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HIV/AIDS & Other STIs
The number of people in the world living with HIV has reached an estimated 42 million and is still growing with some 5 million new infections each year. An annual toll of 3 million deaths is rapidly increasing the ranks of the 20 million people who have already died of AIDS. In Africa, the most severely affected region, the estimated number of children orphaned by AIDS has exceeded 11 million and in the hardest hit countries more than one-third of young women are infected with the HIV virus.
Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) also contribute to a widespread but largely unacknowledged epidemic with some 340 million new infections each year caused by microorganisms other than the HIV virus.
Teens
In the United States, half of all new HIV infections occur in people under age 25; one-fourth in people under the age of 21.1 Each year U.S. youth under age 20 experience nearly four million sexually transmitted infections (STIs)—including herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.
Always use a Condom!
For people who are having sexual intercourse, condoms have been the surest way to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. When used correctly and consistently, condoms provide an effective barrier, blocking the pathway of the HIV virus during sexual activities. Analysis of studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health found an 85 percent decrease in risk of HIV transmission among consistent users of condoms.
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* Maryland Prevention Campaign
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