This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

If you are trying to make sense of STD rates in Baton Rouge, you are in good company. Many people want to know how common infections are here, whether the numbers are rising, and what to do with that information.

This guide walks through the most recent published figures for Louisiana, explains what is and is not available for Baton Rouge itself, and shows how to get tested for free or at low cost. Every number comes with its year and source. Where a number is not published in the sources we relied on, we say so plainly.

A rate is a statement about a population. It cannot tell any one person whether they have an infection. Only a test and a clinician can do that.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, Louisiana had the highest chlamydia rate of all 50 states (792.4 per 100,000) and the second highest gonorrhea rate (288.4 per 100,000), according to the CDC STI Surveillance Report 2023.
Louisiana's primary and secondary syphilis rate in 2023 was 26.1 per 100,000, ranked 8th among states, per the same CDC report.
Baton Rouge city-level and East Baton Rouge Parish figures were not available in the sources we reviewed. The CDC's AtlasPlus tool and the Louisiana Department of Health are the places to check for the newest local numbers.
High rates mean testing is routine and worthwhile for sexually active people. They are not a judgment about anyone.
Free and low-cost testing is available in Baton Rouge. Call a clinic before going, because hours and eligibility can change.

How to Read STD Rates (and Their Limits)
Louisiana's Latest Numbers: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis
What We Know About Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish
STD Rates by State and by City: How to Compare Fairly
What Drives the Numbers
Louisiana Rules That Affect Testing and Reporting
Free and Low-Cost Testing in Baton Rouge
Practical Next Steps

How to Read STD Rates (and Their Limits)

What a rate actually measures

An STD rate is usually the number of reported cases per 100,000 people in a year. Using a rate instead of a raw count lets you compare a large place with a small one.

The CDC publishes national and state figures each year in its STI Surveillance Report. Those figures come from cases that clinicians and laboratories report to health departments.

Why reported cases are not the same as all infections

A reported case needs three things to happen. A person has to be tested, the test has to be positive, and the result has to be reported.

Many chlamydia and gonorrhea infections cause no symptoms, so they can go unnoticed. Places that test more people will often find and report more cases. That means a higher rate can reflect more infections, more testing, or both.

Why the year matters

Surveillance data takes time to collect and check. The newest complete national and state tables we reviewed describe 2023. Figures for later years may be published by the CDC or the Louisiana Department of Health after this guide, so treat the numbers below as a snapshot and check the sources for updates.

How the data is collected in Louisiana

The Louisiana Sanitary Code (La. Admin. Code tit. 51, Part II, section 105) lists reportable diseases. Syphilis is reported by the end of the next business day. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are reported within five business days. HIV infection is generally reported within five business days, with a faster timeline in pregnancy. These reports are the raw material for the rates below.

Louisiana's Latest Numbers: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis

The table shows the most recent state figures we could confirm, all from the CDC STI Surveillance Report 2023.

Infection	Louisiana rate (2023)	Reported cases (2023)	Rank among 50 states
Chlamydia	792.4 per 100,000	36,242	1st
Gonorrhea	288.4 per 100,000	13,192	2nd
Syphilis (primary and secondary)	26.1 per 100,000	1,196	8th

Source: CDC, STI Surveillance 2023 (state ranking tables for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary and secondary syphilis). The syphilis figure also appears on KFF's state health data page.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. The CDC STI Surveillance Report 2023 puts Louisiana's chlamydia rate at 792.4 per 100,000 people, or 36,242 reported cases. That ranked first among the 50 states.

Chlamydia is curable. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe treatment with antibiotics that a clinician prescribes. Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms, which is one reason routine screening matters.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is also bacterial. The same CDC report lists Louisiana's 2023 gonorrhea rate as 288.4 per 100,000 people, or 13,192 reported cases, ranked second among states.

Gonorrhea is curable with treatment from a clinician. The CDC Guidelines note that treatment choices are updated as bacteria change, so current care should come from a clinician rather than from older advice.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that moves through stages. The CDC report counts primary and secondary syphilis, the earliest stages, as a standard measure. For Louisiana in 2023 that was 26.1 per 100,000 people, or 1,196 cases, ranked eighth.

