A rise in the number of girls testing positive in the U.S for a sexually transmitted infection has been put down to better sexual health testing a more available chlamydia screening.
New data released in the annual federal report showed that 1 in 4 cases of chlamydia or gonorrhoea was diagnosed in girls aged between 15 and 19, but health officials said that this was due to 1993 federal recommendations encourage women under 25 to go for a chlamydia test more regularly.
The study further showed that syphilis, which once health officials hopes was on the verge of being eliminated, is also on the rise. Amongst both gay men and heterosexuals there was an increase in diagnoses cases. While in the early stages it is relatively easy to treat, when it is advanced and untreated it can be life-threatening.
There was an increase of about 11,500 cases reported from the year before.
While the female adolescent population was most at risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection, this group was closely followed by young adult females aged between 20 – 25.
Minority groups as such the African-American community were also at particular risk of contracting an STD, though previous studies have shown that minority members are less likely to go regularly for chlamydia testing or a sexual health screen.
The report also revealed that that last year, there were 1.2 million cases of chlamydia recorded after chlamydia screening, the highest number ever. Untreated, Chlamydia can lead to infertility in women but as in the majority of cases it is asymptomatic, getting a chlamydia test is often the only way someone can know they have been infection.
Each year, 19 million STDs are diagnosed in the U.S, almost half of which are amongst the 15-25 age group. Black women in this group were the most likely to be infected.
Dr. John M Douglas Jr, director of the Division of STD Prevention department of the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement, "We cannot ignore the glaring racial disparities in rates of STDs, particularly when we consider the hard truth that gonorrhea rates among African-Americans are 20 times those of whites."
Research has shown that socioeconomic barriers to quality health care and higher overall prevalence of STDs within minority communities contribute to this pervasive threat. It is imperative that we improve access to effective STD prevention and treatment services in local communities for those who need them most."
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