Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents

Overview

Sexually transmitted infections in adolescents constitute the burden of pathogens passed through sexual contact among young people, a population at disproportionately high risk for both acquisition and complications. Adolescents bear elevated rates for interacting biological, behavioural, and structural reasons: cervical ectopy and an immature genital mucosa increase biological susceptibility, while inconsistent condom use, multiple or concurrent partners, limited health literacy, and barriers to confidential services raise exposure and delay diagnosis. The principal infections include the bacterial agents Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidum, the cause of syphilis; viral infections such as human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, and HIV; and the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Many of these infections are asymptomatic in young people, so undetected transmission is common, and untreated infection can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and, for some pathogens, vertical transmission. Research in this area assesses prevalence and epidemiological trends, evaluates adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices, and tests school- and community-based risk-reduction and HIV-prevention interventions, often in resource-limited settings. Effective control combines age-appropriate education, vaccination, condom promotion, accessible and confidential testing, partner notification, and prompt treatment. Surveillance and behavioural data guide prevention programmes and policy aimed at reducing incidence and long-term sequelae in this vulnerable group.

Research published in this journal

7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 7 articles above have been cited 1 time in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Oct 2025.

• Cost estimation of a school-based intervention for improving HIV/AIDS risk perception among secondary school adolescents in Enugu State, Nigeria.
  N. Eneogu et al. · 2021 · JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents, linking to each citing work.

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.

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