In the UK, a number of people get affected by sexually transmitted infections every year. The rise is prevalent more among youngsters. In 2009, the UK witnessed 482,696 fresh cases of sexually transmitted infections, an increase of 3% from the preceding year.

As per the data revealed by the Health Protection Agency, the most vulnerable age group to sex-related infections is women and men between 20 and 23 years of age. Also, there is at least one teenager of age between 16 and
19 who gets frequently affected with sexually transmitted infections. The reasons are apparent: Unsafe and risky sex.

"These latest figures show that poor sexual health is a serious problem among the UK's young adults and men who have sex with men”, said Dr. Gwenda Hughes, Head of the HPA's STI section.

He further added that the adolescent women are at a greater risk of contracting STI as compared to men. The lack in knowledge regarding safe sex leads to the generation of infections.

The factors that account for the rising number of STI cases include more proportion of younger population, unsafe sexual behaviour and social dispossession.

Between 2008 and 2009, the cases of STI infection ‘chlamydia’ climbed up 7% in all age groups. Infection gonorrhea’s cases increased 6%. The cases relating to genital herpes surged 5%. The two infections which experienced reduction were those of genital warts and syphilis, decreasing by 0.3% and 1%, respectively.

In the chart of increasing number of STI cases, Hackney city scored the first position while London had the overall maximum number of STI cases.