Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, oral sex).

Symptoms: May appear 2 weeks to a month after exposure. Men: discharge, burning when urinating, burning/itching around opening of penis. Women: vaginal itching, discharge, abdominal pain, bleeding between periods, low grade fever. Many men and 80% of women have no noticeable symptoms until complications set in.

Dangers: Can cause infertility and lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Most common STD in the U.S.

Treatment: Antibiotics.

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, oral sex).

Symptoms: Men: discharge, burning when urinating, frequent urination. 25% of men have no symptoms. Women: discharge, bleeding between periods, burning when urinating, frequent urination. Most women have no symptoms.

Dangers: Can cause infertility and lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

Treatment: Antibiotics.

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, oral sex). Found in saliva, so open-mouth kissing can transmit the disease

Symptoms: Many have no symptoms, but some people experience jaundice, nausea, tiredness, or dark urine.

Dangers: There is no cure. 100 times more infectious than HIV. Can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. Infected person can become lifelong carrier.

Treatment: There is no treatment except rest and a high protein/high carbohydrate diet to repair damaged cells and protect the liver. However, a vaccine is available and very effective.

Transmission: Direct, skin-to-skin contact. Oral herpes (HSV-1) can infect the genital, and genital herpes (HSV-2) can infect the mouth. (vaginal, anal, kissing, oral sex)

Symptoms Most severe symptoms occur during initial outbreak, but some people experience no symptoms at all. Symptoms include clusters of tender, painful blisters, fever, swollen glands, painful urination, and lesions. In the phase before outbreaks, some people experience warning symptoms including tingling, itching, and pain in buttocks, back of legs, and lower back.

Dangers: There is no cure. Can be spread when no blisters or lesions are present. May be linked to cervical cancer. Provides accessible point of entry for HIV.

Treatment: There is no cure, but topical anesthetic powder or gel can be helpful for lesions. Antiviral drugs are effective if taken continuously as part of a preventive regimen, or in the very early stages of an attack.

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, kissing, oral sex).

Symptoms Usually no symptoms for years. Early symptoms: weight loss, sores in mouth, sore throat, swollen glands, night sweats.

Dangers: There is no cure. HIV is believed to cause AIDS, a stage of the disease when the body's immune system is unable to fight off other diseases. Often leads to death.

Treatment: There is no cure.

Transmission: Direct, skin-to-skin contact (hand to genital, genital to genital). (including vaginal, anal, kissing, oral sex).

Symptoms Some types of HPV cause no warts. If warts appear, they may itch, bleed, or cause pain. People may not notice warts because they are inside the vagina, on the cervix, or in the anus. Also, many are small and flesh-colored and most are painless.

Dangers: There is no cure. Can cause pre-cancers (especially on the cervix).

Treatment: There is no cure, but there are many treatments available to eliminate the warts, such as freezing, laser treatment, and creams.

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, oral sex). Commonly caused by untreated Chlamydia or Gonorrhea.

Symptoms Many women notice no symptoms, but some symptoms include: dull pain/tenderness in lower abdomen, pain during sex, increased discharge, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills, bleeding between periods.

Dangers: Can cause infertility and chronic pain. If pregnant, can lead to ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, which can be fatal.

Treatment: Antibiotics. Must also cure all Chlamydia and Gonorrhea if present. If left untreated for too long, patient may be required to stay in the hospital during treatment.

Transmission: Contact between mucous membranes and infected fluids (including vaginal, anal, oral sex).

Symptoms In first stage of disease, painless chancre (sore) will appear usually on vagina, cervix, vulva, mouth, penis, or anus. Many females miss chancre because it is painless and inside vagina. In second stage, flu-like symptoms, skin rash, hair loss, swollen lymph nodes can occur.

Dangers: If untreated, it can lead to heart failure, brain damage, blindness, paralysis. Can be fatal. Chancres provide accessible point of entry for HIV.

Treatment: Penicillin or doxycycline, based on diagnosis.