'Worrying' rise in STIs among young
Updated on 20 July 2007
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to rise across the UK, with a particularly "worrying" picture among young people, health experts said.
There was a 2% rise in the number of new cases of all STIs diagnosed at clinics between 2005 and 2006, figures showed.
Genital herpes was a cause for concern, with a 9% increase between 2005 and 2006, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Among teenage girls aged between 16 and 19, the rise was 16% for genital herpes, which cannot be cured but is treatable.
Genital warts in this female age group increased 5%, but gonorrhoea fell 3% and chlamydia fell 1%.
Between 1997 and 2006, STIs showed a huge rise, with syphilis rising by 1607%, gonorrhoea by 46%, chlamydia by 166% and herpes by 36%.
Between 2005 and 2006, the total number of new cases of STIs diagnosed at UK genito-urinary medicine clinics went up from 368,341 to 376,508. Chlamydia increased by 4% and genital warts by 3%. New cases of syphilis fell by 1%, as did gonorrhoea.
Earlier this week, research showed that avoidable delays in treating people with STIs were helping the diseases to spread.
A study of more than 3,000 patients attending four clinics in England found they typically waited a week with symptoms before receiving any treatment. During that time 44.8% of men and 58% of women continued to have sex, 7% of patients had sex with more than one partner, and 4.2% had unprotected sex with a new partner.
Researchers called for a greater use of "walk-in" clinics offering same-day treatment.
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