,000 persons compared with 3,532.3 cases per 100,000 persons in the U.S. in 2022. The rate for males aged 20 to 24 years in Utah in 2022 was 864.3 per 100,000 persons compared with 1,571.2 cases per 100,000 persons in the U.S. in 2022. (CDC. [https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2022/tables/10.htm], 2024)What Is Being Done?
Persons who test positive for chlamydia are confidentially interviewed by a disease intervention specialist (DIS) from their local health department (LHD) to educate the patient, ensure proper treatment, and to obtain sexual partner information for follow up. This process helps prevent the spread of infection and keeps the patient from becoming reinfected.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services HIV/STD Elimination, Analysis, Response, and Treatment (HEART) program, along with LHDs, currently provide STI (sexually transmitted infection) presentations upon request to a variety of organizations, agencies, and facilities.
