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STDS BY THE NUMBERS (U.S. FIGURES)
1 million diagnosed and reported chlamydia cases in 2011
200,000 diagnosed and reported gonorrhea cases in 2011
4,700 diagnosed and reported syphillis cases in 2011
SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS
Annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active women age 25 and younger.n Yearly gonorrhea screening for at-risk sexually active women with new or multiple sex partners and women who live in communities with a high incidence of disease.n Syphilis, chlamydia and hepatitis B screening for all pregnant women, and gonorrhea screening for at-risk pregnant women at the first prenatal visit to protect the health of mothers and their infants.n Screening at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV for all sexually active men who have sex with men. Those who use illicit drugs or whose sex partners participate in these activities should be screened more frequently.n For information, log onto http://www.cdc.gov/std
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
In the heat of the moment, it’s a good bet sexually transmitted infections are the last thing on a teen’s or young adult’s mind.
Thus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, young people ages 15-24, who make up just more than one-quarter of the sexually active population, account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections that occur in the U.S. each year.