North Carolina had mixed results on the CDC’s 2019 state rankings by rates of infection for the top three most reported sexually transmitted diseases statewide. While the state’s ranking for chlamydia infections remained in sixth place, the same as in 2018, its gonorrhea ranking jumped from ninth to eighth place in 2019, but primary and secondary syphilis dropped from 15th place to 19th.

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STD Testing in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

To help you locate an accredited laboratory/testing center, a list of resources has been compiled and can be found below.

Consult with your health care provider about any lab testing that you may be considering. It is also important to follow up with your health care provider to discuss your results within the context of your medical history.

At-Home STD Testing

Testing for STDs at home is safe, convenient, and private. Performed regularly, it can help you stay healthy and avoid unknowingly transmitting STDs.

You have many options for at-home STD testing. The best at-home STD tests are FDA approved and evaluated for safety and accuracy with fast result turnaround times and support from health care professionals.

At-home STD testing kits should include instructions for collection and test registration, along with materials such as containers and swabs to collect and send your sample to the lab. Most at-home STD tests offer results in about five days through a secure online patient portal.

STD Trends in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem is a city in and the seat of Forsyth County, located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. All three of the most reported STDs in Forsyth County rose in 2019, but gonorrhea diagnoses increased significantly, while the spikes in chlamydia and syphilis cases were relatively smaller.

Chlamydia

After recording a drop in chlamydia cases of more than 3.5% in 2017, Forsyth County saw major increases over the next two years. In 2018, chlamydia infections rose over 12% and increased again by more than 13% in 2019. The Forsyth County Department of Public Health reported that more than 65% of its new chlamydia cases in 2018 were among young adults aged 24 or younger, although this age group previously made up nearly 70% of the county’s total in 2014. Females in this age group comprised more than 71% of the group’s total chlamydia diagnoses in 2018, but the percentage attributed to females had also dropped from over 74% in 2014.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea infections in Forsyth County also dropped in 2017 by about 8%, only to bounce back up by nearly 21% in 2018 and by more than 34% in 2019. The county accounted for nearly 6% of the state’s total gonorrhea diagnoses in 2019 compared to contributing about 5% the previous year. Forsyth County’s rate of gonorrhea infection per 100,000 residents has been higher than the state’s overall average for several years. In 2019, the state’s overall infection rate was 254, while the county’s rate was 411, about 1.5 times higher.

Syphilis

Early syphilis diagnoses in Forsyth County include primary; secondary; and early latent, or non-primary, non-secondary, syphilis infections. North Carolina ranked each of its counties based on a three-year average of their early syphilis infection rates between 2017 and 2019. Forsyth County ranked fifth among all other counties with its average rate of nearly 25 cases per 100,000 residents. Diagnoses of primary and secondary syphilis, when the STD is most infectious, rose by 11% in Forsyth County in 2019, but the county’s cases only made up about 5% of the state’s total.

Some STDs can cause serious health problems and make you more likely to get other STDs, such as HIV, if you leave them untreated. It’s vital to find out right away if you have an STD to protect yourself and your sex partner(s), which you can do with reputable at-home STD tests and/or by visiting one of the many low-cost STD testing clinics located throughout Winston-Salem.

STD Resources in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Community-based STD testing organizations generate awareness and foster social change while providing access to testing and treatment.

If you’re concerned about visiting your regular doctor or can’t afford the cost of private testing, a community testing center may be able to help. While community testing centers may charge a fee for STD testing, it’s common to find free or low-cost testing from these resources:

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