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Infectious Diseases & Sexually Transmitted Infections. Sexually Transmitted Disease Common myths. Only certain kinds of people get STD’s – Fact is that STD’s can infect anyone.
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Sexually Transmitted DiseaseCommon myths • Only certain kinds of people get STD’s – Fact is that STD’s can infect anyone. • You can always tell if you – or someone else- has an STD – Fact is that in many cases, a person with an STD has no symptoms and may not show symptoms for years. • STD’s are no big deal – all STD’s can be cured these days – Fact is that some STD’s can’t be cured, only treated with expensive medications and untreated STD’s can be deadly.
3 risk factors for STD’s • Sexual activity – abstinence is the only sure way you can be absolutely sure that you will not get an STD. They can be spread by all kinds of sexual activity (oral, anal and vaginal) • Using Alcohol and other Drugs – people under the influence of drugs are more likely to make poor choices and put their health at risk • Sharing needles – Make sure any tattoo or piercing is done with clean, new needles. Also drug users can expose themselves to HIV by injecting illegal drugs.
An STD is a sexually transmitted disease that can be spread from person to person during sexual contact. • HIV causes AIDS, which is a deadly disease that weakens the bodies ability to fight pathogens. An infected person usually dies from a disease that a person with a healthy immune system would resist. • An HIV infected person may show no signs of AIDS, but can still spread the disease to other people.
Like other viruses, HIV invades healthy cells and instructs them to make more HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). The cells that HIV attacks are White Blood Cells called T cells that are part of the body’s immune system. This weakens the body’s ability to fight pathogens that cause other diseases, such as pneumonia, or to fight cancer.
Common STI’s Viruses – no cure HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). More than 900,000 Americans have contracted AIDS since 1981 (40 million worldwide) and nearly a million are currently infected with HIV. There is no cure, but researchers have discovered cocktails of drugs that may slow the spread of HIV in the body. HIV is generally spread by sexual contact, from a mother to her baby (placenta or breast milk), or from contaminated blood product, usually from a needle shared by drug users. A person who is HIV positive may not develop AIDS for 10 years or more, but they can spread the disease to others during that time.
Genital Herpes – painful sores, fever, burning feeling during urination – typical outbreaks happen 4-5 times a year. Approximately 16% of all sexually active Americans have this disease. Herpes makes infected people more capable of transmitting or acquiring HIV. Genital Warts – HPV or Human Papillomavirus is the most common STD in the USA. 20 million people currently have HPV in the USA. 6 million people get this annually every year. There are vaccines for this disease, which may cause several kinds of cancer, especially cervical cancer and penile cancer.
Bacteria – antibiotics are a cure Chlamydia –It is the most commonly reported STD in the USA. 4-5 million people get this annually in the US. 40% of all cases are reported in teens 15-19 years old. 75% of infected females are asymptomatic and 50% of males. Untreated it can cause PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease) in women, infertility in both men and women, and serious health risks to newborn babies of infected mothers.
Gonorrhea – 700,000 new cases annually in the USA. The highest infection rates are found in females 15-19 years old and males 20-24 years old. 50% of females are asymptomatic. Untreated, it can lead to infertility in both males and females and spread to the bloodstream and cause permanent damage to the joints. Infants born to mothers with gonorrhea can contract eye infections that cause blindness.
Syphilis – 36,000 new cases annually in the USA. Untreated it can cause blindness, paralysis and dementia. First sign of infection is a painless reddish sore, called a chancre (SHAN-kuhr). Syphilis can be transmitted from a pregnant female to her fetus and the infant may have a damaged nervous system and die from its effects
Protozoa – antibiotics are a cure Trichomoniasis – 7.4 million new cases every year, but easy to cure after going to the doctor. Females may have no symptoms, but can get vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina characterized by discharge, odor, irritation, and itching. Males usually show no symptoms.
Seeking treatment for STD’s Sexually active people should have regular gynecological or male genital examinations. This is true for all types of sex – oral, vaginal and anal. This gives your doctor a chance to treat diseases early, before they lead to infertility or cancer and can help you avoid infecting others unknowingly.
