The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data on reportable sexually transmitted diseases last Friday. The data from 2006 show an increase in the instances of all three of the main bacterial STDs. Reported chlamydia cases topped 1 million in 2006, the majority of which occurred in females aged 15-19. Gonorrhea showed an increase in the number of drug-resistant cases and syphilis cases increased for the sixth year in a row — among men, the number of cases has risen 54 percent since 2002.
Exposure to these diseases is completely preventable. Talk to your children about the risks of sex and encourage them to remain abstinent until they are married. Remember, these diseases can be transferred through all forms of sexual activity, even when no symptoms are evident.
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