The figures show chlamydia infections among under-16s rose from 61.6 per 100,000 in 2005 to 65.6 per 100,000 in 2006, and among 16- to 19-year-olds infections rose from 914 per 100,000 in 2005 to 929.4 per 100,000 in 2006.
Similarly, new cases of genital warts rose from 25.5 per 100,000 in 2005 to 30.9 per 100,000 in 2006 among under-16s and from 496 per 100,000 in 2005 to 525.5 per 100,000 in 2006 among 16- to 19-year-olds.
Stephanie Whitehead, policy and development manager at sexual health charity Brook, said a key reason for the rise was an increase in chlamydia screenings during the last year. Primary care trusts significantly stepped up their screening for chlamydia during 2006 under the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, which aims to test sexually active under-25s outside of specialist clinics. "Screening has really increased and that work is showing up in these figures. The screenings also pick up other infections, such as warts," says Whitehead.
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