|
Webmasters!
Click here to join our
affiliate program
| |
An Introduction to Sexually Transmitted
Diseases
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), once called venereal diseases, are
among the most common infectious diseases in the United States today. More than
20 STDs have now been identified, and they affect more than 13 million men and
women in this country each year. The annual comprehensive cost of STDs in the
United States is estimated to be well in excess of $10 billion.
Understanding the basic facts about STDs – the ways in which they are spread,
their common symptoms, and how they can be treated – is the first step toward
prevention. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a
part of the National Institutes of Health, has prepared a series of fact sheets
about STDs to provide this important information. Research investigators
supported by NIAID are looking for better methods of diagnosis and more
effective treatments, as well as for vaccines and topical microbicides to
prevent STDs. It is important to understand at least five key points about all
STDs in this country today:
- STDs affect men and women of all backgrounds and economic levels. They are
most prevalent among teenagers and young adults. Nearly two-thirds of all
STDs occur in people younger than 25 years of age.
- The incidence of STDs is rising, in part because in the last few decades,
young people have become sexually active earlier yet are marrying later. In
addition, divorce is more common. The net result is that sexually active
people today are more likely to have multiple sex partners during their
lives and are potentially at risk for developing STDs.
- Most of the time, STDs cause no symptoms, particularly in women. When and
if symptoms develop, they may be confused with those of other diseases not
transmitted through sexual contact. Even when an STD causes no symptoms,
however, a person who is infected may be able to pass the disease on to a
sex partner. That is why many doctors recommend periodic testing or
screening for people who have more than one sex partner.
- Health problems caused by STDs tend to be more severe and more frequent
for women than for men, in part because the frequency of asymptomatic
infection means that many women do not seek care until serious problems have
developed.
 | Some STDs can spread into the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes to cause
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which in turn is a major cause of both
infertility and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. The latter can be fatal.
| STDs in women also may be associated with cervical cancer. One STD,
human papillomavirus infection (HPV), causes genital warts and cervical
and other genital cancers.
| STDs can be passed from a mother to her baby before, during, or
immediately after birth; some of these infections of the newborn can be
cured easily, but others may cause a baby to be permanently disabled or
even die. |
| |
- When diagnosed and treated early, many STDs can be treated effectively.
Some infections have become resistant to the drugs used to treat them and
now require newer types of antibiotics. Experts believe that having STDs
other than AIDS increases one's risk for becoming infected with the AIDS
virus.
HIV Infection and AIDS
AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) was first reported in the United
States in 1981. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a virus
that destroys the body's ability to fight off infection. An estimated 900,000
people in the United States are currently infected with HIV. People who have
AIDS are very susceptible to many life-threatening diseases, called
opportunistic infections, and to certain forms of cancer. Transmission of the
virus primarily occurs during sexual activity and by sharing needles used to
inject intravenous drugs. If you have any questions about HIV infection or AIDS,
you can call the AIDS Hotline confidential toll-free number: 1-800-342-AIDS.
Chlamydial Infection
This infection is now the most common of all bacterial STDs, with an estimated 4
to 8 million new cases occurring each year. In both men and women, chlamydial
infection may cause an abnormal genital discharge and burning with urination. In
women, untreated chlamydial infection may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease,
one of the most common causes of ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women.
Many people with chlamydial infection, however, have few or no symptoms of
infection. Once diagnosed with chlamydial infection, a person can be treated
with an antibiotic.
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes affects an estimated 60 million Americans. Approximately 500,000
new cases of this incurable viral infection develop annually. Herpes infections
are caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). The major symptoms of herpes infection
are painful blisters or open sores in the genital area. These may be preceded by
a tingling or burning sensation in the legs, buttocks, or genital region. The
herpes sores usually disappear within two to three weeks, but the virus remains
in the body for life and the lesions may recur from time to time. Severe or
frequently recurrent genital herpes is treated with one of several antiviral
drugs that are available by prescription. These drugs help control the symptoms
but do not eliminate the herpes virus from the body. Suppressive antiviral
therapy can be used to prevent occurrences and perhaps transmission. Women who
acquire genital herpes during pregnancy can transmit the virus to their babies.
Untreated HSV infection in newborns can result in mental retardation and death.
Genital Warts
Genital warts (also called venereal warts or condylomata acuminata) are caused
by human papillomavirus, a virus related to the virus that causes common skin
warts. Genital warts usually first appear as small, hard painless bumps in the
vaginal area, on the penis, or around the anus. If untreated, they may grow and
develop a fleshy, cauliflower-like appearance. Genital warts infect an estimated
1 million Americans each year. Genital warts injections of a type of interferon.
If the warts are very large, they can be removed by surgery.
Gonorrhea
Approximately 400,000 cases of gonorrhea are reported to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year in this country. The most common
symptoms of gonorrhea are a discharge from the vagina or penis and painful or
difficult urination. The most common and serious complications occur in women
and, as with chlamydial infection, these complications include PID, ectopic
pregnancy, and infertility. Historically, penicillin has been used to treat
gonorrhea, but in the last decade, four types of antibiotic resistance have
emerged. New antibiotics or combinations of drugs must be used to treat these
resistant strains.
