Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) are at epidemic levels. You can contract herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and AIDS by having vaginal, oral or anal sex. Either partner can infect the other person. Often, symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases include abnormal genital discharge, genital itching, warts or other sores, burning during urination, lower abdominal pain, and pain or swelling of the testicles. It is possible to have a sexually transmitted disease and to have no symptoms at all. Some of these diseases are incurable. They may cause pain, sterility or sometimes even death.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Disease Type Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Disease	Type	Symptoms	Treatment	Prevention
Chlamydia	Bacterial	Often none Burning on urination Genital Discharge Abdominal pain Testicular Swelling Can cause sterility	Antibiotics	Condoms decrease risk
Gonorrhea	Bacterial	Genital discharge or Burning on urination within 2-10 days of exposure Sometimes no symptoms Can cause pelvic inflammation, infertility and sterility Can infect joints, heart and brain	Antibiotics	Treatment cannot correct damage done Abstaining from sex Condoms decrease risk
Syphilis	Bacterial	Sores on genitals or on body. Later stage see rash, fever, sore throat, hair loss, swollen glands. Can cause serious damage to body systems and death. Can cause sterility.	Antibiotics	Treatment cannot correct damage done. Abstaining from sex Avoid all contact with sores
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)	Viral	Cauliflower like warts on genitals, anus or throat.	No cure	Abstaining from sex. Condoms decrease risk.
Genital Herpes	Viral	Itching and burning. Pain in legs, buttocks or genitals. Vaginal discharge. Genital or other blisters that reoccur after healing	No cure.	Abstaining from sex. Avoid all contact with sores.
Hepatitis B	Viral	Often no symptoms. May have vomitting, diarrhea, fever, aching and fatigue.	No cure. Can clear up or may become chronic. Vaccine is available	Avoid any exchange of blood or body fluids through sex or needles
HIV/AIDS	Viral	No early symptoms or flu like symptoms. Weight loss, fatigue, enlarged nodes. Increased suscepitibility to infections.	No cure. Often Antiviral drugs can prolong life	Avoid any exchange of blood or body fluids through sex or needles. Condoms can decrease risk.