Wrap It Before You Tap It! The Number Of STD Cases Just Reached A Record High

Hold on to your condoms, folks, because a brand new report on sexually transmitted infections is out — and it's about to ruin your day. 

According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released on 19-10-2016, the combined number of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases — the three most common Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) — reached an all-time high for the second year in a row. 

In total, there were over 1.5 million cases of chlamydia (a 5.9 percent increase from 2014), almost 400,000 cases of gonorrhea (a 12.8 percent increase from the previous year), and just about 24,000 cases of syphilis (up 19 percent from 2014). 

The CDC notes that people between the ages of 15 and 24 are most at risk of contracting an STI. 

According to the report, the high number of STIs among young people may be the result of "inability to pay, lack of transportation, long waiting times, conflict between clinic hours and work and school schedules, embarrassment attached to seeking STI services, method of specimen collection, and concerns about confidentiality."

Some other terrifying stats that will have you running out for a chastity belt: 1 in 4 sexually active adolescent females has an STI, like chlamydia or human papillomavirus (HPV); and gay and bisexual men — especially those of lower economic status — are more likely to contract an STI than women or heterosexual men.

While most STIs can be nixed with a round of antibiotics, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis aren't something you want to mess around with. (Unless the concepts of bloody urine, greenish vaginal discharge, and genital sores appeal to you.)

So for the love of God, please get yourself tested — and make sure you use protection whenever you hit the sheets.