Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are among the most common infectious diseases in the United States. Infectious diseases are defined as diseases that can be passed from one person to another.

STDs are normally spread through sexual activities, including vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, oral sex (mouth-to-genital contact) or any other form of intimate contact involving genitals. The diseases can also be spread through sharing sexual devices that are not washed or covered with a condom. Many STDs can be passed from a mother to her infant before, during or after birth, during breastfeeding. Some STDs can even be passed through non-sexual contact with the skin of an infected person. In some cases, certain STDs (e.g., pubic lice, scabies) are also spread through contact with an infected person’s clothes, towels or linens. Although it is uncommon, some STDs (e.g., genital herpes) have also been spread through contact with toilet seats and hot tubs.

STDs can travel from person to person in bodily fluids, including semen, vaginal fluids and blood. Some can enter the body through tiny cuts or tears in the mouth, anus or genitals. STDs that are spread through blood, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis, may also be transmitted through sharing needles used for injecting intravenous drugs.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 15.3 million new cases of STDs are reported each year in the United States. However, many STDs go undiagnosed and unreported. Therefore, the CDC estimates that a total of 19 million STD infections occur in the United States each year.

Anyone engaging in sexual activity is at risk of contracting an STD. This includes sexual activity between a man and woman or between people of the same gender. However, certain populations are more likely to acquire the diseases. According to the CDC, STDs disproportionately affect women, infants, young people and minorities. Of these groups, young people are particularly affected. Nearly half of all STD cases occur among young adults between the ages of 15 and 24, and nearly two-thirds of all STDs occur in people under the age of 25.

STDs are passed more often from men to women than the reverse because the exposed surface area is larger in women. In addition, the vagina acts like a reservoir that prolongs contact with infectious fluids. Microscopic injuries during intercourse are also more common in women than in men.

The high rate of STD infection may be the result of many factors, including young adults becoming sexually active at a younger age. In addition, young people are more likely to have multiple sexual partners and are more likely to have unprotected sex.

Complications of the diseases vary. Although STDs are often linked with unpleasant symptoms, including sores and foul smelling discharge, they can cause a variety of serious complications such as liver failure, certain cancers and neurological problems. Infection with certain diseases may also result in death, with HIV being the deadliest STD.

In general, complications caused by STDs tend to be more severe for women. A common complication of many STDs in women is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a potentially fatal condition in which a fertilized egg develops outside the uterus.

Women with sexually transmitted diseases can infect their infants before, during or after birth. Some STDs like syphilis cross the placenta, infecting the fetus while it is in the uterus. Others, like herpes, gonorrhea and chlamydia, can be transmitted during delivery as the infantpasses through the birth canal (vagina). In addition, HIV can infect the infant during breastfeeding.

Sexually transmitted diseases also increase a person’s risk of acquiring the HIV virus. According to the CDC, people who are infected with STDs are at least two to five times more likely to acquire HIV when exposed to the virus during sexual contact. The risk of infection is increased because the action of the disease in the body places tissues at risk for further infection. In addition, people with HIV who are also infected with another STD are more likely to transmit the HIV virus through sexual contact.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are caused by three types of organisms. These organisms include:

These are very small organisms that get nourishment from the person they infect (the host). Examples of sexually transmitted parasites include:

These complex molecules invade the cells of their host, where they are capable of growing and multiplying. Viral STDs are commonly transmitted during sexual activity, including vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse and oral sex (mouth-to-genital contact).

These single-celled organisms cling together in colonies to feed from the body of their host. They are commonly transmitted through sexual activity, including vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse and oral sex. Many sexually transmitted bacterial infections also increase the risk of HIV transmission. Examples of sexually transmitted bacterial infections include:

Any person participating in sexual activity is at risk of becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, there are certain factors that increase this risk including:

• Participating in unprotected vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse or oral sex (mouth-to-genital contact).
• Having multiple sexual partners. The more sexual partners a person has, the greater their risk of being exposed to an STD. Having multiple partners also makes it less likely that a person knows about each partner’s sexual history and drug habits.
• Having a sexual partner with a history of many sexual partners.
• Not knowing the sexual history of all sexual partners.
• Illegal intravenous drug use. HIV/AIDS and some other STDs can be transmitted by sharing needles.

