I heard on the new this morning that there had been almost half a million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK last year. The BBC reported that experts at the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said young people were most affected. And one in 10 of 15-24 year olds with an STI became infected again within a year.

Health ministers said they would look at what more could be done to increase young people's awareness of risks although it seems to me that there has been loads of it, but it is obviously not working!

The 482,696 new cases represent a 3% rise from the 2008 figures, continuing a "steady upward trend" that the HPA said had been seen over the past decade.

Urban and deprived areas have the highest rates of STIs. The top 10 STI hot spots in England apparently include:

Hackney
Lambeth
Southwark
Hammersmith and Fulham
Islington
Haringey
Wandsworth
Tower Hamlets
Westminster
Brighton and Hove

The rise is in part due to more testing, and the use of tests which are more sensitive at picking up signs of an infection - but experts believe unsafe sexual behaviour is also part of the story.

This is very true the infection disease spread all over the world not only in UK. Because people don't have any awareness about these disease.lots of medication is available for this kind of diseases.

Hi Alisa

With the situation as bad as it is it is wonder we do not hear more about it. I think that one reason we don't is that people do not die of STI's (except HIV) any more. Time was when syphilis used to kill many people in the most horrible way. I think that the trouble now is that all these complaints apart from Herpes perhaps can be easily dealt with so that people are not so afraid of catching something as they used to be.

Yes I do think that you are right I don't think there is the fear factor anymore, in fact I think that some young people just accept having some sort of STI as part of growing up, they shrug it off take the medicine and are good to go again!! A great shame as with herpes and HIV still around it might not look so funny then and it is relatively easy to prevent yourself getting these diseases