MIAMI—Talent Testing Service (TTS) released its November 2023 update featuring the positivity rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Chlamydia Urine - Positivity Index
Overall, the three Chlamydia Urine rates show a similar behavior over time, including a steady downward trend from the November 2022 peak. In November 2023, the Male rate dropped to 1.6% from 1.8% in the prior month. The Female rate has also dropped from 1.4% to 1.3%, while the Total rate decreased from 1.6% to 1.5%. In summary, seeing that historic levels have been around 2.0%, the current November rates below 2.0% can be considered to be within expectations.
GC (Gonorrhea) Urine - Positivity Index
The November levels show the Female rate dropping to 0.2% from 0.5% in October, the Male rate remaining unchanged at 0.4%, and the Total rate dropping to 0.3% from 0.4%. Looking at the trendline, the November rates can still be considered to be within regular behavior.
Trichomonas Vaginalis Urine- Positivity Index
All three indicators for October were at 0.5% and show in November an increase in the Female rate to 0.6%, a decrease in the Male rate to 0.2%, and the Total rate going down to 0.4%. The current rate levels are within the general range of 0.0% to 1.5%.
Genitalium Urine – Positivity Index
The three rates continue to drop; the Total population rate dropped to its lowest level at 8.1% from 10.1% in October, continuing the downward direction from the prior four months. Similarly, the Male rate decreasing to 7.1% from 9.0% is a fourth consecutive monthly drop. The Female rate now shows three downward months with a 9.1% from 11.1%. These rates continue to be monitored weekly.
Chlamydia & GC (Gonorrhea) Throat and Rectal Swabs – Positivity Index
Based on market activity, the positivity rates for the four tests below have December 2022 as a relevant starting point where all levels display their peak and then start overall downward trends. In November, the Chlamydia Rectal rates showed a slight uptick in the Total rate going to 2.3% from 2.2%, the Male rate increasing to 2.5% from 1.6%, and the Female rate dropping to 2.2% from 2.7%. The Chlamydia Throat rates continue to be aligned with their general trend, with levels close to a range between 0.5% and 1.0%. A different situation is seen in the Gonorrhea Rectal lines, with the Male rate now going up to 2.3% from 1.6%, the Female rate decreasing to 0.7% from 1.3%, and the Total rate up to 1.5% from 1.4%. The three Gonorrhea Throat rates have turned downward, with the Male rate at 2.0% from 2.3%, the Female rate at 0.9% from 1.3%, and the Total rate decreasing to 1.4% from 1.7%. In conclusion, the rate levels displayed in the Gonorrhea Rectal swab tests show a more volatile behavior than the other three swab tests.
