STD Information

It's Your Choice 

You are the person who decided whether to expose yourself to STDs. An estimated 65,000,000 people in the United States currently have an incurable STD. Over 19,000,000 people become newly infected with STDs each year in the United States. And two thirds of these people are under the age of 25. If you do become infected, you probably will not know it, at least at first. Some STDs take weeks, months or possibly even years to show symptoms. The epidemic of STDs has increased the danger of sexual activity dramatically. You can avoid the consequences, but it is a choice only you can make.

The Most Common STDs

• CHLAMYDIA
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Usually none. Some experience discharge from the penis and burning with urination.
    • Women - Called the "silent disease". Usually no symptoms. Some experience pain and/or vaginal discharge.
  • Damage
    • Men - Sterility
    • Women - Considered to be the most common cause of sterility. Advanced stage may require removal of uterus, tubes, and ovaries. Can cause PID (below)
  • Numbers
    • Estimated nearly 2.8 million new cases annually
    • 75% are unaware of infection
    • By age 30, 50% of sexually active women have had chlamydia
• GONORRHEA
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Pus from urethra. Burning upon urination
    • Women - If symptoms occur at all, they include pelvic pain, painful urination and pus-like discharge.
  • Damage
    • Men - Sterility. Scarring of the urethra and urinary tract problems.
    • Women - Sterility. Surgery in severe cases. Common cause of PID (below)
    • Both - Can increase risk of HIV infection two to five times
  • Numbers
    • Estimated 700,000 new cases annually
    • 80% are not aware they are infected in the early stages
• SYPHILIS
  • Symptoms
    • Men - 1st stage: swollen non-painful ulcers on external genitalia. 2nd stage: changes of skin. Fever, enlarged lymph nodes.
    • Women - 1st stage: often unnoticed. 2nd stage: same as men.
  • Damage
    • Men - Brain disorders, heart disease, blindness, dementia and death.
    • Women - Same as men. Can cause birth defects or death in newborns if mother is infected.
    • Both - Can increase risk of HIV infection
  • Numbers
    • 36,000 new cases reported annually in the U.S.
    • 50% are not aware they have this disease
• HIV / AIDS
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph glands. Must be tested as symptoms mimic many other diseases
    • Women - Same as men
  • Damage
    • Men - Immune system breakdown, death
    • Women - Same as men
  • Numbers
    • About 1,106,400 cases in the U.S. to date; 545,805 deaths
    • Worldwide 25,000,000 have died and 33,200,000 are living with AIDS or HIV
• GENITAL HERPES
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Lesions appear at the site of infection - periodic eruptions of painful blisters and ulcers anywhere on the body
    • Women - Same as men
  • Damage
    • Men - Continuous outbreaks. Eventually may lead to hospitalization. Lifetime medication required.
    • Women - Same as men. Causes infant death
  • Numbers
    • 45 million infected
    • 1 million new cases annually
    • 75% show no symptoms
    • 25% of women and 20% of men have this disease
• HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Wart-like genital growths
    • Women - Often no visible symptoms. Some experience vulvar burning, itching and pain. Abnormal pap smears.
  • Damage
    • Men - Cancer of the penis and anus
    • Women - Initially premalignant changes difficult to eradicate - Develops into cervical cancer if not treated. New vaccine for 4 strains.
  • Numbers
    • 20 million people are thought to be carriers
    • 100 different strains exist today. 6.2 million cases/yr.
    • 75% of reproductive population infected.
• TRICHOMONIASIS
  • Symptoms
    • Men - Most men have no symptoms. May have irritation, discharge, burning with urination
    • Women - Frothy, yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor.
  • Damage
    • Men - Bladder and prostrate damage.
    • Women - Genital inflammation can increase a woman's susceptibility to HIV infection if she is exposed to the virus. May increase the chance that an HIV-infected woman passes HIV to her sex partner.
  • Numbers
    • Estimated 7.4 million new cases annually
    • most common curable STD in young, sexually active women.
• PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)
  • Symptoms
    • Men - This disease affect only women
    • Women - See chlamydia & gonorrhea. Often symptoms are minor and mistaken for menstrual cramps. Chlamydia and gonorrhea may lead to PID
  • Damage
    • Men - This disease affects only women
    • Women - Ectopic Pregnancy (embryo implants in the fallopian tubes instead of uterus) Can be life-threatening. Sterility & cancer common. Permanent damage to the reproductive organs
  • Numbers
    • 1 million acute episodes annually, most among 15-19 years old.
    • 100,000 women become infertile as a result of PID each year and 150 die.
    
  All information on this page taken from: Your Sexual Exposure (2009) [Brochure] Heritage House '79, Inc.