(STACKER) — Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise, putting more people at risk as they spread.
Nationally, chlamydia rates have nearly doubled since 2000, while the rate of gonorrhea went up by 50% over the same period. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that syphilis rates are reaching levels last seen in the 1950s.
Virginia ranks 28th nationally in chlamydia cases, with 469.7 cases reported per 100,000 residents. The state ranks 27th nationally for cases of gonorrhea, with 154.7 reported per 100,000 residents. Finally, it ranks 38th nationally in syphilis cases (both primary and secondary), with just over 10 reported per 100,000 residents.
The original list from Stacker presented the top 50 Virginia cities and counties with the highest rates of STIs, using CDC data from 2021 and 2022. 8News compiled the Central Virginia localities from that list. Read on to see how your county or city ranked.
Virginia on the whole
– Chlamydia cases: 469.7 per 100K (#28 nationally, 40,789 cases)
– Gonorrhea cases: 154.7 per 100K (#27 nationally, 13,437 cases)
– Primary and secondary syphilis cases: 10.8 per 100K (#38 nationally, 936 cases)
#18. Caroline County
- Chlamydia cases: 389.4 per 100K people (122 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 111.7 per 100K people (35 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 6.4 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 6.4 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Original ranking: #50 statewide
#17. Buckingham County
- Chlamydia cases: 401.3 per 100K people (68 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 141.6 per 100K people (24 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 0 cases
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #48 statewide
#16. Chesterfield County
- Chlamydia cases: 430.0 per 100K people (1,594 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 129.8 per 100K people (481 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 9.4 per 100K people (35 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 3.2 per 100K people (12 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 6.2 per 100K people (23 cases)
- Original ranking: #42 statewide
#15. Northumberland County
- Chlamydia cases: 432.3 per 100K people (52 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 83.1 per 100K people (10 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 8.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 8.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Original ranking: #41 statewide
#14. Dinwiddie County
- Chlamydia cases: 433.5 per 100K people (121 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 179.1 per 100K people (50 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 10.7 per 100K people (3 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 7.2 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 3.6 per 100K people (1 case)
- Original ranking: #40 statewide
#13. Greensville County
- Chlamydia cases: 463.4 per 100K people (53 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 157.4 per 100K people (18 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 0 cases
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #37 statewide
#12. Prince George County
- Chlamydia cases: 464.1 per 100K people (199 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 149.3 per 100K people (64 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 4.7 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 2.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 2.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Original ranking: #36 statewide
#11. Cumberland County
- Chlamydia cases: 495.8 per 100K people (48 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 206.6 per 100K people (20 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 10.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 10.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #33 statewide
#10. Colonial Heights City
- Chlamydia cases: 498.0 per 100K people (91 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 136.8 per 100K people (25 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 16.4 per 100K people (3 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 5.5 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 10.9 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Original ranking: #32 statewide
#9. Henrico County
- Chlamydia cases: 563.9 per 100K people (1,881 case)
- Gonorrhea cases: 208.1 per 100K people (694 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 18.3 per 100K people (61 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 7.8 per 100K people (26 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 10.5 per 100K people (35 cases)
- Original ranking: #26 statewide
#8. Brunswick County
- Chlamydia cases: 570.9 per 100K people (91 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 282.3 per 100K people (45 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 12.5 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 12.5 per 100K people (2 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #25 statewide
#7. Essex County
- Chlamydia cases: 576.9 per 100K people (61 case)
- Gonorrhea cases: 66.2 per 100K people (7 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 0 cases
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #24 statewide
#6. Sussex County
- Chlamydia cases: 594.6 per 100K people (64 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 241.6 per 100K people (26 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 0 cases
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 0 cases
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #22 statewide
#5. Prince Edward County
- Chlamydia cases: 620.1 per 100K people (136 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 287.3 per 100K people (63 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 22.8 per 100K people (5 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 4.6 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 18.2 per 100K people (4 cases)
- Original ranking: #21 statewide
#4. Nottoway County
- Chlamydia cases: 711.8 per 100K people (111 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 128.3 per 100K people (20 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 6.4 per 100K people (1 case)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 6.4 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 0 cases
- Original ranking: #15 statewide
#3. Hopewell City
- Chlamydia cases: 911.8 per 100K people (211 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 440.8 per 100K people (102 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 17.3 per 100K people (4 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 4.3 per 100K people (1 case)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 13.0 per 100K people (3 cases)
- Original ranking: #9 statewide
#2. Richmond City
- Chlamydia cases: 1,104.6 per 100K people (2,503 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 543.7 per 100K people (1,232 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 51.2 per 100K people (116 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 23.8 per 100K people (54 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 27.4 per 100K people (62 cases)
- Original ranking: #4 statewide
#1. Petersburg City
- Chlamydia cases: 1,295.3 per 100K people (433 cases)
- Gonorrhea cases: 511.5 per 100K people (171 cases)
- Syphilis cases (non-congenital): 50.9 per 100K people (17 cases)
- Primary and secondary syphilis: 26.9 per 100K people (9 cases)
- Nonprimary and nonsecondary early syphilis: 23.9 per 100K people (8 cases)
- Original ranking: #2 statewide
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.
Stacker used CDC data to look at which counties reported the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections in Virginia. Counties are ranked by the rate of chlamydia infections, the most prominent STI at the national level, with gonorrhea and then syphilis rates serving as tiebreakers.
This story focuses on bacterial infections, which can be cured, rather than viral infections such as HIV and herpes. At the county level, 2021 cases are the most recent available from the CDC, but state and national-level data for 2022 are also included. This story focuses on sexual transmissions and does not include congenital syphilis cases that were inherited from the mother.