Syphilis
The incidence of syphilis has increased and decreased dramatically in recent
years, with more than 11,000 cases reported in 1996. The first symptoms of
syphilis may go undetected because they are very mild and disappear
spontaneously. The initial symptom is a chancre; it is usually a painless open
sore that usually appears on the penis or around or in the vagina. It can also
occur near the mouth, anus, or on the hands. If untreated, syphilis may go on to
more advanced stages, including a transient rash and, eventually, serious
involvement of the heart and central nervous system. The full course of the
disease can take years. Penicillin remains the most effective drug to treat
people with syphilis.
Other diseases that may be sexually transmitted include trichomoniasis,
bacterial vaginosis, cytomegalovirus infections, scabies, and pubic lice.
STDs in pregnant women are associated with a number of adverse outcomes,
including spontaneous abortion and infection in the newborn. Low birth weight
and prematurity appear to be associated with STDs, including chlamydial
infection and trichomoniasis. Congenital or perinatal infection (infection that
occurs around the time of birth) occurs in 30 to 70 percent of infants born to
infected mothers, and complications may include pneumonia, eye infections, and
permanent neurologic damage.
What Can You Do to Prevent STDs?
The best way to prevent STDs is to avoid sexual contact with others. If you
decide to be sexually active, there are things that you can do to reduce your
risk of developing an STD.
| Have a mutually monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner.
| Correctly and consistently use a male condom.
| Use clean needles if injecting intravenous drugs.
| Prevent and control other STDs to decrease susceptibility to HIV infection
and to reduce your infectiousness if you are HIV-infected.
| Delay having sexual relations as long as possible. The younger people are
when having sex for the first time, the more susceptible they become to
developing an STD. The risk of acquiring an STD also increases with the
number of partners over a lifetime. |
| | | |
Anyone who is sexually active should:
| Have regular checkups for STDs even in the absence of symptoms, and
especially if having sex with a new partner. These tests can be done during
a routine visit to the doctor's office.
| Learn the common symptoms of STDs. Seek medical help immediately if any
suspicious symptoms develop, even if they are mild.
| Avoid having sex during menstruation. HIV-infected women are probably more
infectious, and HIV-uninfected women are probably more susceptible to
becoming infected during that time.
| Avoid anal intercourse, but if practiced, use a male condom.
| Avoid douching because it removes some of the normal protective bacteria
in the vagina and increases the risk of getting some STDs. |
| | | |
Anyone diagnosed as having an STD should:
| Be treated to reduce the risk of transmitting an STD to an infant.
| Discuss with a doctor the possible risk of transmission in breast milk and
whether commercial formula should be substituted.
| Notify all recent sex partners and urge them to get a checkup.
| Follow the doctor's orders and complete the full course of medication
prescribed. A follow-up test to ensure that the infection has been cured is
often an important step in treatment.
| Avoid all sexual activity while being treated for an STD. |
| | | |
Sometimes people are too embarrassed or frightened to ask for help or
information. Most STDs are readily treated, and the earlier a person seeks
treatment and warns sex partners about the disease, the less likely the disease
will do irreparable physical damage, be spread to others or, in the case of a
woman, be passed on to a newborn baby.
Private doctors, local health departments, and STD and family planning clinics
have information about STDs. In addition, the American Social Health Association
(ASHA) provides free information and keeps lists of clinics and private doctors
who provide treatment for people with STDs. ASHA has a national toll-free
telephone number, 1-800-227-8922. The phone number for the Herpes Hotline, also
run by ASHA, is 919-361-8488. Callers can get information from the ASHA hotline
without leaving their names.
Research
STDs cause physical and emotional suffering to millions and are costly to
individuals and to society as a whole. NIAID conducts and supports many research
projects designed to improve methods of prevention, and to find better ways to
diagnose and treat these diseases. NIAID also supports several large
university-based STD research centers.
Within the past few years, NIAID-supported research has resulted in new tests to
diagnose some STDs faster and more accurately. New drug treatments for STDs are
under investigation by NIAID researchers. This is especially important because
some STDs are becoming resistant to the standard drugs. In addition, vaccines
are being developed or tested for effectiveness in preventing several STDs,
including AIDS, chlamydial infection, genital herpes, and gonorrhea.
It is up to each individual to learn more about STDs and then make choices about
how to minimize the risk of acquiring these diseases and spreading them to
others. Knowledge of STDs, as well as honesty and openness with sex partners and
with one's doctor, can be very important in reducing the incidence and
complications of sexually transmitted diseases.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases and
the Organisms Responsible
- NIAID, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
supports research on AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,
tuberculosis, and malaria as well as allergies and immunology. NIH
is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
Public Health Service
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
July 1999
|
