Sexually transmitted diseases are a concern to teenagers

There are concerns at the increasing number of teenagers on the island that are testing positive for sexually transmitted diseases.

There has been an increase in the number of girls - some as young as 14 - testing positive for chlamydia, while the levels of gonorrhoea and herpes are also causing concern.

Dr Ivan Muscat, consultant microbiologist at Jersey's General Hospital, said teenagers needed to be dealt with differently to adults.

"The shift to a younger age group is a matter of concern because teenagers have different requirements and circumstances to young adults.

Better screening

"We need to make whatever clinics we provide as teenager-friendly as possible," he said.

"Quite what we will come up with is yet to be determined."

Meanwhile, the manager of Jersey's sexual advice centre has called for better screening of sexually transmitted infections to prevent an epidemic.

Bronia Lever, from Jersey Brook, said there needed to be more clinics set up in the island to screen people.