- What are STDs, anyway?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the more
than 25 diseases that spread through sexual contact.
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- How common are STDs in America?
STDs are extraordinarily common. For example, over
40 million people are estimated to have chronic genital
herpes, and there are an estimated 4 million new chlamydia
cases a year.
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- Are STDs, other than HIV/AIDS, really
a serious threat?
Several STDs other than HIV/AIDs (Human Immunodeficiency
Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) are quite
serious. Diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia
can have long-term consequences, including pelvic inflammatory
disease (PID), which can lead to sterility and chronic
pelvic pain. Human papilloma virus (HPV), the virus
that causes genital warts, is strongly linked to the
development of cervical cancer. STD infection during
pregnancy can cause pregnancy complications and, in
some cases, lead to illness in the newborn.
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- Who gets STDs?
STDs know no boundaries. Anyone who is sexually active
can contract a sexually transmitted disease. STDs infect
men and women of all ages, regions, ethnic backgrounds,
and incomes. One in five Americans or approximately
56 million people carries an STD. Teenagers are at the
highest risk of getting an STD. This is because of behavioral
issues (teenagers are more prone to risk-taking) and
biological issues (the teenaged cervix is more susceptible
to chlamydia and gonorrhea infections).
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- Is it true that women are at greater
risk for STDs?
Because of differences in anatomy, women are at greater
risk of acquiring an STD during male/female intercourse
than are men. Women are more likely than men to acquire
chlamydia in a single act of unprotected intercourse
with an infected partner. These odds are twice as high
as a man's risk under the same circumstances. And because
the female anatomy often hides early symptoms of disease,
women also suffer more severe, long-term effects from
STDs, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.
The good news is, women may get tested and treated if
they have annual gynecological exams.
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- Could I have an STD and not even know
it?
Yes. The stealthy nature of so many STDs makes them
difficult to diagnose. Many people with STDs experience
no noticeable symptoms. That doesn't mean that an asymptomatic
STD infection won't cause problems down the road. So
if you think you have an STD, see your healthcare provider
right away.
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- How can I minimize my risk for STDs?
Remember, STDs are transmitted by body secretions such
as semen, blood and vaginal fluids. Minimizing exposure
to these secretions is the basis of prevention. Refraining
from sexual intercourse is 100% effective, but not an
acceptable option to most sexually active people. Sex
using condoms (or other latex
barriers), properly used 100% of the time, is a proven
way of reducing risk, but will not prevent STDs 100%
of the time.
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- Can condoms prevent STDs?
More and more people are using condoms.
Research shows that latex condoms,
when used correctly, are effective in reducing the transmission
of most infectious diseases, including HIV. One of the
problems with condoms is that
many people use them incorrectly or sporadically. Remember,
no method except abstinence is 100% effective.
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- What are the symptoms of STDs?
Some people display no symptoms of STDs when infected.
However, in both sexes, symptoms of STDs may include
genital sores, pain, and itching. In men, symptoms can
include penile discharge, pain during urination, and
testicular swelling/pain. In women, symptoms can include
vaginal discharge or a noticeable change in usual vaginal
discharge. Lower-abdominal pain and/or painful sexual
intercourse on penetration are early signs of pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID). Women's symptoms often get
worse with menstruation.
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- Do STDs cause AIDS?
Although having a sexually transmitted disease does
not cause AIDS, it can make a person more susceptible
to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Because inflammation leads to ulcerations that allow
easier access to the blood stream, people with STDs
like syphilis, gonorrhea,
and chlamydia are at higher
risk for infection with HIV if they have intercourse
with an HIV-infected partner.
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- How is HIV sexually transmitted?
The HIV in an infected person's blood, semen, or vaginal
secretions can enter another person's body through tiny
cuts and sores in the skin, or through the fragile,
moist lining of the vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth.
More about HIV/AIDS transmission.
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- What are the symptoms of HIV?
Most infected people have no symptoms. Learn more about
the symptoms of HIV/AIDS here.
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- What should I do if I think I have an
STD?
If you think you have an STD or have been exposed
to one, see a healthcare provider immediately. Timing
is everything: beginning treatment early helps minimize
the long-term effects of most STDs. You also need to
abstain from sexual contact until you're sure that you
can't pass the STD on to someone else. That means no
sex with anyone until your healthcare provider assures
you that you're no longer contagious. You also need
to make certain that your partner is tested--to ensure
his/her health and also to make sure you don't get reinfected.
