HPA sexual infection statistics

It's that time of year again, and time for the HPA's Annual Report on Sexual Infections. 2010 shows a rise to 500,000 new infections, with young people at highest (but not exclusive) risk, and young women and MSM most vulnerable.

We need improved provision of sex education so that the message of double protection can be strongly reinforced. Where teen pregnancies are stabilising, STI's are not, and a message of good contraception plus a barrier (male and female condoms)

The latest overall UK-wide figures show:

• Chlamydia diagnoses increased by 7% (from 203,773 in 2008 to 217,570 in 2009)
• Gonorrhoea diagnoses increased by 6% (from 16,451 in 2008 to 17,385 in 2009)
• Genital herpes diagnoses increased by 5% (from 28,807 in 2008 to 30,126 in 2009)
• Genital warts diagnoses stabilised decreasing by just 0.3% (from 91,503 in 2008 to 91,257 in 2009)
• Syphilis diagnoses also stabilised decreasing by just 1% (from 3,309 in 2008 to 3,273 in 2009)