Syphilis is curable with treatment from a clinician. Left untreated, it can cause serious problems later and can pass to a baby during pregnancy. For that reason, Louisiana requires prenatal providers to offer syphilis testing, covered below.

The CDC also tracks congenital syphilis, which is syphilis passed during pregnancy. We did not find a confirmed Louisiana or Baton Rouge figure for it, so check the CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health for the current count.

HIV

We did not find a confirmed new HIV diagnosis rate for Baton Rouge or a statewide figure we could cite with a year and source. The CDC's AtlasPlus tool and the Louisiana Department of Health's STI/HIV/Hepatitis Program are the places to look.

What we can say from the CDC is that HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. With treatment, people with HIV can stay healthy for a long time. Prevention options, including PrEP, are discussed below.

What about year-on-year change?

A trend needs at least two years of comparable figures. The sources we reviewed gave a clear 2023 snapshot for Louisiana, but not a confirmed earlier-year comparison, and not a later-year update. Rather than guess at a direction, we are not stating one.

To see the trend yourself, open the CDC's AtlasPlus and choose chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis, then select Louisiana and the years you want to compare. The Louisiana Department of Health's STI/HIV/Hepatitis Program also publishes surveillance information through the Louisiana Health Hub.

What We Know About Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish

Parish, not county

Louisiana uses parishes instead of counties. Baton Rouge is part of East Baton Rouge Parish, and the city and parish are governed together as a consolidated City-Parish. When you see "county" in a national tool, the parish is the equivalent.

Local rates: what is and is not available here

We were not able to confirm published chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, congenital syphilis or new HIV diagnosis rates for Baton Rouge or East Baton Rouge Parish. We are not going to estimate them or apply the statewide figures to the city.

That matters because a state rate is an average. Rates can differ a lot between parishes, and between neighborhoods and age groups within a parish.

Where to find the local numbers

CDC AtlasPlus: an interactive tool that lets you look up STI and HIV data by state and, for some conditions, by county or parish.
Louisiana Department of Health, STI/HIV/Hepatitis Program: the state program that oversees surveillance. Its pages are hosted on the Louisiana Health Hub at louisianahealthhub.org.
Louisiana Health Hub hotline: 1-800-992-4379, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Louisiana Health Hub testing page.

STD Rates by State and by City: How to Compare Fairly

Reading STD rates by state

State rankings, like those in the CDC's yearly tables, are the easiest comparison to find. They are useful for seeing the big picture, and Louisiana's high ranks for chlamydia and gonorrhea in 2023 are a good example.

Still, a rank is not a verdict on any one community. States differ in how much they test, how complete their reporting is, and how many people have health coverage.

Reading STD rates by city

City-level numbers are harder to compare than they look. City boundaries are small, so a few extra cases can move a rate. Some places publish city data and others publish only county or parish data, and that mismatch can make two cities look very different when they are not.

When you compare STD rates by city, check that both figures cover the same year, the same infection, and the same geography. If they do not, the comparison will mislead you.

A short checklist for any rate you read

Which infection does it describe?
Which year, and is a newer year available?
Is it a rate per 100,000 or a raw count?
Does it cover a city, a parish, or a whole state?
Who published it, and is that a CDC or health department source?

What Drives the Numbers

No single factor explains STD rates. Public health agencies describe a mix of causes, and the mix is different in every place.

How much testing happens

Because chlamydia and gonorrhea often cause no symptoms, the only way to find them is to test. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and the USPSTF recommend screening for certain groups, such as sexually active women under 25 and others at increased risk. More screening generally means more cases found and reported.

Access to care and coverage

Cost, transportation, clinic hours and trust in the health system all affect whether someone gets tested and treated. When treatment is delayed, infections can pass to others, and repeat infection is possible.

Free and sliding-scale clinics exist to lower those barriers. They are a main reason the final section of this guide lists local options.

