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FACTS AND FICTION:
Any sexually active person can be infected with an STD; the greater the number of sex partners, the greater the risk of infection.
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STDs affect men and women of all backgrounds and economic levels. Nearly half of all STDs occur in young people 15 to 24 years old.
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Most of the time, STDs cause no symptoms, especially in women.
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Complications of STDs may include: Infertility, Ectopic Pregnancy, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Cervical Cancer, Genital Warts, Birth Defects, and Death.
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When diagnosed and treated early, many STDs can be treated effectively.
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Experts believe that having STDs increases your risk for becoming infected with HIV.
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The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sex (oral, anal and vaginal).
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Avoiding STDs is also possible in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested for STDs and is not infected.
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Latex male condoms,
when used consistently and correctly
, can reduce the risk of transmission of
some, but not all,
STDs.
Some STDs can infect areas that are not covered by a condom.
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Condoms lubricated with spermicides (especially Nonoxynol-9 or N-9) are no more effective than other lubricated condoms in protecting against the transmission of STDs.
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Use of condoms lubricated with N-9 is not recommended for STD/HIV prevention.
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Transmission of an STD cannot be prevented by washing the genitals, urinating, and/or douching after sex.
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Any genital symptoms, such as an unusual sore, discharge with odor, burning during urination, or bleeding between menstrual cycles could mean an STD infection. If a woman has any of these symptoms, she should stop having sex and consult her physician immediately.
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Avoiding alcohol and drug use may also help prevent transmission of STDs because these activities may lead to risky sexual behavior.
Chlamydia:
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You can get this STD by having sex (anal, oral or vaginal) with someone who has it.
Most people who have Chlamydia do not have symptoms, and do not know they have this infection.
If sexually active, you need to be tested every year.
Female Symptoms:
An unusual vaginal discharge
Burning with urination.
Possible pain fever during sex
Male Symptoms:
Discharge from the penis
Burning or itching at penis opening when urinating.
Gonorrhea:
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Same information as above with some additional symptoms.
Female Symptoms:
AVaginal bleeding between periods.
Male Symptoms:
Painful or swollen testicles.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV):
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For Females
, HPV can cause warts on the vagina, vulva or cervix, anus, thighs or may cause cervical cancer.
For Males
, HPV can cause warts on the penis, scrotum, groin, anus or thighs.
Genital Warts
appear as small bumps or groups of bumps in the genital area. They can be raised or flat, single or multiple, small or large, and sometimes cauliflower shaped. They do not cause cancer.
Cervical Cancer
does not have symptoms until it is quite advanced. For this reason, it is important for women to get screened regularly for cervical cancer.
Other less common HPV-related cancers
: Cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus and penis. They may not have signs or symptoms until they are advanced.
Genital Herpes (HSV-1 or HSV-2):
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This STD is caused by the herpes simplex viruses Type 1 (HSV-1) or Type 2 (HSV-2).
Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2.
Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection.
When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum.
Blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur.
Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.
Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years.
There is NO CURE for herpes, just treatment
Sources:
http://www3.niaid.nih/healthscience/healthtopics/sti/default.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/std
http://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm
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