One in Four Teen Girls Has an STD
By: Candace Hutchins
Updated: March 12, 2008
Alarming statistics released Wednesday about teenage girls and sexually transmitted diseases. The Centers for Disease Control says one in four teen girls has an STD, that's more than three million teen girls. Lubbock has among the highest STD rate in the state of Texas.The CDC tested teens ages 14-19 for four infections, Chlamydia, trichomoniasis, herpes simplex, and human papillomavirus. The results show the most common infection is the human papillomavirus, HPV, which can cause cervical cancer. Almost 20 percent of girls in the study have HPV.
Experts say education is the key in stopping this widespread problem and screening, vaccinating, and other preventative measures should be among the highestof public health priorities. And while the controversial vaccine targeting HPV recently became available, experts say it doesn't comletely protect a girl from HPV, but will protect her from the most common strands.
