Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD’s

1. Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD’s

2. Sexually Transmitted Diseases • STDs are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through any form of sexual contact. • Many STDs are asymptomatic (without symptoms) so a person can have an infection and pass the infection to others without knowing they have the disease. • Some STDs are caused by bacterial infections and can be cured with medication. Others are caused by viruses and are incurable. • Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to controlling or curing an STD.

3. Sexually Transmitted Diseases The Hidden Epidemic • Each month about 750,000 teens are diagnosed with an STD • About 13 million new cases of STDs are reported each year in the U.S. and many more go unreported. • An estimated 65 million people in the U.S. are living with an incurable STD.

4. Sexually Transmitted Diseases The Hidden Epidemic • Many people are asymptomatic – without symptoms. • They do not seek treatment because they do not know they are infected and they continue to transmit STDs. • Some people who suspect they have an STD may be too embarrassed to seek treatment

5. Sexually Transmitted Diseases The Hidden Epidemic • Even when STDs are diagnosed, they may not be reported to health departments so that prior contacts may be notified and treated. • Those contacts can continue to unknowingly transmit the disease to others.

6. High Risk Behaviors • Being sexually active with more than one person • Includes having a series of sexual relationships with one person at a time. • Most teens are unaware of a partner’s past behavior and whether he or she already has an STD.

7. High Risk Behaviors 2. Engaging in unprotected sex • Barrier protection is not 100% effective in preventing the transmission of STDs, and is not effective at all against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). • Abstinence from sexual activity is the only method that is 100% effective in preventing STDs.

8. High Risk Behaviors • Selecting high-risk partners • Those partners include those with a history of being sexually active with more than one person and those who inject illegal drugs.

9. High Risk Behaviors • Using Alcohol and other drugs • Alcohol use can lower inhibitions. • In a recent survey, more than 25% of teens that engaged in sexual activity had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

10. Consequences of STDs • Some STDs are incurable • The pathogen that causes certain STDs cannot be eliminated from the body by medical treatment (such as antibiotics) and remain in the body for life • Examples: Genital Herpes, HIV/AIDS

11. Consequences of STDs 2. Some STDS cause cancer • The hepatitis B virus can cause liver cancer • The human papillomavirus can cause cancer of the cervix • These STDs also cannot be cured and may last a lifetime. • There currently is a HPV vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer, pre-cancerous genital lesions (or sores), and genital warts caused by genital HPV infection. The vaccine prevents against 4 types of HPV infections (there are currently over 100 different types of HPV). It is recommended for females 9 to 26 years old. It must be given prior to infection because it will only prevent infection, not cure the infection.

12. Consequences of STDs 3. Some STDs can cause complications that affect the ability to reproduce. • Females can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which damages reproductive organs and can cause sterility. • A lot of STDs are asymptomatic, so a female may not even know she contracted an STD until years later when she is trying to conceive and is told her reproductive organs are damaged beyond repair.

13. Consequences of STDs 4. Some STDs can be passed from an infected female to her child before, during, or after birth. • STDs can damage the bones, nervous system, and brain of a fetus. • Premature births can result, and infants with STDs at delivery may become blind or develop pneumonia, and some may die.

14. Common STDs

15. Chlamydia • It is the most common STD among teens. • It is a bacterial infection that affects the reproductive organs of both males and females. • 40% of reported cases are in teens 15-19 years old. • About 2.8 million Americans contract Chlamydia each year, with the disease affecting young females three times more often than males.

16. Chlamydia • It is asymptomatic in 75% of infected females and 50% of infected males. • Symptoms, when present, consist of a burning sensation when urinating and an unusual discharge from the penis in males • Females may have a vaginal discharge, burning upon urination, or abdominal pain

17. Chlamydia • It is diagnosed by laboratory examination of secretions from the cervix in females and urethra in males. • It can be treated with antibiotics, but no immunity develops, so a person can become infected again.

18. Chlamydia • If left untreated, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and lead to chronic pelvic pain or infertility in females or males. • It can also cause premature births, and infants born to infected mothers may develop eye disease or pneumonia • Females with Chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV if exposed to the virus.

19. Gonorrhea • A bacterial STD that usually affects mucous membranes • Highest rates of infection are found in females from 15-19 years old and males from 20-24 years old. • It is the second most commonly reported STD in the U.S. with more than 700,000 Americans infected each year.

20. Gonorrhea • Symptoms in males include a discharge from the penis and painful urination. • Approximately 50% of females have no symptoms. Those who do may experience a vaginal discharge and pain and burning upon urination.

