Sex infections still growing in U.S., says CDC

[ensho]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091116/hl_nm/us_sex_diseases_usa


American squeamishness about talking about sex has helped keep common sexually transmitted infections far too common, especially among vulnerable teens, U.S. researchers reported Monday.

Latest statistics on chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis show the three highly treatable infections continue to spread in the United States.

"Chlamydia and gonorrhea are stable at unacceptably high levels and syphilis is resurgent after almost being eliminated," said John Douglas, director of the division of sexually transmitted diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We have among the highest rates of STDs of any developed country in the world," Douglas added in a telephone interview.

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The CDC's latest study on STDs found:

* 1.2 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2008, up from 1.1 million in 2007.

* Nearly 337,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported.

* Adolescent girls 15 to 19 years had the most chlamydia and gonorrhea cases of any age group at 409,531.

* Blacks, who represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, accounted for about 71 percent of reported gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases in 2008.

* Black women 15 to 19 had the highest rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea.

* 13,500 syphilis cases were reported in 2008, an almost 18 percent increase from 2007.

* 63 percent of syphilis cases were among men who have sex with men.

* Syphilis rates among women increased 36 percent from 2007 to 2008.

Syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea can all be treated with antibiotics but untreated can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy and can infect newborns.
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what! americans won't talk about sex but will watch porn 24/7?

its a crime not to educate kids about STDs and how not to get them or get pregnant. which includes educating boys on how not to become a father.

[joeybee12]

1. woo-hoo! We're finally #1 in something...

...oh wait, this isn't a good thing to be #1 in.

[stray cat]

2. It sounds more like a failure to use condems

[seabeyond]

3. American squeamishness about talking about sex ... i call bullshit

everyone is talking about sex all the time, everywhere. to say america doesnt talk about sex is bullshit

the problem may not be in the kids not knowing, but the kids arent doing. (practicing what they know, safe sex)

[ensho]

4. it seems like the kids being drunk has a large part in not wearing

condoms and getting pregnant.

many teens leave teenhood already alcoholics. sad to be 20 yrs. old and an alcoholic.

[seabeyond]

5. true that. nt

[francolettieri]

6. Abstinence only sex education....

is so stupid...only a narrow minded simple thinking conservative could think of it. Its almost as stupid as screen doors on submarines or the underside of battleships. At least Republicans are smart enough to not insist on those!!!