A new CDC analysis suggests that men who have sex with men (MSM) are at elevated risk for extragenital STDs (e.g. chlamydia or gonorrhea in the throat or rectum), which can be difficult to treat, lead to drug resistance, and increase the risk of HIV infection. Researchers used CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance data to estimate the prevalence of extragenital STDs among gay and bisexual men in community venues in five U.S. cities. Findings show one in eight (13 percent) of the study’s participants had at least one extragenital STD infection. Additionally, while CDC recommends STD testing for all sexually active gay and bisexual men at least once a year, the study found that one-third (33 percent) of gay and bisexual men in the study were not tested for an STD in the previous 12 months,
About Kim Rodgers
Pronouns: She/Her
Kim Rodgers was formerly the Communications Manager at NACCHO.