STD and STD Symptoms

What is an STD?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infectious diseases that are most often spread by sexual intercourse. STDs can be spread through various ways. It is wrong if you think you can only be infected through sexual intercourse.

How do STDs Spread?
1) Have oral, vaginal and/or anal sex with someone who has the infection.
2) Have more than one sex partner or have sex with someone who has had many partners
3) Don't use a condom when having sex
4) Direct skin-to-skin contact with the mouth, anus or genitals.-
5) Share needles or syringes for drug use, ear piercing, tattooing, etc.

How many people get STDs?
Over 110 million people are living with STDs in the U.S. alone, as well as an estimated 400 million people worldwide.
In the United States, about 19 million new infections are thought to occur each year. Almost half of new infections are among young people ages 15 to 24. 1 in 4 teenage American girls has STD.

How to prevent STDs?
 Don’t have sex.
 Be faithful.
 Use condoms correctly when you have sex.
 Have a yearly pelvic exam.
Most common types of STDs
 HSV-1 (herpes type 1, usually cold sore)
 HSV-1 (herpes type 1, usually genital)
 HSV-2 (herpes type 2, usually genital)
 HSV-2 (herpes type 2, usually cold sore)…
 HPV (human papillomavirus)
 HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
 Hepatitis A
 Hepatitis B
 Hepatitis C
 Chlamydia
 Thrush
 Syphilis
 Gonorrhea

a). HERPES (HSV-1 & HSV-2)
Herpes simplex virus is known as herpes. The virus is categorized into two types of herpes. HSV-1 is usually oral herpes and HSV-2 is usually genital herpes. Over 45,000,000 have herpes in the U.S. There is no cure for the infection.

Symptoms
1) A blister or multiple blisters on or around affected areas: inside the mouth, on the lips, around the lips, genitals, or rectum.
2) HSV-1 causes sores around the mouth, inside the mouth, and on the lips.
3) With HSV-2, the infected person may have cold sores or a rash around the genital area.

b). HPV (human papillomavirus)
HPV vaccines are offered to males and females aged 26 and under who don’t have HPV. Over 20,000,000 people have the disease. The vaccine is a series of three shots given during a six-month duration.

Symptoms
Often, people don't have any symptoms and the HPV infection goes away on its own. Some types of HPV can lead to cervical cancer or cancer of the anus or penis.

c). HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
Over 1,200,000 people in the U.S are living with HIV. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. When HIV progresses it could cause AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

Symptoms
Symptoms may appear from a few days to several weeks after a person is first infected. The early symptoms usually go away within 2 to 3 weeks.
After the early symptoms go away, an infected person may not have symptoms again for many years. After a certain point, symptoms reappear and then remain. These symptoms usually include:
 Swollen lymph nodes.
 Extreme tiredness.
 Weight loss.
 Fever.
 Night sweats.
d). Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a serious disease caused by a virus hepatitis B virus (HBV) that attacks the liver. It can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, liver cancer, liver failure, and death.
Symptoms
 Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes and/or a brownish or orange tint to the urine)
 Unusually light-colored stool
 Fever
 Unexplained fatigue that persists for weeks or months
 Gastrointestinal symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting
 Abdominal pain
 Frequently there will be no symptoms, and it is only discovered in a blood test
Often, symptoms occur one to six months after exposure. An estimated 30% of those infected do not show typical signs or symptoms.

e). Hepatitis C
In the U.S., 3.2 million people have Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a virus that can cause inflammation of the liver.
Symptoms
The majority of individuals with Hepatitis C don’t experience any signs or symptoms of the virus. If liver damage occurs the following symptoms may occur.
• Jaundice (a condition that causes yellow eyes and skin, as well as dark urine)
• Stomach pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Lethargic
• Temperature