Sexually Transmitted Diseases What you need to know

Do you really have to worry? No. Not at all… …UNLESS you have ever had oral, anal or vaginal sex Then: The answer is Yes, ABSOLUTELY!

Myths vs. Facts Myth: Teens don’t really have to worry about STDs Fact: Teens account for two-thirds of all STD cases. Additionally, 1 of 4 sexually active teens will get an STD before graduation.

Myth: You can only get STDs if you have lots of sex partners. Fact: You can get an STD from your first sexual experience.

Myth: STDs can be cleared up easily with antibiotics. Fact: Some types of STDs can be. Others are incurable and will be with you for life.

Myth: If you have an STD, the symptoms will be obvious. Fact: In many cases, especially early in the disease or between outbreaks, there may be no symptoms at all.

Myth: Once the symptoms go away, the STD is cured. Fact: You can still have an STD if the symptoms go away, and you can still pass it on.

Myth: You can only have one STD at time. Fact: Because diseases weaken the immune system, you are likely to have more than one at a time.

Myth: Once you’ve had an STD, you can’t get it again. Fact: Once you have a virus, you have it always. You can get a bacterial infection over and over and over and over…

Myth: A vaccine can prevent the spread of STDs Fact: No vaccine exists for any STD except Hepatitis B and some types of HPV.

Myth: Having a pap test is one way a female can find out if she has STDs. Fact: The pap test detects abnormal cervical cells, not the presence of an STD.

Let’s Talk Facts You can get STDs from oral and anal sex, not just vaginal. You can get an STD from skin-to-skin contact. The longer you put off having sex, the lower your risk of STDs If you’re sexually active, you need to get tested Every six months (At least) STDs are preventable

What are the Main Diseases? Bacterial: Chlamydia Syphilis Gonorrhea NGU Vaginosis Viral: Herpes Human Papilloma Virus Hepatitis B HIV/AIDS

Make a chart like this in your notes & leave room for details Disease B/V Symptoms Treatment

Syphilis -- Bacterial Symptoms: Dangers: Treatment: Antibiotics Phase 1 -- Chancre Phase 2 -- Rash Phase 3 – Latent (damage inside body) Dangers: Blindness Brain damage Death Treatment: Antibiotics Source: http://www.med.sc.edu:85/fox/syph1.jpg

Gonorrhea -- Bacterial Symptoms: Discharge Itching Burning Belly pain Joint pain Often none Dangers: Pelvic Inflammatory disease Epididymitis Eye infections Sterility Treatment: Antibiotics

Chlamydia -- Bacterial Symptoms Itching, burning, belly pain, discharge Often NO symptoms Dangers: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Eye infections Epididymitis Sterility Treatment: Antibiotics Source: http://www.health.state.nd.us/disease/std/pid.htm

Herpes -- Viral Symptoms: Dangers: Treatment: Tingling in legs, butt or groin Painful blisters Recurrences Dangers: Can be passed on, even if there is no active outbreak Can be passed through skin-to-skin contact Contracting during pregnancy can kill fetus Treatment: Symptom relief, antivirals to lesson frequency of outbreaks

Hepatitis B Spread by blood and other body fluids, including semen and vaginal secretions Symptoms MAY include: Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes and/or a brownish or orange tint to the urine), light colored stool, Unexplained fatigue flu-like symptoms, and abdominal pain Often NO symptoms Dangers: Liver scarring Liver failure Liver cancer Death Treatment: Some people recover completely on their own, important to get an immunization after exposure, in severe cases, drug treatment to boost immune function is necessary

HPV/Genital Warts -- Viral Symptoms: Cauliflower-like warts There are 30 types. Some have no visible symptoms Dangers: 4 types are related to cervical cancer and throat cancer Transmitted skin-to-skin Can be passed when no warts are visible Can be passed on through childbirth Treatment: Remove visible warts

Lesser-Known STDs Trichomoniasis: Caused by an organism, treated with antibiotics. Some symptoms: greenish-yellow, odorous, frothy discharge in women. Penile irritation and slight discharge in men. Most common STD in sexually active young women. Treated with a specific antibiotic (Flagyl) NGU and Bacterial vaginosis– Symptoms like Chlamydia, treated with antibiotics

The Creepy Crawlies Crabs – pubic lice. Treated with over-the counter or prescription meds Scabies – tiny little mites that burrow under the skin to lay eggs.

