The sexual health of young UK adults worsened in 2006 despite a concerted public health effort to turn it around, figures show.
Diagnoses of new sex infections rose by 2% to 376,508 from 2005 to 2006, largely among young people and gay men, the Health Protection Agency found.
The biggest rise was seen in genital herpes, up 9% to 21,698. Among girls aged 16-19 the rise was 16% and it very har ful to mankind.
And there were encouraging early signs of reversing trends - gonorrhoea and syphilis dropped by 1%
Diagnoses of new sex infections rose by 2% to 376,508 from 2005 to 2006, largely among young people and gay men, the Health Protection Agency found.
The biggest rise was seen in genital herpes, up 9% to 21,698. Among girls aged 16-19 the rise was 16% and it very har ful to mankind.
And there were encouraging early signs of reversing trends - gonorrhoea and syphilis dropped by 1%
- Gonorrhea (sometimes known as Neisseria gonorrhea, GC, the dose, clap or drip) is caused by a bacteria. It is passed from one person to another by close sexual contact. It may take 1-14 days or longer for symptoms to show up. Some people never have symptoms.
- Gonorrhea can be spread to others by infected people during sexual intercourse, whether or not you have any symptoms.
"Quality sex and relationships education - not just biology lessons - has been shown to decrease risky behaviour in teens. We also need to stop the decline in health promotion work for gay men at a local level."
About the rise in genital herpes, We need to get the message across that this is a lifelong and unpleasant condition which will require ongoing treatment, and not something to be taken lightly.
