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THINKSTOCK
Image caption
Condoms can prevent the spread of STIs
Syphilis and gonorrhoea sexually
transmitted infections are continuing to rise in England, new figures show.
Between 2012 and 2015, cases of syphilis
increased by 76%, from 3,001 to 5,288, while gonorrhoea infections rose by 53%,
from 26,880 to 41,193, Public Health England data reveals.
The rise was notable among men who have
sex with men.
At the same time, rates of genital warts
decreased, thanks to a vaccination campaign.
Chlamydia was the most commonly
diagnosed STI, accounting for nearly half of the cases diagnosed in 2015.
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SPL
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Cases of gonorrhoea have been increasing
in recent years
Young people are routinely offered
chlamydia screening, but only 13% of young men and 32% of young women were
tested in 2015.
The large fall in genital warts - a 7%
drop - was seen in young women, and experts say this was probably because of
the national human papilloma virus vaccination programme.
All girls aged 12 to 13 are offered the
jab as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme.
The FPA charity's chief executive,
Natika Halil, said boys should be offered the vaccine too, which is something
ministers are considering.
Genevieve Edwards, of Marie Stopes UK,
said the statistics should "set alarm bells ringing" about the
availability of sexual health services for young people and men who have sex
with men.
"We have to keep a focus on
preventing sexual ill health, and providing prompt diagnosis and treatment to
those who need it," she added.
The British Association for Sexual
Health and HIV said the continued rise of gonorrhoea was extremely disturbing,
given the further spread of drug-resistant
infections.
Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STI
surveillance at PHE, said: "We need to do more to raise awareness about
STIs and how they can be prevented, especially the effectiveness of using
condoms.
"We recommend that anyone having
sex with a new or casual partner uses condoms and tests regularly for HIV and
STIs."
STIs
- Gonorrhoea - a bacterial infection that may go unnoticed but can cause pain or burning when you urinate and a white, yellow or green discharge.
- Syphilis - a bacterial infection that initially causes highly infectious sores but can go on to cause serious conditions such as heart problems.
- Chlamydia - a bacterial infection that is often symptomless but can cause pain and an unusual discharge. Untreated, it can harm fertility.
- Genital warts - small, fleshy growths caused by a virus that although usually symptomless ,are very contagious. The wart virus - HPV - has been linked to cervical cancer which is why girls are offered a vaccine.
- Herpes - a virus that causes painful blisters and sores.
- HIV - a virus spread by unprotected sexual intercourse as well as contact with infected blood.
- Trichomoniasis - an STI caused by a parasite. It rarely causes symptoms in men but in women can cause an unusual discharge.
- Pubic lice - crawling lice that are spread by close physical contact.
- Scabies - small mites that burrow into the skin and are spread by close physical contact.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36711903
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