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- Can STDs be cured?
Bacterial STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis
can readily be cured with antibiotics. Although viral
STDs, such as genital herpes, are lifelong infections,
means of minimizing some of their symptoms have been
developed. Protect your health--always seek treatment
for an STD.
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- What exactly is safer sex?
Although no sexual act is 100% safe, safer sex involves
finding ways to be intimate while minimizing the risk
of STD transmission. This means preventing the exchange
of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretions,
and avoiding any direct oral, anal, or genital contact.
Safer sex means limiting the number of your partners,
using a condom every time you
have sex (unless you and your partner are uninfected
and monogamous), and seeing a doctor or healthcare provider
right away if you think you have an STD.
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- Is there any way to be 100% sure that
I'm not carrying a STD?
Unfortunately, no. No test for any STD is 100% accurate.
Some STDs don't show up right away, even to your healthcare
provider. The time it takes for an infection to show
up in testing can be anywhere from a couple of days
to a few years. If you think you have an STD, get tested.
Even if you test negative, you should continue practicing
safer sex.
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- How can I get my partner to wear a condom?
Sometimes getting a partner to wear a condom
can seem difficult. Just talking about condoms
is no picnic. Yet if you choose to be sexually active,
safer sex is what you deserve. Studies show that condom
use is prevalent among people with higher self-esteem
and among people who feel more comfortable with the
"technical aspects" of using a condom.
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- Is there an HPV (the virus that causes
genital warts) test for men without symptoms?
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the virus that causes
genital warts and cervical dysplasia (abnormal Pap smear).
Diagnosing HPV in men without symptoms can be difficult.
It is also possible for men to think they have no symptoms
when they actually do. A healthcare provider often can
see small warts, particularly if they are right inside
the opening of the penis. Those warts can be treated,
but most men with HPV do not have any symptoms. There
is no treatment for asymptomatic HPV.
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- Is it normal to feel depressed about
having an STD?
If you discover that you have an STD, or think you
have one, it's normal to feel embarrassed, worried,
and even angry. Most people have some kind of emotional
reaction. It's important to remember that you're not
alone. STDs are very common. Twelve million STD infections
occur every year. It's also important to seek help.
Confide in your doctor or healthcare provider and begin
treatment. Taking control of the situation may help
you manage your feelings.
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- Can I test myself for STDs?
It's not a good idea. While some STDs may present identifiable
symptoms, such as discharge or warts, many are not easily
identifiable. Even more are asymptomatic (without symptoms).
At this point, diagnosing STDs requires clinical training
or laboratory tests. Currently there are no home tests
for STDs available, although this may change in the
future. A home HIV test was recently approved by the
FDA and is available. If you think you have an STD,
talk to your doctor or a healthcare provider.
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- How can I get more information about
STDs?
To find out more about STDs, their symptoms, treatment,
and prevention, check out the designated links above.
You also can contact your healthcare provider or local
health department, or call the National STD Hotline
at 1-800-227-8922.
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- I've got herpes. Can I pass it on when
I don't have any symptoms?
Unfortunately, sometimes you can infect someone else
with herpes, even when you don't have any symptoms.
Doctors refer to this process as "asymptomatic shedding."
The problem is, you won't know when this is happening.
Reduce the chance that you'll give herpes to someone
else by abstaining from sex or using barrier protection
such as condoms if you do have
sex.
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- I'm thinking about getting an AIDS test.
What's the difference between "confidential" and "anonymous"
testing?
There is an important difference between confidential
and anonymous testing for HIV, and the kind of testing
you choose may have long-term implications. Confidential
testing is a good option for people who need an official
copy of their test result with their name on it. Confidential
test results become part of your medical records, which
can be released only with your written permission. Anonymous
testing leaves no paper trail. When you have an anonymous
test, you are known only by number, and the only person
who learns the results is you.
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- Can I get herpes or other STDs from
a towel or a toilet seat?
Most STDs are spread only through direct sexual contact
with an infected person. However, pubic lice and scabies
are associated with close body contact, not necessarily
sexual contact. It's rare, but possible, to become infected
with pubic lice or scabies as a result of contact with
infested clothes, sheets, or towels.
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