STDs at an all-time high, condom use down, CDC says

Three types of sexually transmitted diseases are at a record high in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials report cases of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia have risen for the fifth consecutive year. More than 2 million people were diagnosed last year. The combined number marks the most cases ever recorded in the U.S. since monitoring began.

Possible factors driving the increased numbers of STD cases include a surge in people getting tested, and cases being diagnosed and reported.

Health officials say there's also a decline in people using condoms.

The new report also found the rates of STD cases reported were highest among adolescents and young adults.

The highest number of reported cases of chlamydia were in Alaska. Mississippi had the highest number of gonorrhea cases and Nevada reported the most secondary syphilis cases. For each of those three diseases, rates in the District of Columbia were higher than all states.

North Carolina ranked sixth for chlamydia cases, ninth in gonorrhea cases, and 15th for secondary syphilis cases.