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

[Nagishkaw 510]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – 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.

The administration of President Barack Obama has signaled a willingness to move away from so-called abstinence-only sex education approaches promoted by his predecessor, George W. Bush, and conservative state and local governments.

Several studies have shown such approaches do not work well and that it is better to encourage abstinence while also offering children and teens information about how to protect themselves from diseases as well as pregnancy.

"We haven't been promoting the full battery of messages," Douglas said. "We have been sending people out with one seatbelt in the whole car."

SOARING RATES

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.

Douglas said better sex education can help.

"We are not honestly and openly dealing with this issue and it's the larger issue of sexual health," he said.

Douglas said children and teens need to know about condom use, and should limit their number of sex partners and avoid sex with people who do have many other sex partners.

"If you are a man who has sex with men you ought to be getting a battery of STD tests every year," Douglas added.

In addition, black Americans need to understand their risks. Douglas said high rates of incarceration of men in many black communities meant fewer men have sex with more women, in turn often spreading sexually transmitted diseases.

Overall, CDC estimates that 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year, almost half among 15- to 24-year-olds.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091116/us_nm/...ex_diseases_usa

[tallcoolone 102]

Not surprising in USA.

I doubt any girl over the age of 16 is still a virgin

Parents put thier young daughter from age 12 to 17 on Birth Control to "Control their Period", Yea right, it more like to control thier sex drive.

I understand that 25% of Teenage girls in USA will have a STD.

Great Job parents.................

[Niels Bohr 72]

I doubt this has anything to do with birth control. Regardless of birth control, even those who don't, the guy will just squirt their fluid someplace else. Aka Porn? Isn't that where they learn it from?

Not surprising in USA.

I doubt any girl over the age of 16 is still a virgin

Parents put thier young daughter from age 12 to 17 on Birth Control to "Control their Period", Yea right, it more like to control thier sex drive.

I understand that 25% of Teenage girls in USA will have a STD.

Great Job parents.................

[SMR 368]

I doubt this has anything to do with birth control. Regardless of birth control, even those who don't, the guy will just squirt their fluid someplace else. Aka Porn? Isn't that where they learn it from?

Not surprising in USA.

I doubt any girl over the age of 16 is still a virgin

Parents put thier young daughter from age 12 to 17 on Birth Control to "Control their Period", Yea right, it more like to control thier sex drive.

I understand that 25% of Teenage girls in USA will have a STD.

Great Job parents.................

Call me old fashioned, but abstinence is still the way to go. Abstinence is not a car with only one seatbelt. There is one for everyone, just not everyone is using one. Saying that abstinence doesn't work is like saying that seatbelts don't work because some people don't put them on.

Of course, abstinence is replaced with monogamy as protection as people get older. The issue is really teen abstinence. Abstinence is the only logical solution because STD's aren't the only problem. We are also dealing with teen pregnancy and all of the emotional problems that come with sexual promiscuity. While condoms can help with pregnancy, they do nothing for emotional problems.

More broadly, sexual promiscuity leads to the destruction of society. Although promoting condom use may reduce the problem of STD's, it won't solve it and more importantly, would be a Pyrrhic victory. Society has always relied on two-parent families raising children. Adolescent promiscuity leads to adult promiscuity which flies directly in the face of dedicated couples raising their children. In the end, society is not going to win with condoms alone.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Sex education teaches exactly that! Abstinence!

They don't teach about sex. They teach about STDs, HIVs, AIDs, birth control. If people do not know what these are then they are prone to get them because they'll simply have wild and crazy sex after watching porn.

I remembered during my early teen years prior to sex-ed, I don't know what STDs are. I know HIV, and AIDs. Don't get the wrong impression that sex-ed classes is talking about sex. They talk about the reproductive organs (if the kid is raised right, and learned about how babies are made, it will become less of a problem for the kid to produce offsprings)

We all have to look at what the kids are exposed to, sexual fantasies on TV, sexual satires, etc...will make the kid wants to have sex more and more. Sex-ed is nothing to be concerned about. If this is news, then it's time to get out of the woods and shave your legs and/or beard.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Niels Bohr

[justashooter 430]

this is an immigration board, so i am baffled at the lack of understanding about the connection between immigration and the resurgence of syph. this disease was nearly erradicated from the USA until the late 90's. it is increasing on the atlantic seaboard in recent years. the cause of the resurgence? immigration from puerto rico. google it.

