Some of the most common diseases in the United States are sexually transmitted: syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis. But they're difficult to track and to treat. About a fourth of the 12 million cases that occur each year affect adolescents. The most serious consequences are born by women of child-bearing age who may become infertile or develop cancer as a result of untreated infections. NPR's Vicky Que (KWAY) reports that an Institute of Medicine study concludes that not enough is being done by either the private or the public sector to prevent these infections.
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