Hearts, flowers, cards and chocolates are all part of meeting a new partner – but an unexpected sexually transmitted infection (STI) is something no one wants to receive.
This is message from NHS Somerset's sexual health advisers who are alerting over-45s to the rising levels of STIs among older people in the last few years.
The latest data published by the Health Protection Agency on sexually transmitted diseases in England and the UK shows that although rates of infection are highest in young adults there has also been an increase in diagnoses of infections in all age groups, particularly among those aged over 45.
