GonorrheaGonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea often goes undiagnosed because many infected people have no symptoms or have symptoms not recognized to be caused by gonorrhea. It is common for people with gonorrhea to be infected with gonorrhea at the same time. For more information, see the health unit's Gonorrhea Fact Sheet. The following graph shows the number of gonorrhea cases in Simcoe Muskoka between 2000 and 2008. There are many factors that influence how many cases are reported to the health unit, as explained on the Infectious Diseases page. 
The following graph shows age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) of gonorrhea in Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario between 2000 and 2008. The incidence rate of gonorrhea varies significantly between age groups so standardization is necessary to compare rates between two populations. For example, the highest incidence rate of gonnorhea is found among 15-24 year olds and Simcoe Muskoka may have a different proportion of people in this age group than Ontario, so both rates must be applied to a standard population to make comparisons. As shown below, the ASIR of gonorrhea in Simcoe Muskoka is lower than the Ontario rate. 
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