England is enjoying a reduced rate of sexually transmitted diseases for the first time in a decade, reports BBC News, citing data presented by the Health Protection Agency.
In 2009, a total of 424,782 cases of sexually transmitted infections were reported in the UK. With a small but significant 1% drop in 2011, the country might be heading toward the right direction as far as STD management is concerned.
The latest figures show a drop in some STDs among the youth, which is heartening but does not mean the country’s healthcare system should get complacent over its achievement, says Dr. Gwenda Hughes, head of the STI division in the Health Protection Agency.
chlamydia remains to be the most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in the country, with a total of 189,612 cases reported in 2010. Among the other STIs, genital warts and syphilis have gone down by 3% and 8% respectively from 2009 to 2010, while gonorrhoea and genital herpes increased by the same margins in the said period.
Analysing the data, the Health Protection Agency concludes that unprotected sexual intercourse may be the main reason behind STDs in the country. They reiterate the importance of STI screening and convenient access to GUM clinics for prevention of the high-risk infections, particularly among the youngsters.
