Potter County highest chlamydia rate in Texas - KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports

Amarillo, TX - Potter County has the highest rate of chlamydia and the second highest rate of gonorrhea, per capita, in the state of Texas.

In 2013 Potter County reported over 1,000 cases of chlamydia and around 450 cases of gonorrhea.

These rates are vastly different when compared to Randall County, where they are ranked 104th for chlamydia and 67th for cases of gonorrhea.

Casie Stoughton with Amarillo's Public Health Department says they are one of the only health departments offering a service called "Partner Elicitation".

"Because we are looking for it, then we are actively seeking contacts and partners to our patients that have been identified as having STD's, so since we are actively looking for patents and finding them, then that drives our rates up" says Stoughton.

In most counties partner elicitation is only offered for syphilis and HIV.

While local rates are increasing, so are most other counties in the state.

"So the trend is still headed up, but for both Potter and Randall County and the state of Texas, it is all headed up at about the same level, so while our numbers and rate might be a little bit higher in Potter County than in Texas as a whole and in Randall County, the trend upwards is the same".

The health department says education is the answer. 

"It is so very important for parents and our community to take time to talk to children and teens and young adults about risky sexual behavior"

The public health department offers free STD testing Monday through Friday. 

Anyone who is tested will remain anonymous.