February 12, 2025 | From City of New Orleans
New Orleans Health Department Releases 2024 STI Report, Highlighting Urgent Need for Expanded Testing and Prevention Efforts
New Orleans–The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) has released its 2024 STI Report, providing the latest data on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the city. The report, based on 2018-2023 data from the Louisiana Department of Health, highlights alarming trends, including a chlamydia incidence rate that exceeds both state and national averages and a sharp increase in new HIV cases among 15–19-year-olds.
By focusing on New Orleans-specific data, the report underscores the urgent need for expanded testing, treatment, and prevention efforts, particularly among communities of color, young men, and pregnant women, who continue to experience disproportionately high STI rates. As STI cases rise across the city, NOHD is calling for increased awareness, early detection, and greater access to prevention resources to curb transmission and improve public health outcomes.
“While this report reveals some extremely concerning trends, the good news is that the STIs covered in this report are both preventable and treatable.” said Jeanie Donovan, Deputy Director of Population Health & Disease Prevention. “It will take a multifaceted approach to reduce the spread of STIs in our community, including improving sexual health education in our schools, increasing access to low-barrier STI testing, decreasing stigma, and ensuring equitable access treatment.”
In 2022, Louisiana ranked among the highest in the nation for STI rates, placing 1st for chlamydia, 3rd for gonorrhea, 4th for HIV, 9th for syphilis, and 7th for congenital syphilis. According to the report, 2 in every 100 New Orleans residents were diagnosed with a bacterial STI in 2023. Locally, cases of primary and secondary syphilis increased by 6%, while late-stage syphilis surged by 28% from 2018 to 2023.
The report points out how certain communities have been disproportionately affected. For example, ZIP code 70129 in New Orleans East saw a staggering 71% increase in gonorrhea cases, and Black residents, males, and individuals aged 20-29 continue to experience the highest rates of bacterial STIs.
“The goal of this report and our work at the Health Department is to raise public awareness and reduce stigma when it comes to sexual health and STIs,” said Ryann Martinek, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialist at NOHD. “Efforts to improve sexual health outcomes need to be creative and connected to community to encourage testing and linkage to health care. Fortunately, in New Orleans we are seeing a greater presence of sexual health resources at events, parades, second lines and college campuses and must continue to prioritize opportunities to meet people where they’re at with intentions to normalize routine testing.
Congenital syphilis remains a critical public health concern, with prenatal syphilis testing identified as a major opportunity for intervention. The most commonly missed screening in 2022 was during the third trimester, yet testing in the first trimester, between 28-32 weeks, and at delivery is essential to preventing congenital infections. Without treatment, syphilis can cause severe complications in newborns, including pre-term birth, developmental issues, miscarriage, or stillbirth.
The report also highlights rising trends in HIV diagnoses, with simultaneous rises among 15- to 19-year-olds and individuals aged 55-64 between 2022 and 2023. With New Orleans carrying a significant portion of Louisiana’s HIV burden, at 33.2 cases per 100,000 residents, NOHD is urging regular HIV testing to reduce new HIV transmissions and connecting to existing treatment available through the NOHD website.
NOHD offers free At-Home HIV and Syphilis Test Kits through its Text-to-Test program. Residents can order a kit through our online form or by texting TEST to (504) 788-2400.
NOHD urges all residents to get tested regularly, seek treatment if needed, and take advantage of the prevention resources available. In addition to the Text to Test option, NOHD has created an interactive tool to locate nearby STI testing locations, which can be found here. With early detection and proper treatment, conditions like syphilis and HIV can be managed effectively, allowing individuals to live healthy lives. For more information or to access STI testing and prevention services, visit nola.gov/sexualhealth or email Ryann Martinek at Ryann.Martinek@nola.gov.
###
About the New Orleans Health Department
The mission of the New Orleans Health Department is to promote, protect, and improve the health of all in our community through equitable policies, programs, and partnerships.