Partner treatment

A person treated for a bacterial infection can be infected again if a partner is not treated too. Louisiana law (La. R.S. 40:1121.6) lets physicians, APRNs and physician assistants with prescribing authority provide antibiotics to the sexual partners of a patient with chlamydia or gonorrhea without examining them. This is called expedited partner therapy.

The Louisiana Legislature's page for HB 779 shows that the 2026 session passed a bill relating to expedited partner therapy, signed as Act 567 and effective August 1, 2026. We could not confirm the final statute text or exactly which infections it covers, so ask a clinician or pharmacist what applies now.

Prevention tools

Condoms, regular testing, vaccines and medicines each lower risk in different ways. Vaccines exist for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV. Clinics in Baton Rouge list HPV vaccination among their services, according to CDC GetTested.

For HIV, PrEP is a medicine a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of getting HIV. The CDC also issued guidance in 2024 on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, often called doxy-PEP, for some groups. Whether either option fits you is a conversation to have with a clinician.

The honest limits of what we can say

The sources we reviewed give state ranks, not a full explanation of why Louisiana ranks where it does. We are cautious about attaching a single cause to the numbers. What is clear is that testing, treating partners and access to care are all things a community can improve.

Louisiana Rules That Affect Testing and Reporting

Testing during pregnancy

Under La. R.S. 40:1121.21, prenatal care providers must provide HIV and syphilis blood tests at the first prenatal visit in the first trimester and again at the first third-trimester visit, or as soon as possible after. Providers also test during labor and delivery. The patient is told testing will occur, and it is not done if she declines.

The same statute requires chlamydia and gonorrhea testing at the first prenatal visit, with a third-trimester retest offered if the result is positive or if the provider thinks it is needed. The statute was last amended by Acts 2025, No. 437, effective June 20, 2025.

Consent for minors

Under La. R.S. 40:1121.8, a minor who has or believes they have a venereal disease may consent to medical or surgical care from a hospital, public clinic or Louisiana-licensed physician. The consent of a parent, guardian or spouse is not required. The statute states no minimum age.

There is an important limit. The same statute says a physician or member of the medical staff may, but is not required to, tell the minor's parent, guardian or spouse about the treatment, even over the minor's objection. Because of that, a clinic cannot promise privacy from parents, and a young person should ask the clinic how it handles this before the visit.

HIV and Louisiana law

Louisiana has a law specific to HIV exposure, La. R.S. 14:43.5, which was amended by Acts 2026, No. 177, effective August 1, 2026. It addresses intentionally exposing another person to HIV without that person's knowing and lawful consent. The law lists several defenses, including informed consent and disclosure combined with prevention steps or a viral load that effectively eliminates sexual transmission risk.

This guide is not legal advice. If you have questions about how the law applies to you, a legal aid organization or an HIV service organization can help.

Free and Low-Cost Testing in Baton Rouge

The best response to a high-rate headline is a practical one. Testing is how infections are found and, for bacterial infections, cured. For a longer local walkthrough, see our guide to where to get tested in Baton Rouge.

The clinics below are listed by the CDC's GetTested locator unless noted. The CDC page for each lists hours as subject to change and tells people to check the organization's website, so call before you go. None of these listings gives a price beyond the cost category shown.

Metro Health

950 Lorri Burgess Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Phone: 225-338-9333. The CDC listing shows free HIV, hepatitis C and STI tests, rapid and blood-draw HIV testing, and chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests. It also notes PrEP for the uninsured, and that insurance and Medicaid are accepted. The listing marks it as accepting walk-ins. Website: brmetrohealth.com.

Open Health Care Clinic (HAART Clinic)

3849 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: 225-655-6422. The CDC listing shows free HIV, hepatitis C and STI tests, including rapid and blood-draw HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and says to contact the organization about eligibility. The listing does not indicate walk-ins, so call to set up a visit. Website: ohcc.org/haart-clinic.