[AlHayatZween 2]

not surprising at all.

it is wild out there... it is anything goes for young people.

boys w/ girls, boys w/ girls w/boys, girls w/girls w/videos w/boys w/cybersex cyberspace, animals, produce, household appliances... no stigma about having a multitude of partners. no stigma about getting an STD, really...

it is a different world out there these days.

[Jasman0717 9]

Practice safe sex!!!!!!!!!!!!! My generation never used rubbers so it is very hard for them to change but it has become a life and death decision these days

[Chica Yeyé 41]

this is an immigration board, so i am baffled at the lack of understanding about the connection between immigration and the resurgence of syph. this disease was nearly erradicated from the USA until the late 90's. it is increasing on the atlantic seaboard in recent years. the cause of the resurgence? immigration from puerto rico. google it.

Sure doctor JAS, sure.... oh, btw, Puerto Ricans do not "immigrate" to the US.. they are USCs. Just sayin'

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Not surprising in USA.

I doubt any girl over the age of 16 is still a virgin

Parents put thier young daughter from age 12 to 17 on Birth Control to "Control their Period", Yea right, it more like to control thier sex drive.

I understand that 25% of Teenage girls in USA will have a STD.

Great Job parents.................

No. It's because abstinence-only sex education has failed.

[justashooter 430]

Sure doctor JAS, sure.... oh, btw, Puerto Ricans do not "immigrate" to the US.. they are USCs. Just sayin'

not quite, sweetie. they are "territorials", in a legal sense.

they have some of the rights a USC has, but not all. unfortunately, immigration without a health inspection is one of those rights.

[Heracles 417]

No. It's because abstinence-only sex education has failed.

• Abstinence only has failed
• Drug war has failed
• Moral war has failed.
• (insert dilemma) has failed.

You deal realize the US is the only westernized nation I have been to that thinks like this. Apart from guns; those of course, should be restricted but everything else should just be anything goes. Also interesting that these same things are nowhere near as much of an issue, as prevalent, in other first world nations. Why do you think that is?

I think you need to go spend a few years living in other first world developed countries, preferably one that has a much higher standard of living to that of the US. Then come back and tell me if you notice any differences. Until you do, any differences pointed out by myself are merely my opinions. Therefore, go live in a different society and system of government for a change and then tell me what you think the failure is.

Here are two hints:

1) What is considered entertainment here is probably restricted or even prohibited there.

2) The difference in their equivalent first amendment. That is, what it covers and what it certainly does not.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Booyah!

[Heracles 417]

this is an immigration board, so i am baffled at the lack of understanding about the connection between immigration and the resurgence of syph. this disease was nearly erradicated from the USA until the late 90's. it is increasing on the atlantic seaboard in recent years. the cause of the resurgence? immigration from puerto rico. google it.

Also why every other industrialized country has a strict immigration process. Hence the eradication of rabies or tuberculous (amongst other diseases) in Aus. You cannot even bring a piece of timber into Aus, without it being treated for disease.

Diseases from third world nations are a reality. The same reality that many open-border folk here seem to ignore. After all, the end justifies the means.

Edited November 16, 2009 by Booyah!

[Dan J 277]

this is an immigration board, so i am baffled at the lack of understanding about the connection between immigration and the resurgence of syph. this disease was nearly erradicated from the USA until the late 90's. it is increasing on the atlantic seaboard in recent years. the cause of the resurgence? immigration from puerto rico. google it.

Also why every other industrialized country has a strict immigration process.

Diseases from third world nations are a reality. The same reality that many open-border folk here seem to ignore. After all, the end justifies the means.

Wait what? You do know that Puerto Rico is a US territory? There is not really any immigration for people who are already US Citizens.

[mawilson 2,133]

all of the emotional problems that come with sexual promiscuity

What problems?