That is not news; it’s been going on as long as people have been on the planet. But it is stunning that one in four teenage girls - 26 percent - are infected with serious sexually transmitted diseases that cause a range of health problems, from infertility to cervical cancer. Those diseases include chlamydia, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) and trichomoniasis, a common parasite.

Infection rates were nearly twice as high for African American teenage girls - about 48 percent, compared with 20 percent for white and Hispanic teenage girls. The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was released last week. It is significant as the first study to examine the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents in the country and provide the clearest snapshot to date of what is happening with teenage girls who are having sex. Dr. Sara Forhan of the CDC led the study, in which participants submitted vaginal swipes for testing.

Those findings should tell public health and education officials - and parents - that it is time to get real about providing comprehensive sex education courses that teach youngsters how to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. We know that not all teenagers are having sex. And we know that the best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies is by practicing abstinence. But we also know that a one-size-fits-all approach does not fit all - certainly not those teenagers who, for whatever reason, engage in sexual relations.

With so many teenagers testing positive for serious sexually transmitted diseases, it’s not a leap in logic to determine that they are not being well served by sex education courses. The new information calls attention to the need for sex education courses to provide detailed information about condoms and sexually transmitted diseases so that, at the very least, teenagers get the information they need to arm themselves against potentially serious diseases.

The findings also vindicate Gov. Rick Perry’s attempt to mandate vaccinations for teenage girls against HPV - a leading cause of cervical cancer - which was shot down by the Legislature last year. Parents are their children’s first teachers, and if they oppose their children learning certain details in school, then by all means, teach them at home. In any case, these diseases are preventable or treatable. The CDC recommends that girls and women (age 11 to 26) be vaccinated against HPV and that sexually active teenagers and women get regular screening for other diseases.

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