Every year there are an estimated 20 million new sexually transmitted disease infections in the U.S. Nationally, recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show cases of three reported S.T.D.s chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, all increased for the first time since 2006.  In Illinois, the number of chlamydia and syphilis cases increased in 2014 from the previous year, while gonorrhea cases decreased.  There were more than 66,500 chlamydia cases, almost 16,000 gonorrhea cases, and approximately 1,680 syphilis cases in 2014 in Illinois.  “Any increase in S.T.D.s, especially in young people, is concerning,” said IDPH Director Dr. Nirav D. Shah.  “While chlamydia and gonorrhea infections may not cause any symptoms, undiagnosed infections could lead to lifelong consequences, especially in women, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.”  Similar to the U.S., half of the S.T.D.s cases in Illinois are in people under 25 years of age.  Young people ages 15 to 24, gay, bisexual, men who have sex with men, and some minority groups have a higher risk of becoming infected with an STD.  Behavioral factors, such as not using condoms, contribute to the increased risk in these groups.  In addition, difficulty accessing quality health care also contributes to the higher STD burden among these groups.  S.T.D.s are preventable.  For more information on S.T.D.s go to www.cdc.gov/std/.