It is recommended that people learn to recognize the common signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. If the symptoms develop, a physician should be contacted immediately. Many common STD symptoms, such as sores, rashes and discharge, disappear without treatment. However, this does not indicate that the condition has been cured. Many STDs continue to progress without symptoms, only to emerge at another point.

Some of the common signs and symptoms of STDs mimic those caused by urinary tract infections (UTI) and genital infections. As a result, sexually active people with a new sex partner, and those who are not in monogamous relationships, may want to be tested for STDs when symptoms of these other conditions develop.

Although the recognition of symptoms allows a disease to be diagnosed earlier, many STDs have no symptoms or have symptoms that are not easily recognizable. The lack of symptoms is especially common in women.

All sexually active people are encouraged to have regular medical checkups and STD screening tests. The earlier an STD is diagnosed, the earlier treatment for the disease can begin. Early treatment is important because STDs may cause serious complications if left untreated.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may be diagnosed before symptoms develop during routine medical checkups or when the patient requests testing. When symptoms are present, the physician or healthcare provider may perform a number of tests to determine the exact type of STD. Urine tests may also be used to screen for some STDs.

To diagnose an STD, the physician will take the patient’s medical history, including detailed information about their sexual history. The physician will then perform a complete physical examination, including, for women, a pelvic examination. During the exam, the physician will carefully inspect the genital area, oral cavity and rectum. If sores or discharge are present, the physician may use a swab to collect samples for examination. The samples will then be tested for the presence of various microorganisms.

During a woman’s pelvic exam, swabs of the vagina may be taken. A Pap smear, or a swab of the cervix, may also be taken. The samples will then be checked for infections. Urine tests and blood tests may be ordered to detect or rule out certain diseases, including HIV/AIDS and syphilis.

After an STD is diagnosed, the patient should inform present and past sexual partner(s) about the diagnosis. This is necessary because all sexual partners will require testing and treatment. Informing sexual partners also prevents the transmission of the disease to other people or the reinfection of partners who have already received treatment.

The method used to treat a sexually transmitted disease (STD) depends on the cause of the disease. STDs caused by bacteria, such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea, are usually treated with antibiotics. STDs caused by parasites are also treated with medications or over–the–counter drugs. Current medications allow for most STDs caused by bacteria and parasites to be cured when treated early.

STDs caused by viruses, such as HIV/AIDS, genital herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV), are treated differently then those caused by bacteria or parasites because usually they cannot be cured. Instead, medical treatment is used to control the disease. Drugs may be used to reduce the severity of symptoms and the frequency of outbreaks but they are often unsuccessful. For a virus such as HPV, which may cause the development of warts on the skin, treatment may focus on removing the warts with chemicals or surgery.

Having a curable STD may not prevent a person from developing the disease again. Individuals being treated for an STD are encouraged to abstain from all sexual activity until treatment is complete. Abstinence is necessary during this period to prevent reinfection.

The only 100-percent effective way of preventing STDs is abstinence (not engaging in any form of sexual activity). For people who choose to participate in sexual activity, the risk can be lowered by using condoms and limiting their number of sexual partners. The risk is significantly lowered by having one sexual partner who does not have any other sexual partners and who does not have an STD.

People are encouraged to discuss their sexual history with their sexual partners and to ask their partners about their history. These discussions are important regardless of gender because people who engage in sexual activity of any kind are all at risk for STDs. Partners should also discuss drug habits, and whether testing for STDs is necessary. These screening tests can be conducted during routine medical checkups. Testing is particularly important at the beginning of a new sexual relationship.

Because a partner may be dishonest about their drug use, sexual history or the fact they have (or have not) been tested, people are encouraged to look for signs and symptoms of STDs on their partner. Although many STDs do not always have noticeable symptoms, people should never engage in sexual activity with a partner who is visibly showing symptoms of an STD. In addition, people are encouraged to abstain from engaging in sexual activity with a partner who is being treated for a curable STD. The disease may be transmitted at any time until the course of treatment is complete.