Girls most at risk from increase in sex diseases

Experts are particularly worried about a significant rise in the number of teenage girls contracting the incurable and unpleasant condition of genital herpes.

Last year, the number of new STI cases rose by 2 per cent compared with 2005, according to the Health Protection Agency.

But cases of genital herpes shot up by 9 per cent to 21,698 cases. Among teenage girls aged between 16 and 19, the rise was even higher at 16 per cent.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, of the Health Protection Agency, said STIs were rising because too many young people had multiple partners and were failing to use condoms.

"Genital her-pes is a lifelong infection – it's not curable," she said.

"It is treatable but patients can suffer from severe recurrences of infection.

"It's also associated with stigma so it's not a pleasant infection to get."

Sexual infection rates have been rising almost continuously since the 1990s, with the highest increases seen in the 16 to 24 age group.

The latest figures show that the total number of new cases of STIs diagnosed at sexual health clinics went up from 368,341 to 376,508 in 2006.

Chlamydia increased by 4 per cent and genital warts by 3 per cent. However, syphilis and gonorrhoea both fell by 1 per cent.

HPA chief executive Professor Pat Troop said: "There is mixed news in these figures. Some infections nowappear to be slowing down. But there is no room for complacency. The picture for young people remains particularly worrying."

Lisa Power, of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "There are startling rises in the levels of genital herpes, particularly among young women.

"We need to get the message across that this is a lifelong and unpleasant condition which will require ongoing treatment, and not something to be taken lightly.

"Quality sex and relationships education – not just biology lessons – have been shown to decrease risky behaviour in teens."

Anne Weyman, of fpa, the former Family Planning Association, said genital herpes may be on the increase because it is easily passed on through oral sex.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "The continued rise in STIs is a direct result of the Government's failure to make sexual health services a priority.

"Sexual diseases left unchecked will be transmitted to others, costing more to treat later."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "We are pleased that the rate of increase in the number of STIs is slowing, which reflects our commitment to tackling this problem. However, there is no room for complacency.

"We will continue to promote safe sex messages through initiatives such as the Condom Essential Wear campaign, which was launched in November last year."

Earlier this week, research showed that avoidable delays in treating people with STIs were helping the diseases to spread.

A study of more than 3,000 patients attending four clinics in England found they typically waited a week with symptoms before going for NHS treatment.