Get checked at clinic during STD Month

BANGOR – April is National STD Month, according to officials at the Bangor STD Clinic. More than 15 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases will occur this year in the United States.

Left untreated, STDs can spread quickly and cause serious health problems, including chronic pain, cancer and infertility.

The state of Maine has seen a steady increase in STDs in the last few years. Curable STDs include gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Currently there are no cures for the human immunodeficiency virus, herpes and genital warts.

The Bangor STD Clinic offers testing 4:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays and 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the clinic at 103 Texas Ave. These are walk-in clinics with a $40 charge, but no one will be turned away because of inability to pay.

For information, call 947-0700, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays.