More British teens diagnosed with STD

LONDON, July 22 (UPI) -- Health officials in Britain blame television programs celebrating casual sex for a dramatic increase in sexually transmitted disease among teens.

Overall, diagnoses of STD were up 2 percent in 2006 from the previous year, The Telegraph reported. But the increase was much bigger among teenagers and young adults.

The number of 16- to 19-year-olds diagnosed with herpes was up 13 percent, while genital warts were up 6 percent in that age group. The number of teenage girls diagnosed with herpes rose 16 percent. The overall increase for herpes was 9 percent and for warts 3 percent.

Pat Troop, head of the Health Protection Agency, said young people watch programs that emphasize sex and not safety.

"You don't see people in films pulling out condoms," she said.

Since 1997, syphilis has increased 1,607 percent, gonorrhea 46 percent and herpes by 36 percent. Dr. Gwyneth Hughes, the head of the HPA's STD division, said young people are more likely to be infected because they are more likely to have multiple partners and to engage in unsafe sex.