Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention The Facts: • About 400 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) occur each year among young adults around the world. • One in five sexually active people in the United States has an STD ages 16-24. • One in four people will have an STD at some point during his or her life. • One in 10 teenagers knows someone who is HIV-positive. • Fifty-six percent of teenagers 12 to 17 years of age think STDs are a big problem for people their age. Bacterial vs. Viral STD’s • Bacterial infections such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be cleared with antibiotics, but have very annoying and painful symptoms. And if left untreated can cause reproductive problems. • Viral infections such as HIV, Genital Herpes, HPV (genital warts), and Hepatitis CANNOT be cured, only treatments used to suppress the symptoms. STD’s are PREVENTABLE!!! • STD’s occur when people engage in heavy kissing, oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Anyone can get an STD. • Yes, condoms can reduce the risk of transmitting an STD, but are not 100% effective. • Abstinence is the only 100% effective method to prevent STD’s. Symptoms • Some STD’s will be asymptomatic, which means that there will NEVER be any symptoms. • You can be infected with an STD for several years and not even know it!!! • 80% of people are unaware that they have an STD because they are asymptomatic. • Each STD has different types of symptoms and different time lengths for signs of symptoms. • Some general symptoms of STD’s include: burning or itching, painful urination, discolored urination, flu like symptoms, and bumps or blisters, bleeding is NOT a common symptom. Chlamydia Bacterial infection which is the fastest spreading infection among teens. In 2006 there were 84 cases of this in Wright County, and over 4000 in Hennepin County Will infect up to 4 million men and woman each year. Untreated will lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which = sterility. Symptoms include painful urination, yellowish discharge from penis or vagina. Symptom appear with in 2 weeks after exposure Chlamydia…… Pelvic Inflammatory Disease leads to fertility problems Gonorrhea • Chlamydia’s Twin!! • Bacterial infection that affects one million people each year. • Signs and symptoms are similar to Chlamydia: burning urination, yellowish discharge from penis or vagina. • Symptoms usually show in 2-5 days (sooner than Chlamydia). • Treated with antibiotics • If not treated, sterility and reproductive problems will occur! Gonorrhea….. Genital Herpes Genital Herpes is a viral infection that can be treated, but not cured. About 2/3’s of people that have herpes don’t know that they have it because they will not have any symptoms. 40 million Americans have herpes Herpes symptoms usually happen in “outbreaks”. During these outbreaks a person will have flu like symptoms and may have many painful blisters that are in the genital area. Outbreaks usual will last for 8-10 days and the occurrence of these outbreaks depend on the person. Antivirals will suppress outbreaks, but remember there is no cure. Genital Herpes…… Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) HPV will affect more than 1 million people a year. 70% of sexually active people carry some strain of HPV, many will show no symptoms Is a VIRAL infection There are over 400 known strains of HPV. Most strains of HPV do not have any symptoms Some types of HVP cause cervical cancer, that is why it is extremely important for females to get pap smears (test done to prevent cervical cancer). Some strains cause genital warts….. NEW vaccine found in 2005 -3700 women will die each year from cervical cancer -Gardasil is a vaccine against the HPV or Human Papillomavirus. The Gardasil vaccine protects recipients against 4 types of HPV, including the two types that cause most cervical cancers and the two types that cause the most genital warts. -Gardasil ONLY prevents 4 of the several types of HPV that causes cervical cancer, all the others have no vaccine or cure -Gardasil is given to females ages 9-26, and in most cases, is only given to females that have NOT been sexually active. HPV (genital warts) continued………. 4 known strains of HPV will cause genital warts. Symptoms include tiny clusters of warts around anus, vagina, scrotum, and penis. HPV is passed from skin to skin contact and there does not need to be any warts visible to contract it HPV does not have a cure, but can be treated with antivirals and removal of the warts by burning or freezing them off, they may reappear in only a few weeks Condoms only reduce the risk of infection by 40%, because genital warts can be on the “genital area”, not just the shaft of the penis Genital Warts…… Untreated Genital Warts Trichomoniasis • This is an STD caused by a microscopic bacteria that results in infections in the vagina, urethra, and bladder. (bacterial) • 7.4 million new cases each year • Females will have no symptoms, and is received by males (who also have no symptoms) • There is no way to detect this STD • This disease will result in Vaginitis…….. Vaginitis • Vaginitis is a disease that is the result of untreated trichomoniasis • It is the inflammation (swelling) of the vagina characterized by discharge, odor, irritation, and itching. • Males will show no symptoms • Vaginitis is cured by antibiotics Vaginitis… Inflamed Labia of the Female and discharge Syphilis This is a 4 staged STD that usually affects about 120,000 people each year. The first stage shows up 10 days to 3 weeks after transmission, it will appear as a red sore (chancre) on the genitals or inside the vagina. The second stage is a rash and flu like symptoms, this shows up 8-10 weeks after affected. The third state is latent. Symptoms may go away, but that does not mean that it is gone. If not treated, the fourth stage will appear which is mental illness, blindness, heart disease and death. Syphilis is cured with antibiotics in the first 3 stages. State 4 is deadly and cannot be cured. Syphilis……. Rash on bottom of feet and hands-Second Stage Chancre-First Stage Pubic Lice • Pubic Lice are bacterial insects that live in the genital area • They are spread through sexual contact, bed sheets, and towels (they thrive in warm environments and then lay eggs) • The main symptoms are itching and a rash from the itching • Pubic Lice can be treated with medicated shampoo Pubic Lice…… Hepatitis C • Hepatitis C is a blood borne infection that is transmitted through the contact of bodily fluids. • Is spread through blood contact. (mainly from sharing needles) • Usually asymptomatic, blood tests given to detect disease • There are antiviral drugs, but no cure • Long term damage if left untreated are liver damage and liver disease. Hepatitis C HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) HIV is a fatal viral infection that has no cure. HIV is passed from sexual intercourse, sharing needles, or mother to baby HIV will enter the bodies immune system and replicate cells of the immune system to disguise that it is really HIV. During the process, HIV eventually kill white blood cells (cells known for fighting infection). It is estimated that 600,000-900,000 people in the U.S. has HIV. Most HIV patients will die from opportunistic infections (pneumonia), due to the fact that their white blood cell count is so low. HIV will eventually lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Time of symptoms appearing will vary (6 monthsyears). Symptoms will be: easily sick, weight loss, tired/fatigue, flu like symptoms HIV will eventually lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), this is when a persons white blood cell count reaches below 200, a healthy person has 8,000-10,000 At this time, a person with a low WBC count will have a very weak immune system and will not be able to fight off infections, and will possibly die from them (note: opportunistic infections) There are very expensive medicines for people with HIV that are usually NOT covered by insurance, but these medicines only prolong life and do not CURE it. HIV… review This virus attacks the antibodies in a person's immune system, thereby disabling that system. HIV works in an unusual way because it uses the immune system to its advantage. Viruses cannot live unless they are inside of a living cell, called a host. The viruses use the host cell to reproduce themselves, causing the cell to die in the process. The new viruses are then set free. The HIV virus attacks T4 lymphocytes, which are a special type of white blood cell. These cells are the body's method of defense. Without them, humans are susceptible to disease and infection. CONSIDER THE BENEFITS OF ABSTINECNCE! •No STD’s •No unwanted pregnancies •No emotional pain or guilt Pictures and information was retrieved at: • www.std-gov.org/stds • www.cdc.gov • Glencoe Health-copyright 2007 (Student Health Book)