Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Apr 19;21(4):501.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph21040501.

Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Cross Section of Public Health

Nunzia Cannovo  1 , Elena Bianchini  2 , Luciana Gironacci  3 , Elisabetta Garbati  4 , Filiberto Di Prospero  4 , Mariano Cingolani  5 , Roberto Scendoni  5 , Piergiorgio Fedeli  6
Affiliations

Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Cross Section of Public Health

Nunzia Cannovo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be caused by a number of microorganisms that vary greatly in size, life cycle, clinical manifestations, and sensitivity to available treatments. Transmission of STIs can occur during unprotected (or condomless) sexual contact and through the exchange of body fluids during any type of activity. The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases remains high in the world, despite diagnostic and therapeutic improvements for these infectious diseases that rapidly eliminate the contagiousness of patients. Our study determines the prevalence of STI pathogens in adolescents and young adults in the population of the Province of Macerata (Italy). We will analyze data in correspondence to age and gender, and we will compare our results to international studies.

Materials and method: We analyzed STI test results from the entire database of a Provincial Health Authority for the period 2021-2022. The samples came from the following age groups: 0-12, 13-18, 19-25, and 26-35 from 2021 to 2022. The results came from vaginal and cervical swabs (for females); urethral, rectal, and pharyngeal swabs (for males and females); and seminal fluid (for males) for the following infections: HPV, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasmas, Gardnerella, Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidum. The results also came from blood tests for HIV, hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and Treponema pallidum (TPHA, VDRL). In addition, we examined results from urine tests for chlamydia, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, trichomonas, and Treponema pallidum.

Conclusions: The literature for other countries reports the need for comprehensive, culturally and developmentally sensitive care to address sexuality-related issues in adolescents and young adults, a need that also applies to Italy. These data will be of great importance in adopting evidence-based STI control programs in Marche Region. This study could, indeed, represent a landmark for public health officials and professionals, with the aim of promoting adolescents' access to sexual health services to receive useful information, strengthening preventive measures in younger age groups, and designing sexual education programs.

Keywords: adolescents; anal sex; infectious diseases; oral sex; sexual contact; sexually transmitted infections; vaginal sex; young adults.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships; there are no sponsors to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Estimated prevalence of HBV ((a) HBs Ag, (b) ANTI–HBc Ig Total, (c) HBeAg, (d) ANTI–HBE, (e) ANTI–HBc IgM, (f) ANTI–HbsAG) subdividing the data by sex, age group, and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Estimated prevalence of HCV (Anti–HCV IgG), subdividing the data by sex, age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Estimated prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (Chlamydia trachomatis cervical swab), subdividing the data by age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Estimated prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis on vaginal swab, subdividing the data by age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Estimated prevalence of HPV (HPV typing cervical swab), subdividing the data by age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Estimated prevalence of Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma (vaginal culture), subdividing the data by age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Estimated prevalence of Neisseria (Neisseria gonorrhoeae search cervical culture swab), subdividing the data by age group and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Estimated prevalence of Treponema Pallidum (a) Treponema antibodies TPHA/TPPA and (b) Treponema Pallidum VDRL/RPR), subdividing the data by sex, age group, and year (2021 and 2022).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Estimated prevalence of HIV 1–2 (HIV 1–2 Ab and Ag p24), subdividing the data by sex, age group, and year (2021 and 2022).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Rowley J., Vander Hoorn S., Korenromp E., Low N., Unemo M., Abu-Raddad L.J., Chico R.M., Smolak A., Newman L., Gottlieb S., et al. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and syphilis: Global prevalence and incidence estimates. Bull. World Health Organ. 2019;97:548–562. doi: 10.2471/BLT.18.228486. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Benson P.A.S. Patient Education: Adolescent Sexuality (Beyond the Basics) 2023. [(accessed on 5 January 2023)]. Available online: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/adolescent-sexuality-beyond-the-basics....
    1. World Health Organization Global Health Sector Strategy on Sexually Transmitted Infections 2016–2021. 2016. [(accessed on 5 June 2023)]. Available online: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/246296/1/WHO-RHR-16.09-eng.pdf?....
    1. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control—Sexually Transmitted Infections. [(accessed on 5 June 2023)]. Available online: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/sexually-transmitted-infections.
    1. Torrone E., Papp J., Weinstock H., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection among persons aged 14–39 years–United States, 2007–2012. Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 2014;63:834–838. - PMC - PubMed