Libido > Introduction to Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's)
Once called venereal diseases, STD's are
among the most common infectious diseases in the
world today. More than 20 STDs have now been
identified, (they affect more than 13 million people
in the USA each year).
Understanding the
basic facts about STDs – the ways in which they
are spread, their common symptoms, and how they can
be treated – is the first step toward
prevention. Medical researchers are always looking
for better methods of diagnosis and treatment. It is
important to understand at least five key points
about all STD's today:
STDs affect men
and women of all backgrounds and economic
levels. They are most prevalent among
teenagers and young adults. Nearly two-thirds
of all STDs occur in people younger than 25
years of age.
The incidence of
STDs is rising, in part because in the last
few decades, young people have become
sexually active earlier yet are marrying
later. In addition, divorce is more common.
The net result is that sexually active people
today are more likely to have multiple sex
partners during their lives and are
potentially at risk for developing STDs.
Most of the time,
STDs cause no symptoms, particularly in
women. When and if symptoms develop, they may
be confused with those of other diseases not
transmitted through sexual contact. Even when
an STD causes no symptoms, however, a person
who is infected may be able to pass the
disease on to a sex partner. That is why many
doctors recommend periodic testing or
screening for people who have more than one
sex partner.
Health problems
caused by STDs tend to be more severe and
more frequent for women than for men, in part
because the frequency of asymptomatic
infection means that many women do not seek
care until serious problems have developed.
Some STDs can
spread into the uterus (womb) and
fallopian tubes to cause pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID), which in turn
is a major cause of both infertility and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. The latter can
be fatal.
STDs in women
also may be associated with cervical
cancer. One STD, human papillomavirus
infection (HPV), causes genital warts and
cervical and other genital cancers.
STDs can be
passed from a mother to her baby before,
during, or immediately after birth; some
of these infections of the newborn can be
cured easily, but others may cause a baby
to be permanently disabled or even die.
When diagnosed
and treated early, many STDs can be treated
effectively. Some infections have become
resistant to the drugs used to treat them and
now require newer types of antibiotics.
Experts suspect that having STD's other than
AIDS increases one's risk for becoming
infected with the AIDS virus.
All Std's can be prevented by using
Condoms, so cover up!!
HIV Infection and AIDS
AIDS (acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome) was first reported in the
United States in 1981. It is caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a virus that destroys
the body's ability to fight off infection. An
estimated 900,000 people in the United States are
currently infected with HIV. People who have AIDS are
very susceptible to many life-threatening diseases,
called opportunistic infections, and to certain forms
of cancer. Transmission of the virus primarily occurs
during sexual activity and by sharing needles used to
inject intravenous drugs.
Chlamydial
Infection
This infection
is now the most common of all bacterial STDs, with an
estimated 4 to 8 million new cases occurring each
year. In both men and women, chlamydial infection may
cause an abnormal genital discharge and burning with
urination. In women, untreated chlamydial infection
may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, one of the
most common causes of ectopic pregnancy and
infertility in women. Many people with chlamydial
infection, however, have few or no symptoms of
infection. Once diagnosed with chlamydial infection,
a person can be treated with an antibiotic. Learn more
Genital
Herpes
Genital herpes
affects an estimated 60 million Americans.
Approximately 500,000 new cases of this incurable
viral infection develop annually. Herpes infections
are caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). The major
symptoms of herpes infection are painful blisters or
open sores in the genital area. These may be preceded
by a tingling or burning sensation in the legs,
buttocks, or genital region. The herpes sores usually
disappear within two to three weeks, but the virus
remains in the body for life and the lesions may
recur from time to time. Severe or frequently
recurrent genital herpes is treated with one of
several antiviral drugs that are available by
prescription. These drugs help control the symptoms
but do not eliminate the herpes virus from the body.
Suppressive antiviral therapy can be used to prevent
occurrences and perhaps transmission. Women who
acquire genital herpes during pregnancy can transmit
the virus to their babies. Untreated HSV infection in
newborns can result in mental retardation and death.
