STDs You Should Know
STDs You Should Know More About
Below is a list of sexually transmitted diseases that have high rates of infection or can cause severe medical complications, including death and infertility.
Chlamydia: Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that can be easily treated with medication. Since chlamydia does not have symptoms, you may not know you have it. Approximately 75% of women and 50% of men do not have symptoms. In women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in infertility, chronic pelvic pain, or tubal pregnancies. In men, it can cause urethral infection or swollen testicles.
For more information on chlamydia go to:
- American Social Health Association (ASHA)
- National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases
Gonorrhea: Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that is treatable, if detected early. Common symptoms are a discharge from the vagina or penis and painful or difficult urination. About half of gonorrhea infections in women do not have symptoms. Gonorrhea can result in PID (see below), if not treated.
For more information on Gonorrhea go to:
- http://www.iwannaknow.org/teens/sti/gonorrhea.html
- http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/gonorrhea/Pages/default.aspx
HIV/AIDS:The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS, the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Over 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and almost a fifth (18.1%) of HIV infected Americans are unaware of their status. Although there have been major advances in the prevention and treatment of HIV, we continue to see too many new HIV infections and too many AIDS deaths. For these reasons, a general understanding of HIV is essential to public health.
Basic Information About HIV/AIDS
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is caused by a variety of organisms, most commonly chlamydia and gonorrhea, and is an infection of the upper genital tract. The more sexual partners you have the greater the risk of contracting PID. Pelvic inflammatory disease can result in infertility, chronic pelvic pain, or tubal pregnancies.
For more information on PID go to:
http://www.iwannaknow.org/teens/sti/pid.html
Syphilis: Syphilis is a bacterial STD that can be treated with antibiotics. Syphilis is an incubating disease that left untreated can cause mental illness, blindness and death. Symptoms of syphilis can include an ulcer or chancre, mild fever, fatigue, headache, or rash.
For more information on Syphilis go to:
- http://www.iwannaknow.org/teens/sti/syphilis.html
- www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/syphilis/Pages/default.aspx
Other STDs: There are many other STDs including: genital warts, human papillomavirus (HPV), and genital herpes. For more information on other STDs, you can go to the following web sites: