Information and Prevention

 About 50% of all graduating high school seniors in our country are sexually active  One in four sexually active teens will get an STD this year!!!!  Syphilis and Chlamydia are very prevalent in San Diego, especially among teens

 HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.  AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome  Once a T cell count drops below 200 (from a normal ), a person has AIDS  Use of medication can prolong the time between HIV infection and AIDS diagnosis

 Sexual contact with an infected person (anal, vaginal, oral)  Sharing needles with an infected person  Transfusions of infected blood  Babies born to infected mothers

 HIV can be transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk  A small amount of HIV can be found in salvia and tears, but cannot be transmitted  CDC recommends against open-mouth kissing an infected person

 Closed mouth kissing is not a risk  Cannot be transmitted by insects  Not commonly transmitted by biting  Not transmitted through sweat  Not known to be transmitted by tattooing/piercing (but Hepatitis is)

 Abstinence from oral, anal, and vaginal sex  Use of condoms and dental dams can REDUCE the risk  Avoid sharing contaminated needles  Avoid breast-feeding by infected mothers  Follow universal precautions around blood

 Condoms are regulated by the FDA  They are tested for defects before packaging  Proper use can REDUCE the risk of HIV transmission  Only latex and polyurethane condoms can be HIV barriers

 HIV can be asymptomatic, but it is still contagious  AIDS causes a low white blood cell count, and the inability to fight infections, as well as chances for wasting, dementia, cancer, and pneumonia

 There are drugs that can reduce symptoms for some time, but AIDS is not curable

 Having to disclose HIV status with all potential sexual partners  Must work with doctors if they want to have healthy children  Must take anti-viral drugs throughout life  There is no cure, and death from other infections is unavoidable

 Caused by bacteria  2.8 million cases annually in the US: most common bacterial STD in the US  Extremely common in San Diego County  Can be transmitted through sexual fluids, anal, vaginal, and oral sex

 Usually NO signs/symptoms  Women may see: unusual discharge, painful urination, pain in abdomen, bleeding, sores  Men may see: unusual discharge, painful urination, burning at the tip of the penis  Can be detected through a urine test, or a swab.  Can be CURED with antibiotics

 Untreated, can lead to: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) leading to infertility, tubal pregnancy, eye and lung infections

 Caused by bacteria  Transmitted through sexual fluids, anal, oral, and vaginal sex  Usually NO symptoms!  Women may see: unusual discharge, painful urination, pain in abdomen, bleeding  Men may see: unusual discharge, painful urination, burning at the tip of the penis  Can be detected through a urine test, or a swab.  Can be CURED with antibiotics

 Untreated, can lead to: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) leading to infertility, tubal pregnancy, eye and lung infections  “The Clap”

 NGU: Non-gonococcal urethritis  An infection of the urethra, caused by bacteria, but not associated with gonorrhea

 Caused by a virus  Transmitted via blood, semen, vaginal fluids, anal, oral, vaginal sex, and sharing needles  Symptoms include: nausea, fever loss of appetite, dark urine, abdominal pain, jaundice, enlarged liver.

 Hep B is detected via a blood test  It is NOT curable, but it can be fought by our immune systems  There is a vaccine available  Consequences include liver damage and cancer

 Caused by a virus  Can be transmitted through direct contact with infected skin, mucous membranes, blisters, or sores during anal, vaginal, and oral sex.  Symptoms: painful blisters and sores that reappear throughout life  HSV 1: Cold Sores  HSV 2: STD

 HSV is diagnosed through visual exams, blood tests, or cultures  It is a life long infection, with outbreaks occurring throughout life  Can be contagious even when sore are NOT present

 This is a virus, for which there is a vaccine for girls available  This is GENITAL WARTS, most common STD!!  Transmitted through skin to skin contact with genital warts during vaginal, anal, or oral sex  You can get HPV even if warts aren’t present  9 out of 10 people have NO symptoms  Females: warts on vulva, cervix, vagina, anus  Males: warts on penis, scrotum, anus

 Warts can be removed, but the virus never goes away! Warts frequently grow back.  HPV can cause cervical cancer. Pap smears can detect HPV in women. The immune system can fight the virus.

 This is a bacterial infection. It is extremely common in sexually active teens in San Diego.  Transmitted via direct skin contact with sores on mouth, anus, or genitals through oral, anal, and vaginal sex.  Early symptoms: painless sores  Later symptoms: Rashes on the torso, palms, and soles, swollen glands, hair loss

 Detected through a blood test or a culture of open sores  Untreated, can lead to damage to the nervous system, heart, and brain, blindness, and death.

 Trichomonas are protozoas (single cell organisms)  Transmitted through sexual fluids, discharge, oral, anal, and vaginal sex, towels, bedding toilets  Women: frothy, smelly, yellow-green discharge, itching, burning  Men: discharge

 Detected through vaginal/penile swab  Untreated can lead to preterm births for pregnant women

 Crabs are parasitic insects (lice)  They feed on human blood  Can be transmitted through sex, skin to skin contact, shared towels and bedding.  Can be treated with special shampoos after infected hair is shaved away

 Caused by the fungus Candida albicansCandida albicans  Symptoms include cottage cheese like vaginal discharge, itching, and odor  Commonly found on skin, likes moist and warm places  Infections often occur when women are active in sports, are on antibiotics, are pregnant, have diabetes, or are obese.

 If you are sexually active, get annual exams and STD screening  If you are over 18, see a doctor annually (females get pap smears)  Perform self-exams  Know your HIV status (and other STDs) and your partner’s  Abstain, or use condoms  If you have any signs or symptoms, see a doctor  If you have had unprotected sex EVER, get tested.

 You cannot tell if someone has an STD by looking at them!!!  It is safer to assume your partner DOES have an STD.  ALWAYS use condoms/dental dams for any type of sex, EVERY SINGLE time.