[Sexually transmitted diseases in adolescence].
BACKGROUND
Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) have their most incidence in adolescence. We conducted an observational study on the symptomatic patients of our STD's office to evaluate epidemiological distribution, behavioral patterns and diffusion of genital infections in teen-agers in respect of the adult population.


METHODS
From april 1996 to april 1999 we studied two groups of patients: 54 teen-agers (13-19 years) and 917 women in fertile age (20-40 years). All the patients underwent to a clinical and microbiological examination of vaginal secretions (Gram slide, wet mount, cultures for bacteria, yeasts, eventually Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma spp, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Herpes simplex virus--HSV--) and to an anamnestic and socio-epidemiological questionnaire.


RESULTS
The more frequent genital infections among adolescents was vulvovaginal candidiasis (35% vs. 23.9% of adult people). HSV was found in 1.8% of teen-agers (vs. 0.6%) and when requested, Chlamydia trachomatis and mycoplasmas was found respectively in 16.6% (vs. 1.1%) and 50% (vs. 28%) in adolescents. We observed a high percentage of pregnancy (22.2%) of voluntary pregnancy interruption (41.6%) and a specific sexual behavior among teenagers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show a particular behavioral risk pattern in the adolescence population and indicate the necessity of a serious program of prevention and sexual education that allow young people to live with more consciousness and safety their sexuality.
De Seta
F
F
Dipartimento Universitario Clinico di Scienze della Riproduzione e dello Sviluppo Unità Operativa di Ostetricia e Ginecologia IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste.
Piccoli
M
M
De Santo
D
D
Sartore
A
A
Grimaldi
E
E
Panerari
F
F
Ricci
G
G
Guaschino
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Le malattie sessualmente trasmesse in età adolescenziale.