This October, skip the scary surprises and make sexual health part of your prevention plan.
Ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night may be part of Halloween fun, but there’s one thing you don’t want lurking in the shadows: an undiagnosed sexually transmitted infection (STI).
STIs are more common than many people realize, and anyone who is sexually active can be at risk. The good news? Testing, prevention, and treatment can help protect your health, without the tricks.
The Numbers Behind the Fright
STIs remain an important public health concern in Wyoming. According to the Wyoming Department of Health’s HealthStat 2025 report, which includes the latest available 2024 rates in that report:
- Chlamydia: 253.9 reported infections per 100,000 people.
- Gonorrhea: 40.7 reported infections per 100,000 people.
- Syphilis: 10.9 reported infections per 100,000 people.
These figures reflect reported infections, not necessarily every infection in the state. Some people never experience symptoms and may not know they have an STI.
While Wyoming’s reported rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea were lower in 2024 than in previous years, prevention and testing remain important. The report’s 2025 outcome data were not yet available, so these 2024 figures are the most recent rates included in that publication.
The Scariest Part? You Might Not Know You Have One
Many STIs cause no noticeable symptoms. Someone can feel perfectly healthy and still have an infection that can be passed to a partner.
When symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Unusual discharge or genital itching
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Pain during sex
- Unusual bleeding
- Sores, blisters, or lesions
- Pelvic or genital pain
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear before considering testing. Untreated infections can sometimes cause serious complications, including reproductive health problems and infertility. Syphilis can also cause serious damage to the body if left untreated.
Your Halloween Defense Kit: Prevention and Testing
You don’t need garlic, silver bullets, or a lucky charm to protect your sexual health. A few practical steps can make a difference:
Get tested. Talk with a healthcare provider about your sexual history and which tests are appropriate for you. Testing recommendations depend on factors such as your age, symptoms, sexual practices, and potential exposures.
Use protection. Condoms and dental dams, when used correctly and consistently, can reduce the risk of many STIs. Keep in mind that infections spread through skin-to-skin contact, such as herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV), may still spread from areas not covered by a barrier.
Talk with your partner. Discuss testing, protection, and sexual health before sexual contact. You cannot reliably tell whether someone has an STI just by looking at them.
Keep up with recommended vaccines. Vaccines can help protect against HPV and hepatitis B, both of which can be transmitted through sexual contact.
Seek treatment promptly. Many STIs are curable, and others can be managed with medication and ongoing care. Some infections can be acquired again after treatment, so follow-up testing and partner care may be important.
No Tricks: Wyoming Has Sexual Health Resources
If you think you may have an STI, have had a potential exposure, or simply want to know your status, reaching out to a healthcare provider is a good first step.
Wyoming Health Council’s Title X family planning clinics offer sexual health services, including STI and HIV testing, treatment, risk assessments, and prevention counseling. Depending on your needs, clinic staff can also help with partner notification and referrals for testing and treatment.
You don’t have to have symptoms to ask questions or seek care. You also don’t need to feel embarrassed. Sexual health is healthcare, and getting tested is a responsible way to look after yourself and your partners.
Many clinics offer services on a sliding fee scale, and you do not need health insurance to access Title X services. Adolescents can also seek certain reproductive health services, including STI testing and treatment, without parental consent or notification under applicable confidentiality rules.
This Halloween, enjoy the costumes, the candy, and the spooky stories. When it comes to your sexual health, though, don’t leave things to chance. Get informed, get tested when appropriate, and keep those unwanted surprises out of the picture.
Ready to take the fright out of sexual health? Visit https://www.wyhc.org/sti to learn more about common STIs, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. To find a Wyoming Title X clinic near you, visit https://www.wyhc.org/clinics.
This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $924,108 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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