Teen Epidemic: Chlamydia Can Cause Infertility

2802 Teen Epidemic NO CHANGES INTRO AUDIONEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT TEENAGE BOYS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR THE S-T-D CHLAMYDIA... WE'LL TELL YOU WHY, NEXT. SUGGESTED STUDIO INTRO:THERE’S A POPULAR NOTION AMONG DOCTORS THAT OLDER MEN ARE INFECTING TEENAGE GIRLS WITH CHLAMYDIA, A SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE. NOW A NEW STUDY DEBUNKS THAT THEORY. JANET VASIL EXPLAINS WHAT TULANE UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS FOUND OUT AND WHY THEY’RE WORRIED.SCRIPT AUDIOCHLAMYDIA IS A SILENT EPIDEMIC. MOST PEOPLE DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE THE S-T-D BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS. SO IT SPREADS FROM PARTNER TO PARTNER. (:10) ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, TEENAGE GIRLS AGE 15 TO 19 HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF INFECTION. AMONG MEN IT'S THE 20 TO 24 YEAR OLDS... LEADING TO A THEORY THAT YOUNG GIRLS ARE BEING INFECTED BY OLDER MEN. (:13) SOT: Patricia Kissinger, Ph.D.“We would like to say if we just get rid of all these parasitic older men, lock 'em all up, put them in jail, you know, get them under statutory rape, that the problem would go away. And in fact, it wouldn’t go away.” (:13) BECAUSE IN HER RESEARCH, DOCTOR KISSINGER FOUND OUT THAT TWO-THIRDS OF TEENAGE GIRLS WITH CHLAMYDIA GET IT NOT FROM OLDER MEN... BUT TEENAGE BOYS.(:08) SOT: Patricia Kissinger, Ph.D.“They’re having sex mostly right after school.” (:02) RESEARCHERS WORRY BECAUSE SEXUALLY ACTIVE TEENS DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AND ARE LESS LIKELY TO USE PROTECTIVE CONDOMS. (:08) SOT: Bernadette Meadors, M.D.“I definitely don't think they realize the magnitude of the problem." (:03) GYNECOLOGIST BERNADETTE MEADORS (MEH-DOORS) SAYS GIRLS WHO ARE REPEATEDLY INFECTED WITH CHLAMYDIA ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR INFERTILITY. BOYS WITH CHLAMYDIA DON'T HAVE THAT RISK... SO THEY MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER THE INFECTION A PROBLEM. (:12) SOT: Patricia Kissinger, Ph.D.“They don't have a discharge, they don't have any fever, or any uncomfortableness when they urinate. So they will go for a long time without getting tested or treated." (:11) THE TEST IS SIMPLE AND ANTIBIOTICS CAN CLEAR UP THE INFECTION. BUT "BOTH" PARTNERS NEED TO BE TREATED. UNTIL THAT HAPPENS... OR ABSTINENCE BECOMES POPULAR AGAIN... CHLAMYDIA WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EPIDEMIC. THIS IS JANET VASIL REPORTING. (:14) SUGGESTED STUDIO TAG:MEN OR BOYS CAN TAKE A SIMPLE URINE TEST TO SEE IF THEY HAVE CHLAMYDIA. AND A SINGLE-DOSE ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT CAN CURE THE INFECTION.CHLAMYDIA IS THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED INFECTIOUS DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES... ABOUT 3-MILLION CASES A YEAR.AUDIENCE INQUIRY:For general information on chlamydia:American Social Health Association, PO Box 13827, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, http://www.ashastd.orgCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/nchstpNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 31 Center Dr., MSC 2520, Bethesda, MD 20892-2520, http://www.niaid.nih.govNational STD Hotline: (800) 342-2437Planned Parenthood, contact your local chapter or visit their website at http://www.plannedparenthood.orgTOTAL TIME - 1:34Produced By: Diana Jones Reviewed By: Ann Edmundson, MD 4/06