USA TODAY - July 11 - Syphilis is on the rise and public health experts think it can be attributed at least partly to social media. Infection rates are the highest they have been in 20 years, said David Harvey, the executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors. From 2014 to 2015 alone, the number of syphilis cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rose by 17.7%, from 63K to 75K. It is important for dating apps to promote STD awareness and prevention, says Philip Chan, the director of the HIV/STD Testing and Prevention Services at the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center in Rhode Island. Tinder has a "Safety Tips" section under the app's "Settings" that discusses protection measures. Gay dating apps in particular are starting to do more of this, he said. Grindr has a "Sexual Health" section on each user's profile where the user can list HIV status and the last time they were tested. Manhunt partners with Manhunt Cares, an organization that provides health resources for its users and the LGBTQ community at large.
by Sarah Toy
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Summarized by the Courtland Brooks team
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