SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (S.T.I.)
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The highest risk age for STIs is between 15 and 24 years (estimated nearly half of all cases among those who are sexually active)
Many STIs do not have obvious early signs. In most cases, you cannot tell someone has an STI by looking at them or their private parts.
Testing is the only way to know for certain if you have an STI. You can obtain free testing in a confidential place through the Region of
Waterloo Public Health Clinic. Call 519-883-2267 or through http://chd.region.waterloo.on.ca/en/clinicsClassesFairs/sexuallytransmittedinfectionshivtesting.asp
How you get it?
CHLAMYDIA
- unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex
- prevented thru abstinence
- reduce risk with use of condom or
dental dam
- infects cervix, rectum, urethra,
throat, eyes
GONORRHEA (CLAP)
- unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex
- prevented thru abstinence
- on rise in Canada
- can pass from mother to baby during
birth
- reduce risk with use of condom or
dental dam
SYPHILIS
- unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex
-prevented thru abstinence
- less common STI, but on the rise
(mostly in male/male relationships)
- can pass from mother to baby during
birth
How you get it?
GENITAL HERPES
- skin-to-skin contact with an infected
area during oral, anal, or vaginal sex
- oral sex can pass from either mouth
or genital area
- prevented thru abstaining from skinto-skin contact when infected
- condoms may reduce risk
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
Symptoms
- few symptoms
- affects women more seriously and least
likely to show symptoms
pain urinating; vaginal discharge;
spotting between cycles or after sex
pain urinating; itching and/or discharge
from penis
- almost no early signs for most
pain urinating; rectal or vaginal itching
and/or bleeding; yellowish discharge
pain urinating; yellowish discharge from
penis; swollen testicles
- 4 stages and hard to diagnose because
mimics other illness
1st painless; red sore on sex organs or
mouth
2nd rash anywhere on body; flu-like
symptoms
3rd and 4th symptoms go away but most
damage occurs
VIRAL INFECTIONS
Symptoms
itchy genitalia; small blisters on
genitalia, anus, upper thighs
- blisters can burst and become sores
- painful urinations
- can spread to inside mouth or lips
Treatment
Impact Without Treatment
- swab test or urine
sample
- single dose of
antibiotics
- inform partners
infertility; pelvic inflammatory
disease; ectopic pregnancies
prostate swelling
- swab test or urine
sample
- antibiotic treatment
- inform partners
infertility; pelvic inflammatory
disease; ectopic pregnancies
prostate swelling; infertility
infect joints, heart, brain
- eye infections in babies;
blindness
- blood test
- antibiotic treatment
- inform partners
Treatment
- blood test
- no cure
- medications manage
breakouts
- damage to brain, heart, bones,
blood vessels
- can cause mental disorders
- babies may be born with
serious medical complications
Impact Without Treatment
- open sores on genitalia
increases risk of
transmission of HIV
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)
- lethal virus
- virus attacks and weakens immune system
- unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex; - can lead to AIDS (Acquired
sharing needles
Immunodeficiency Syndrome) – a combo of
- prevented through abstinence
symptoms that indicates the destruction of
- reduce risk with use of condom or
the immune system
dental dam
- takes many years for symptoms to become
- since 1981 – 20 million have died
obvious because mistaken for other
worldwide
illnesses
- 2004 – 38 million infected worldwide
HEPATITIS B VIRUS
- unprotected oral, anal or vaginal sex; - acute (mild) infection has similar symptoms
sharing needles
to the flu
-prevented through abstinence
- chronic infection (severe) has no visible
- can pass from mother to baby during symptoms but damage occurs to liver
birth
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) (GENITAL WARTS)
- skin-to-skin contact (including
- almost no signs or symptoms
sexual) – not through blood
- Genital warts is caused by a form of HPV –
- over 80 kinds of HPV viruses – some very contagious and spread through oral,
cause genital infection
anal or vaginal sex
- only abstinence prevents
How you get it?
CRABS
- spread during intimate contact –
crawl from skin-to-skin
- 1mm size insects that nest in pubic
hair
SCABIES
- spread during intimate contact –
skin-to-skin
- live 3-5 days on clothing
- mites the dig under the skin and lay
eggs
TRICHOMONIASES (TRICH)
- microscopic parasite
- prevented through abstinence
- reduce risk with a condom
* Sources available upon request
- blood test
- diagnosed when suffering
another symptom of
weakened immune system
- no cure
- medication helps boost
immune system
- inform partners
- # of years before HIV
turns into AIDS varies
(average 10 yrs)
- AIDS does not cause
death – death occurs from
another illness the person
obtains because no defence
- blood test
- no cure but there is a
vaccine to prevent
- some medications help to
manage
- inform partners
- can cause damage to liver
- blood test
- no cure but there is a
vaccine to prevent
- some medications help to
manage different forms
- inform partners
- 70% of cervical cancers
are caused by a form of
HPV
- growing link between HPV
and penile and anal cancers
PARASYTIC INFECTIONS
Symptoms
Treatment
Impact Without Treatment
- bury heads into skin to live off blood and lay
eggs in sacks at base of hair
skin irritation
- blue spots on skin from bites
- black dots from feces
- medicated
shampoo washes out
- inform recent
partners
- wash clothing, etc.
- won’t go away on own
- itching and irritation
increases
- severe scratching can
cause infections
- intense itchiness (nighttime, bath)
- red rash on fingers, armpits, genitalia
- prescription lotion
to apply to whole
body
- wash clothing, etc.
- won’t go away on own
- itching and irritation
increases
- severe scratching can
cause infections
infects vagina, urethra, bladder
- vaginal discharge; itchy; pain during intercourse
infects urethra, under foreskin
- penal discharge, irritation, burn in urination
- antibiotic treatment
- inform partners
because often no
symptoms
- in pregnant women, may
cause premature delivery or
low birth weight