Percentage of gonorrhea cases highest in Nevada

LAS VEGAS - Population growth is being blamed for Nevada having the nation's highest percentage of gonorrhea cases in 1998.

Nationwide, the reported cases of gonorrhea in 1998 jumped 9 percent, according to figures released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

In Nevada that year, the percentage of cases rose 74.5 percent - the highest increase in the country. The state, however, retained a relatively low number of cases, with only 10 reported per 100,000 residents.

Mississippi led the country with 391.5 cases per 100,000 people.

In Clark County, 1,215 cases of gonorrhea were reported in 1998, compared to 696 cases the year before.

Nevada's population surge affects such statistics, said William Trejo, Clark County Health District program manager for sexually transmitted diseases. Southern Nevada, home to 1.3 million people, is growing by about 50,000 residents a year. He also noted the more than 30 million tourists a year also can account for statistical jumps.

Legalized prostitution, however, does not. There has not been a sexually transmitted disease case reported in any of Nevada's brothels in the past seven years, Trejo said. Brothels are banned in Clark and Washoe counties.

''The most dangerous place for sexually transmitted diseases in Clark County is the street, from the (illegal) prostitutes,'' Trejo said.

The 1998 surge surprised health officials. They say new drugs coming onto the market that fight sexually transmitted diseases may be giving people reason to abandon safe-sex practices.

''There does seem to be some real increases in the overall number of gonorrhea cases due to unsafe sexual behavior,'' said Debra Mosure, a CDC epidemiologist.

Preliminary CDC figures for 1999 are showing a decline from the surge in 1998. The Nevada State Health Division reported 537 total cases last year, which represent a decrease of 67 cases from 1998.

Gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. If left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammation and infertility in women and can also spread the AIDS virus.

The analysis of the 1998 gonorrhea figures show that the Northeast was the only region showing a decline - 0.8 percent. Maine had the lowest number of reported cases at 5.4 per 100,000 people.