COMMON STD'S

Chlamydia Chlamydia is a very dangerous STD as it usually has no symptoms; 75% of infected women and 25% of infected men have no symptoms at all.
  • Prevention: Abstaining from vaginal and anal sex with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of prevention. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease.
     
  • Symptoms: Though some cases may be asymptomatic, when symptoms do appear, they are often mild and usually appear within 2-10 days after exposure. The symptoms include discharge from the penis, vagina, or rectum and burning or itching during urination.
Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is one of the most frequently reported STD. 40% of it's victims contract PID if not treated, and it can cause sterility.

Mode of Transmission: Vaginal, oral and especially anal sex; sharing contaminated drug needles; piercing the skin with contaminated instruments such as those used in dental and medical procedures; and receiving contaminated blood or blood products through transfusions.

Symptoms: About one-third of people with HBV are asymptomatic. When symptoms are present they include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms of liver involvement include dark urine, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Prevention: Abstaining from sex with an infected person, where body fluids, blood, semen or vaginal secretions are likely to be exchanged, is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. Avoid illicit IV drug use and sharing drug needles.
Hepatitis B A vaccine exists, but there's no cure; can cause cancer of the liver.

Mode of Transmission: Vaginal, oral and especially anal sex; sharing contaminated drug needles; piercing the skin with contaminated instruments such as those used in dental and medical procedures; and receiving contaminated blood or blood products through transfusions.

Symptoms: About one-third of people with HBV are asymptomatic. When symptoms are present they include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms of liver involvement include dark urine, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Prevention: Abstaining from sex with an infected person, especially anal sex, where body fluids, blood, semen or vaginal secretions are likely to be exchanged, is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of Hepatitis B. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. Avoid illicit IV drug use and sharing drug needles.
Herpes Painful and episodic; can be treated but there's no cure.

Modes of Transmission: Herpes is spread by direct sexual skin-to-skin contact with the infected site during vaginal, anal or oral sex. Another strain of the virus, Herpes Simplex Type 1 (HSV-1) is most commonly spread by nonsexual contact and usually causes sores on the lips. However, HSV-1 can also be transmitted through oral sex and can cause genital infections.

Symptoms: Symptoms are often very mild and may include an itching or burning sensation; pain in the legs, buttocks or genital area; or vaginal discharge. Blisters or painful open sores may appear, usually in the genital area, buttocks, anus, and thighs, although they can erupt anywhere. Sores heal after several weeks but may recur.

Prevention: Abstaining from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of genital herpes. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. However, it is still possible to contract genital herpes, even though using a condom, via sores in the genital area.
HIV/AIDS First recognized in 1984, AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death among young men and women. The virus is fatal involving a long, painful death.

Modes of Transmission: Vaginal, oral and especially anal sex; infected blood or blood products; sharing drug needles with an infected person; and from infected mother to infant in utero, during birth, or while breastfeeding.

Symptoms: Some people experience no symptoms when first infected. Others have flu-like symptoms including fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and enlarged lymph nodes. The symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month. It continues to weaken the immune system, leaving the individual increasingly unable to fight opportunistic infections.

Prevention: Abstaining from sex with an infected person, especially anal sex, where body fluids, blood, semen or vaginal secretions are likely to be exchanged, is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. Avoid illicit IV drug use and sharing drug needles.
Human Papalloma Virus (HPV) & Genital Warts The most common STD, 33% of all women have this virus, which can cause cervical or penile cancer and genital pain.

Modes of Transmission: Vaginal, anal or oral sex.

Symptoms: Painless fleshy, cauliflower-like warts develop on and inside the genitals, anus and throat.

Prevention: Abstaining from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of prevention. Condoms provide almost no protection against contracting the disease during sex.
Syphilis Untreated, can lead to serious damage of the brain or heart and death.

Modes of Transmission: The most common way of contracting the disease is through vaginal, anal or oral sex. However, it can be spread by non-sexual contact if the sores (chancres) rashes or mucous patches caused by syphilis come in contact with the broken skin of a non-infected individual.

Symptoms: In the initial phase, the disease produces painless sores or "chancres" that usually appear on the genitals but can appear anywhere on the body, If untreated, the disease progresses to other stages of infection which include a rash, fever sore throat, hair loss and swollen glands throughout the body.

Prevention: Abstaining from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of syphilis. Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. However, it is still possible to contract syphilis, even though using a condom, via sores in the genital area. It is also important to avoid non-sexual physical contact with the infectious sores (chancres), rashes or mucous patches caused by syphilis.
Trichomoniasis Can cause foamy vaginal discharge or no symptoms at all. Can cause premature birth in pregnant women.

Prevalence: Trichomoniasis is the most common curable STD in young people, sexually active women. An estimated 5 million new cases occur each year in women and men.

Modes of Transmission: Trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact. Trichomania can also survive on infected objects such as washcloths, and could possibly be transmitted by sharing those objects.

Prevention: Abstaining from vaginal sex with an infected person is the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of trichomoniasis. Latex condoms and other similar barrier devices can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex. Avoid sharing towels and washcloths with others to prevent non-sexual transmission of the disease.
Pubic Lice Every year, millions of people treat themselves for pubic lice. These tiny insects are also called "crabs."

Common symptoms: intense itching in the genitals or anus, mild fever, feeling run down, irritability, lice or small egg sacks - nits - in pubic hair

Itching usually begins five days after infestation begins. Some people don't itch and don't know they are infested.

How pubic lice are spread-contact with infected bedding, clothing, upholstered furniture, and toilet seats, intimate and sexual contact

Self-diagnosis: Seen with the naked eye or with a magnifying glass, pubic lice look like tiny crabs. They are pale gray but darken in color when swollen with blood. They attach themselves and their eggs to pubic hair, underarm hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Their eggs are white and are deposited in small clumps near the hair roots.

Prevention: Limit the number of intimate and sexual contacts.