Now about one in five teens and adults-some 45 million Americans-has the disease, with most of them unaware that they are infected.

Although some sexually transmissible diseases have seen declines in number of infections, researchers attribute the rise in herpes infections to young people increasing their frequency of sexual activity, number of sex partners and rate of unprotected sex.

Genital herpes, which has no known cure, often causes outbreaks of painful ulcers or itching around the genitals and can lead to painful inflammation of the cervix, where it can also be spread to newborns at birth. Medical studies have also indicated that herpes sores may increase the likelihood of a person contracting the AIDS virus during sexual contact with an AIDS-infected partner.

This is but part of the damage people inflict on themselves when they ignore God's commands prohibiting sex outside the marriage relationship. Such suffering could be avoided if young people would heed the biblical advice to "flee fornication." (Sources: The Associated Press; Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18, King James Version.)