Why should I be concerned with STI's?

More than 65 million people in the United States are currently living with an incurable STI. 

An additional 15 million people (41,000 a day) become infected with an STI each year. Half of these will be lifelong infections.

I have heard STD's can be prevented with condom use.  Is this true?

No.  STD's can be transmitted not only through intercourse but all sex-acts, including oral sex, manual sex and outercourse. The message that condoms prevent STD's is misleading. STD's that stay with you for a lifetime, such as Herpes, HPV and HIV can be contracted through skin to skin contact in areas that condoms do not cover.

What kinds of STD's are out there and what are their symptoms?

Chlamydia 

• There are 3 million new cases reported annually.
• 40% of people who are sexually active may be infected.
• Approximately 75% of those infected do not even know that they are. 85% of women do not have symptoms.

Symptoms:  Discharge and burning while urinating may be a symptom of Chlamydia. The long lasting effects include: Sterility in men and women and may necessitate the removal of the uterus, tubes and ovaries in women.

Gonorrhea

• There are 650,000 new cases of Gonorrhea annually.
• 80% are not aware of the infection in the early stages.
  

Symptoms: Pus-like discharge and painful urination in men and women and pelvic pain in women. Gonorrhea can cause sterility in both sexes, scarring of the urethra and urinary track in men and surgery may be necessary for women.

Syphilis

• 70,000 new cases are reported annually.
• 50% are not aware that they have the disease.
  

Symptoms:  In men, the first stage will cause swollen non-painful ulcers on external genitalia. Women experience no first stage symptoms. In the second stage both men and women experience changes of skin, fever and enlarged lymph nodes. Brain disorders, heart disease, dementia, blindness and death can affect both men and women. It can also cause birth defects and infant death if the mother is affected.

HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS is the 6th leading cause of death among persons 15-24 years old.
• 20% of those are infected during their teen years.
  

Symptoms: For men and women, fever, sore throat, fatigue and swollen lymph glands. The ultimate result is the immune system breaks down and the infected person dies.

Genital Herpes

• 45 million people are infected with genital herpes.
• 25% of all women have this disease T
• There are 1 million new cases annually and 75% show no signs.

Symptoms:  If there are symptoms, they include lesions at the sight of infection and periodic eruptions of painful blisters and ulcers anywhere on the body. Herpes causes continuous outbreaks and it may eventually lead to hospitalization. Lifetime medication is necessary. It can also cause infant death if the mother is infected.

HPV (Human Papilloma-Virus)

• 20 million people are thought to be carriers of HPV.
• 80 different strains exist today.
• 75% of the reproductive population is infected with this virus.

Symptoms: Men experience wart-like genital growths. Women often have no visible symptoms; although some experience vulvar burning, itching and pain. Women will have abnormal pap smears. HPV can cause cancer of the penis and anis in men and causes 90-99% of all cervical cancer.

Hepatitis B

• There 120,000 new cases of Hepatitis B annually.
• 40-50% of children born to infected mothers develop liver cancer.

Symptoms: There are often no symptoms, but they can include yellowing of the skin (jaundice), tiredness, dark urine and gray colored stool. Hepatitis B can lead to severe liver damage and can eventually lead to cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)

• PID is not a sexually transmitted disease, but it can be the end result of an STD.
• Gonorrhea and Chlamydia are most often associated with PID
• PID affects women only.
• There are 1 million cases annually; most are in the 15-19 year old age group.
• 100,000 women become infertile as a result of PID annually.

Symptoms:  Minor and mistaken often for menstrual cramps; they are often similar to Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. PID can lead to an ectopic pregnancy, a potentially life-threatening condition. Cancer and sterility are common results.

© Source: Is Sex Safe?  Grapevine Publications; Heritage House 2004