Summer lovin’: Not necessarily a blast Published April 28, 2015 By Senior Airman Brenard Beamon 27th Special Operations Aerospace Medicine Squadron CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- As summer approaches, people begin to prepare for fun in the sun. Many have planned vacations, summer cookouts and parties, most expect to get a tan and enjoy some recreational time off. In some cases however, people can receive something they would not have expected… a sexually transmitted disease. During the joyous celebrations and activities of the summer months, there appears to be a spike in people contracting these infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the month of April is STD Awareness Month. The mission of the CDC’s “STD Awareness Month” is to get individuals who are sexually active educated and tested for STDs. Currently, the CDC’s twitter account has articles and comments posted with the hashtag #STDMONTH15! According to the CDC, approximately half of the 20 million new STD cases that occur in the U.S. are among young people, ages 15 to 25. The most common STD infections at Cannon are chlamydia and gonorrhea. In 2014, there were 36 cases of chlamydia and 4 cases of gonorrhea. Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium organism called Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is spread by having any form of unprotected sex with someone who is infected. Individuals with chlamydia infections are not always apparent or show symptoms. Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea is also known as the clap, the drip or the burn. These terms explain how the disease affects those who contract it. The only way to completely avoid STDs is to refrain from having sex, but there are several ways to lower your chances of being infected with an STD. You can maintain a long term relationship with a partner who has had a recent negative STD test result; use latex condoms or dental dams correctly when engaging in sexual intercourse; and be aware of basic facts about STDs, like how it is spread and treatment options available. Most importantly, get tested! If you believe you might be at risk of having an STD, please contact your healthcare provider to get tested. If you have general questions or need education on how to prevent STDs, please contact the Public Health office at 575-784-4926.