Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among the elderly have been spreading like wildfires due to unprotected sex.

Chlamydia infections among Americans over 65 years old rose by 31 percent while syphilis cases increased by 52 percent based on a report by the Centers for Disease Control.

Public Health Expert Ezekiel Emanuel said the number of STD infections was found to be similar in their early 1920s.

In a New York Times report, Emanuel said the combination of unfamiliarity with Viagra and condoms in retirement communities may have helped spread STDs among the elderly. He cited a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that older men who use Viagra during sex are less likely to use condoms compared to 20-year-old men.

According to the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, only 6 percent of seniors aged 61 and up use condoms in sexual encounters.

Health authorities have blamed the older generation's lack of AIDS and STD awareness for failing to use proper disease prevention methods. Many senior citizens may choose to date others after a divorce or death of a spouse. Others may simply have no idea about the risks of unprotected sex.

Due to the rising STD rates among the elderly, health officials want seniors to be educated regrading the dangers of unprotected sex. Regular tests should also be recommended to detect STDs early on.

Emanuel remarked that retirement communities may quickly become college campuses since both are crammed with people having the same ages and "things naturally happen."

Clinicians and doctors are encouraged to understand the sexual trends among the elderly and not overlook the possibility of STD screenings. If doctors can't talk about condoms and STDs to their senior patients, safe sex counselors must be brought in to retirement homes and assisted living communities to spread awareness, according to the expert.

The recent data focused on the importance of safe sex programs both for the youth and the older population.