The CDC could have a new tool to help anticipate and treat the spread of contagious STDs. Internet search giant Google recently granted access to their search term data to at least four academic institutions, including the University of Illinois – Chicago with a view to participating in current studies that attempt to track the spread of infections in real time by tracking commonly used terms by geographic area.
The theory behind this is that by tracking what people are searching for in real time, researchers can correlate this data with new cases of STDs being reported. This way, they can act together with local healthcare providers to anticipate new major outbreaks and warn the population to take extra precautions. prevent infection. In theory, if more people in a given large metropolitan area search for terms like “painful urination” because more cases of chlamydia or gonorrhea are being reported to local health authorities, it can be safely deduced that there is a new wave of STD outbreaks. move through the population. This alerts local health authorities that they need to be particularly vigilant with their treatment methods and tackle the problem quickly to prevent further spread.
This, in addition to regular testing for STDs and safe sex practices, can help reduce the number of new sexually transmitted infections nationwide. With the number of new cases of STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea increasing in the United States, any new tools available to aid in prevention could prove invaluable.
You can help protect yourself and any sexual partners by getting tested regularly for STDs.