Genital Warts
Genital warts
(also called venereal warts or condylomata acuminata)
are caused by human papillomavirus, a virus related
to the virus that causes common skin warts. Genital
warts usually first appear as small, hard painless
bumps in the vaginal area, on the penis, or around
the anus. If untreated, they may grow and develop a
fleshy, cauliflower-like appearance. Genital warts
infect an estimated 1 million Americans each year. In
addition to genital warts, certain high-risk types of
HPV cause cervical cancer and other genital cancers.
Genital warts are treated with a topical drug
(applied to the skin), by freezing, or if they recur,
with injections of a type of interferon. If the warts
are very large, they can be removed by surgery.
Gonorrhea
Approximately
400,000 cases of gonorrhea are reported to the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each
year in this country. The most common symptoms of
gonorrhea are a discharge from the vagina or penis
and painful or difficult urination. The most common
and serious complications occur in women and, as with
chlamydial infection, these complications include
PID, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility.
Historically, penicillin has been used to treat
gonorrhea, but in the last decade, four types of
antibiotic resistance have emerged. New antibiotics
or combinations of drugs must be used to treat these
resistant strains. learn more
Syphilis The incidence
of syphilis has increased and decreased dramatically
in recent years, with more than 11,000 cases reported
in 1996. The first symptoms of syphilis may go
undetected because they are very mild and disappear
spontaneously. The initial symptom is a chancre; it
is usually a painless open sore that usually appears
on the penis or around or in the vagina. It can also
occur near the mouth, anus, or on the hands. If
untreated, syphilis may go on to more advanced
stages, including a transient rash and, eventually,
serious involvement of the heart and central nervous
system. The full course of the disease can take
years. Penicillin remains the most effective drug to
treat people with syphilis. Learn more.
Other diseases that
may be sexually transmitted include trichomoniasis,
bacterial vaginosis or thrush, cytomegalovirus infections,
scabies, and pubic lice.
STD's in pregnant
women are associated with a number of adverse
outcomes, including spontaneous abortion and
infection in the newborn. Low birth weight and
prematurity appear to be associated with STD's,
including chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis.
Congenital or perinatal infection (infection that
occurs around the time of birth) occurs in 30 to 70
percent of infants born to infected mothers, and
complications may include pneumonia, eye infections,
and permanent neurologic damage.
What
Can You Do to Prevent STD's? The best way to prevent STDs is to avoid sexual
contact with others. If you decide to be sexually
active, there are things that you can do to reduce
your risk of developing an STD:
Have a mutually
monogamous sexual relationship with an
uninfected partner.
Correctly and
consistently use a male condom.
Use clean needles
if injecting intravenous drugs.
Prevent and
control other STDs to decrease susceptibility
to HIV infection and to reduce your
infectiousness if you are HIV-infected.
Delay having
sexual relations as long as possible. The
younger people are when having sex for the
first time, the more susceptible they become
to developing an STD. The risk of acquiring
an STD also increases with the number of
partners over a lifetime.
Anyone who is sexually active should:
Have regular
checkups for STDs even in the absence of
symptoms, and especially if having sex with a
new partner. These tests can be done during a
routine visit to the doctor's office.
Learn the common
symptoms of STDs. Seek medical help
immediately if any suspicious symptoms
develop, even if they are mild.
Avoid having sex
during menstruation. HIV-infected women are
probably more infectious, and HIV-uninfected
women are probably more susceptible to
becoming infected during that time.
Avoid anal
intercourse, but if practiced, use a male
condom.
Avoid douching
because it removes some of the normal
protective bacteria in the vagina and
increases the risk of getting some STDs.
Anyone diagnosed as having an STD should:
Be treated to
reduce the risk of transmitting an STD to an
infant.
Discuss with a
doctor the possible risk of transmission in
breast milk and whether commercial formula
should be substituted.
Notify all recent
sex partners and urge them to get a checkup.
Follow the
doctor's orders and complete the full course
of medication prescribed. A follow-up test to
ensure that the infection has been cured is
often an important step in treatment.
Avoid all sexual
activity while being treated for an STD.
Sometimes people are
too embarrassed or frightened to ask for help or
information. Most STD's are readily treated, and the
earlier a person seeks treatment and warns sex
partners about the disease, the less likely the
disease will do irreparable physical damage, be
spread to others or, in the case of a woman, be
passed on to a newborn baby.
Private doctors, local
health departments, STD and family planning
clinics have information about STDs.
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