CHICAGO -- Cancer- and genital wart-associated HPV was the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease among teenage girls, affecting 18% of participants in the first large study of STDs in this population.
Overall, 26% of 14- to 19-year-olds were infected with at least one STD. Chlamydia was found in 4%, trichomoniasis in 2.5%, and herpes simplex virus type 2 in 2%, said Dr. Sara Forhan, lead author of the population-based study sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These infections occur quickly after sexual debut, Dr. Forhan noted. "Of particular importance is how fast these infections appear," she said. Among those who reported just 1 year of ...