What is the current situation regarding adolescents and STIs/HIV/AIDS?
Young people are vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases for both biological and behavioral reasons. In fact, worldwide, the highest reported rates of STIs are found among young people aged 15-19 and 20-24. In the developed world, two-thirds of all reported STD infections occur among men and women under the age of 25. In developing countries the proportion is even higher.6 Here are some prevalence data for specific diseases: Adolescents represent a large proportion of overall chlamydia infections worldwide at least one-third. In Haiti and Nigeria, this age-group is reported to have the highest level of culture-detectable chlamydia.3, 4, 6 Prevalence levels can be as high as one-half of all sexually active young women.6 Rates of gonorrhea are often highest among adolescents.8 As is true of other curable STDs, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have a disproportionate number of these infections, and adolescents comprise about one-third of all cases.6 Syphilis, in contrast to gonorrhea
