St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2007

CONTACT:

Marianne Adolf, STD Program Manager                                                                                           636-949-7401
Cameron Satterfield, Public Information Officer                                                                               636-949-7408

Take the Test, Take Control

National HIV Testing Day is June 27

St. Charles County, MO - Though HIV and AIDS have taken a backseat in recent years to diseases like avian flu and tuberculosis, this doesn't mean they are any less of a threat. In 2006, there were 10,131 people in Missouri living with HIV/AIDS, according to the state Department of Health and Senior Services. Nearly half of those people lived in the St. Louis HIV Region, which includes St. Charles County. What's more, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says one in four Americans with HIV are not aware they are infected.

To combat this problem, the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment is joining with public health agencies across the nation to promote National HIV Testing Day on June 27. This day is designated to remind people how important it is to know their HIV status and to encourage others to get tested for HIV.

Sexually transmitted diseases are preventable, and many are curable. The St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment provides confidential STD testing, education, counseling, and treatment on a sliding fee scale. An appointment is necessary. Appointments are available between 8:00am and 4:00pm Monday through Thursday. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (636) 949-7401.

For more information about the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment, call (636) 949-7400 or visit www.scchealth.org.

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