Overall impact of STDS They can cause sterility (inability to ever have children) They can infect infants at birth, causing deformities, retardation, blindness and other problems. They can cause incurable, painful sores. They can increase risk of some cancers They can be fatal (not just HIV)

Reasons Teens are at higher Risk: Multiple partners, rather than a committed, long-term relationship Unprotected sex High-risk partners (with a history of multiple partners or IV drug use) Underdeveloped immune system Embarrassment about seeking medical attention for possible infections. Note: It is NOT true that a reason is that teens are having more sex than adults.

HIV/AIDS -- Viral Symptoms: Dangers: Possible flu-like symptoms about 2 weeks after infection Usually none for 10-12 years Dangers: Fatal Treatment: Antiretroviral drugs (Triple cocktail) that attack the virus in different stages of replication process.

AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Originated with primates in Africa (Hunters exposed to blood) Starts with HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus Symptoms began to appear in the 1950s. The first case of AIDS diagnosed in 1981. People can live with HIV on average 10-12 years before seroconversion. There are drugs (AIDS Triple Cocktail) that delay the onset of full-blown AIDS.

Reported cases of AIDS in the US

Reported AIDS cases in WA

According to the CDC: Between 1 million and 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), including 24-27% who do not know they are infected.

More scary stuff: It has been estimated that at least half of all new HIV infections in the United States are among people under 25, and the majority of young people are infected sexually.

Numbers are going up in heterosexual females

The ABCDs of HIV A = AIDS: A life-threatening disease, but a hard one to catch. You must be exposed to infected body fluids. (It is 100x easier, for example, to catch Hepatitis B.) Quiz question: HIV can be transmitted through what four body fluids? Answer: Blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk (Not all body fluids transmit. Urine, sweat and saliva do not.)

The ABCDs of HIV B = Behaviors that put a person at risk. Quiz Question: What are the two main behaviors that put people at risk? Answer: Unprotected sex & IV drug use (Remember ANY drug use impairs judgment.)

The ABcDs of HIV C = Choices. It’s up to you. Quiz Question: What three choices you could make to protect yourself from HIV? Answer: Choose abstinence Use a condom if you decide to be sexually active Don’t use drugs

The ABCDs of HIV D = Don’t worry about: D = Do worry about: Casual contact Sharing food Swimming pools Public places Hugging Shaking Hands Being near someone with HIV An insect bite Contact with a toilet seat Kissing Giving blood D = Do worry about: Unprotected sex of any type (oral, anal, vaginal) Drug and alcohol use IV drugs Cleaning blood Blood brother/sister rituals Tattooing/piercing with unsterilized equipment Sharing razors

Reminders Sharing needles or having unprotected sex increases the chances of getting OTHER STDs, which can increase your chances of getting HIV. Being under the influence of any drug can impair judgment and increase risky behavior.

HIV carriers may show no signs of being sick with AIDS for years HIV carriers may show no signs of being sick with AIDS for years. It can take 6 months for someone to test positive, but they can still spread the disease. Abstinence is 100% safe. Proper use of latex condoms significantly reduces, but does not eliminate, the chance of HIV infection.

Pregnant women can pass HIV to their children during pregnancy, delivery or breast-feeding.

Remember: The two ways to diagnose full-blown AIDS are: A T-cell count of below 200 Opportunistic infections (diseases that we are exposed to regularly that don’t hurt us, but could be life-threatening to someone with a compromised immune system.

Test Review: Quiz Questions Know body parts and functions Know 9 tasks of adolescence Know basics of birth control Know STDs