Sacramento health officials show concern over STD prevalence

A recent article published by ABC News 10 highlighted the high rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among residents in Sacramento, California, which has become a primary concern for city health officials.

According to the news provider, Sacramento had the second highest number of reported gonorrhea infections in the state during 2009, and was ranked fifth in terms of the prevalence of chlamydia within the area.

Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 accounted for the majority of these cases, the article explained. In 2009, more than 2,300 teens tested positive for chlamydia and 478 were diagnosed with gonorrhea, the news channel added.

"We speculate that [the high STD prevalence] has to do with a lack of education, outreach and access to healthcare," Sacramento County Health Officer Glennah Trochet told the news source.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 account for about half of the more than 19 million new STD infections reported in the U.S. annually. The organization also notes that individuals in this age demographic represent 14 percent of the number of new HIV infections each year.