CareSouth, Baton Rouge Clinic

3140 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: 225-650-2000. The CDC listing shows a free HIV test and a sliding scale, with insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Listed tests include HIV, hepatitis A, B and C, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. It also lists PrEP navigation and PrEP for the uninsured. Website: caresouth.org/locations/baton-rouge.

CrescentCare, Baton Rouge Office

4550 North Blvd, Ste 230, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: 225-302-5968. Listed tests are HIV (rapid and blood draw), chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, with adult hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. The CDC listing gives no cost information and asks people to contact the organization about eligibility. Website: crescentcare.org.

RKM Primary Care (Baton Rouge)

455 E Airport Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Phone: 225-683-1320. The CDC listing shows a sliding scale, with insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Listed tests are HIV (blood draw), chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and HPV vaccination is listed as a service. Website: rkmcare.org/batonrouge.

Baton Rouge Primary Care Collaborative, Plank Road Clinic

7050 Plank Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70811. Phone: 225-774-1120. The CDC listing shows a sliding scale, with Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Listed tests are HIV (blood draw), hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and HPV vaccination is also listed. Website: brpcc.org.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) HIV Specialty Clinic

8425 Cumberland Place, Baton Rouge. A WAFB news report dated August 4, 2025 says the center offers HIV and STI screenings, wellness days and PrEP services for patients 14 or older, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The report says care is offered regardless of ability to pay, but it does not say whether testing is free and gives no phone number. Confirm current details with AHF before you go.

East Baton Rouge Parish Health Unit

The CDC's GetTested lists the East Baton Rouge Parish Health Unit at 353 N 12th St, phone 225-242-4860, with HIV, hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing, sliding-scale fees and appointments required. We could not verify with the state whether routine STD testing is still offered there, so call ahead.

Testing at home

Access Health Louisiana offers a free home HIV test kit using an oral swab, with no insurance or copay needed. The kit comes in plain packaging, followed by a virtual appointment with a testing navigator. Its page says it serves southeast Louisiana residents aged 18 to 64 who have not tested in the past year, and it does not say whether Baton Rouge addresses qualify. You can request a kit online, email [email protected], or call 504-226-2976.

The Louisiana Health Hub also notes that home HIV tests can be bought at many drugstores. It did not list a state-run mail-order kit program for other STIs. A home HIV test checks for HIV only, so it will not answer questions about chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis.

PrEP options in Louisiana

Louisiana TelePrEP (Louisiana Health Hub): virtual PrEP care by phone or video, oral PrEP only, for HIV-negative adults 18 and older who are Medicaid insured or eligible, or privately insured, and who have email and a smartphone, tablet or computer. Minors need parent or guardian consent. Navigators can be reached at 504-931-7687 or 504-877-2464, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pharmacist-initiated PrEP and PEP (Act 711 of 2024, La. R.S. 37:1218.2): trained pharmacists may dispense HIV PrEP and PEP without a prescription to people 17 and older, and must perform rapid HIV tests.

Finding more options

The CDC's locator at gettested.cdc.gov lets you look up testing sites by ZIP code, and the Louisiana Health Hub testing page points to it. The Louisiana Health Hub hotline, 1-800-992-4379, can also help, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Practical Next Steps

Before you go

Call the clinic to confirm hours, appointments, cost and who is eligible.
Ask which infections the visit covers. Many sites test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, and some add hepatitis or herpes tests.
Ask how results are shared and how long they take.
If you are under 18, ask how the clinic handles notifying a parent, since Louisiana law allows but does not require it.

Questions to ask a clinician

Which tests make sense for me, based on my body, my partners and my history?
If I test again after a recent exposure, how long should I wait? The CDC gives window periods for each test, and a clinician can explain which applies.
If a result is positive, what treatment will you prescribe, and what about my partners?
Are PrEP or vaccines a good fit for me?

A note on tone

STD rates describe communities, not character. Anyone who is sexually active, of any gender or orientation, can get an infection, and getting tested is a routine part of looking after your health. If you are ready, pick a clinic from the list above and make the call.

STD Rates in Baton Rouge: What the Latest Data Shows