21. Gonorrhea • It can be treated with antibiotics, but a person can get re-infected if exposed again to the bacteria. Some strains of gonorrhea have become resistant to antibiotics. • If left untreated, it can lead to infertility. • It can also spread to the bloodstream and cause permanent damage to joints.

22. Gonorrhea • Females can pass the infection to their babies during childbirth. • Infants born to mothers with gonorrhea can contract eye infections that cause blindness.

23. Trichomoniasis • An STD caused by microscopic protozoan which results in infections of the vagina, urethra, and bladder. • About 7.5 million new cases are estimated to occur every year in the U.S.

24. Trichomoniasis • Females may have no symptoms, however, the disease may result in vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina characterized by discharge, odor, irritation and itching. • Males usually have no symptoms, but when they do occur include mild urethral itching or discharge and burning after urination.

25. Human Papillomavirus • A virus that can cause genital warts or an asymptomatic infection. • It is one of the most common STDs with estimates that 50 to 75 percent of sexually active males and females acquire HPV infection at some time during their lives.

26. Human Papillomavirus • More than 100 different types of HPV have been identified, with more than 30 of these viruses infecting the genital area.

27. Human Papillomavirus • Most types of HPV infections are asymptomatic. • There is no treatment. However most asymptomatic infections appear to be temporary and are probably cleared by the immune system.

28. Human Papillomavirus • Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by certain types of HPV, as are cancers of the penis and anus. • HPV has been linked to cancer development years after exposure, to the virus, especially mouth and throat cancers.

29. Human Papillomavirus • A vaccine treatment is now available for protection against 4 types of the HPV virus. • It is not a cure, but is recommended to reduce the number of cases of cervical cancer.

30. Human Papillomavirus Genital Warts • Pink or reddish warts with cauliflower-like tops that appear on the genital, vagina, or cervix 1-3 months after infection from HPV. • They are highly contagious and are spread by any form of sexual contact with an infected person.

31. Human Papillomavirus Genital Warts • Treatments can rid the body of the warts but the person has the virus for life. • Infants born to females infected with HPV may develop warts in their throats, obstructing the breathing passages, which can be life-threatening.

32. Genital Herpes • An STD caused by the herpes simplex virus. Type 1 usually causes cold sores. Type 2 usually causes genital sores. However, both can infect the mouth or the genitals. • Nationwide, about 20% of the total adolescent population is infected with the virus

33. Genital Herpes • Most people who have genital herpes are asymptomatic and are not aware they are infected. • Those who do show symptoms typically have blister-like sores in the genital area that occur periodically.

34. Genital Herpes • It is not true that the virus can only spread when blisters are present; the virus can spread in the absence of symptoms. • Medication can relieve the symptoms and lessen the frequency of outbreaks, but cannot cure herpes infection – once contracted, the virus remains in your body for life.

35. Genital Herpes • The herpes virus is potentially fatal for infants who contract the virus from their mothers at the time of delivery. • The virus may also play a role in the spread of HIV by making people who are infected with herpes more capable of transmitting or acquiring HIV.

36. Syphilis • Syphilis is an STD that attacks many parts of the body and is caused by a small bacterium called a spirochete. • The first sign of infection is a painless reddish sore called a chancre at the site of infection. • The sore will heal on it’s own, but if the infection is not treated, it spreads through the blood to other parts of the body.

37. Syphilis • Penicillin is the main drug used to treat syphilis. • Eventually, the disease can damage internal organs, including the heart, liver, nervous system, and kidneys. • If left untreated, the person is at risk of paralysis, convulsions, blindness, and heart disease.

38. Syphilis • Syphilis can be transmitted from a pregnant female to her fetus. • An fetus infected with syphilis may have a damaged nervous system and can die from the effects.

39. Chancroid • Chancroid is a bacterial infection with many similarities to the primary stage of syphilis. • Deep sores show up near the genitals. • Chancroid can be treated with antibiotics

40. Candidiasis • Candidiasis is a vaginal yeast infection. • It usually occurs without sexual contact but is often passed to a partner during sexual contact. • Symptoms include a yellowish discharge, strong odor, and itching. • It can be treated with over-the-counter medications.

41. Pubic Lice • Pubic lice are tiny insects which attach themselves to the skin and hair in the pubic region. • The lice feed on blood and cause intense itching. • It can be treated with a medicated shampoo to get rid of the lice.

42. Scabies • Scabies is an infestation of the skin by mites. • They cause red, swollen, itchy bumps resembling those found during the primary stage of syphilis. • Itching begins 4-6 weeks after infestation. • Treatment includes hot baths and medicated creams.