Sexually transmitted diseases in Chatham-Kent (CK) are on the decline.
Chatham-Kent Public Health (CK Public Health) reported 282 sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections last year, approximately 100 fewer cases when compared to each of the last five years.
The local health unit noted that sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections were the largest burden of reportable diseases in CK in 2024, excluding seasonal respiratory illnesses, accounting for 73 per cent of all infectious diseases in Chatham-Kent in 2024.
According to the CK health unit, Chlamydia (214 cases, 55 per cent) and Gonorrhea (34 cases, nine per cent) were the most frequently reported infectious diseases in 2024, followed by Invasive Streptococcus Pneumoniae (22 cases, six per cent), Invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease (21 cases, six per cent), Hepatitis C (19 cases, five per cent), Campylobacter Enteritis (18 cases, five per cent), and Salmonellosis (11 cases, three per cent).
However, rates for chlamydial infections, gonorrhea, and hepatitis C all decreased in 2024 compared to the previous five-year average, said CK Public Health.
"Rates of chlamydia and hepatitis C were comparable to the province, while the rate of gonorrhea was significantly lower than Ontario," said Laura Zettler, CK Public Health Epidemiologist and Program Manager.
In Chatham-Kent and Ontario, chlamydia rates were highest among females overall and among 15 to 24-year-olds, noted public health officials, while Chatham-Kent males experienced lower rates compared to Ontario males.
The data also showed that Chatham-Kent had a higher chlamydia incidence rate compared to Ontario among those ages 15 to 24 and lower rates compared to the province in all other age groups. For gonorrhea, the 25 to 44 age group experienced the highest rates, and the rate in Chatham-Kent was significantly lower than the province for every age group and among males overall.
Rates of hepatitis C were highest among 25 to 44-year-olds, and among males overall, locally, and provincially, the data showed. In Chatham-Kent, 45 to 64-year-olds experienced the highest rate of invasive group A streptococcal disease, which was significantly higher than the provincial rate for this age group.
Zettler also said campylobacter enteritis and salmonellosis rates were comparable to the province and have not changed significantly in comparison to the previous five-year average. Rates of invasive streptococcus pneumoniae and invasive group A streptococcal disease were trending higher compared to the province and the last five years, but differences were not statistically significant, officials noted.
"The rates of invasive streptococcus pneumoniae were highest among those 65 and older and among males overall, locally, and provincially," said Zetler.
The 2024-25 respiratory season saw COVID-19 activity peaking early in the season (end of September 2024), and influenza activity peaking in early February 2025, said CK Public Health. Overall, COVID-19 activity was lower compared to the 2023-24 respiratory season, and influenza activity was higher.
CK Public Health noted a total of 388 new cases of reportable infectious diseases among Chatham-Kent residents in 2024.
The health unit also reported 43 enteric, foodborne, and waterborne diseases (11 per cent), 32 vaccine-preventable diseases (eight per cent), 29 diseases transmitted by direct contact or respiratory routes (seven per cent), and two vector-borne diseases (one per cent) in 2024.
