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EAU CLAIRE (WEAU) – “Get yourself talking… And get yourself tested!”

That’s the campaign planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is joining as part of a national effort to spread awareness of sexually transmitted diseases. as of 2009, nearly 25,000 STD cases were reported in Wisconsin. State health leaders say the numbers are only increasing. That’s part of the reason why all 27 health centers located throughout the state are offering free chlamydia and HIV rapid testing throughout this month.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin spokesperson Tanya Atkinson says getting tested is critical. Atkinson said “Left untreated, STD’s can lead to a whole host of complications later on in life, and what a lot of people don’t know is that many STD’s don’t have symptoms, so just because you don’t have symptoms doesn’t mean that you may not have STD’s.”

State health leaders say chlamydia and gonorrhea are the most common infections.