1. FACTS ABOUT THE MOST COMMON STDs
By: Alexandra Morris

2. CHLAMYDIA: Most common STD & reason for infertility if untreated.
Spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the disease.
Symptoms include: abnormal discharge, burning sensation when urinating, pain and swelling. Known as the silent killer because it is commonly mistaken as a yeast infection.
Curable through prescribed medication.

3. GONORRREA Most common in people ages 15-24 years.
Spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea.
Symptoms include: a burning sensation while urinating, a white or yellow or green discharge, pain and swelling, or bleeding.
It is curable, but harder to treat with some drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea.

4. SYPHILIS
This STD has steadily increase in the US since 2002 and can cause serious health problems and is fatal if left untreated.
Contracted through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
There are four stages of symptoms. Primary stage symptoms include: sores. Secondary stage symptoms include: skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. Latent stage symptoms include: no signs or symptoms, which is why people often think they were just sick and leave it untreated. However the last stage effects the heart, brain, and other organs which can cause death.
It is curable, but if not treated right away the damage caused by the infection cannot be undone.

5. HERPES
This STD is cause by two types of viruses: simplex type 1 and simplex type 2. It is very common in the US, about 1 out of every 6 people between the ages of years have herpes.
Spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Also, any contact with the fluids for the infection (example: drinking after someone with herpes).
Symptoms include: sores or blisters, fever, body aches, or swollen glands.
There is no cure for herpes however, there are medicines that can prevent or shorten outbreaks.

6. HIV/AIDS
HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus and if left untreated can lead to the disease, AIDS, which is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
It is contracted through sex.
Symptoms in the early stages include: fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers. During the clinical latency stage symptoms include: chronic pain or heightened symptoms. During the progression to AIDS stage symptoms include: rapid weight loss, fever/night sweats, extreme tiredness, prolong swelling, diarrhea lasting more than a week, pneumonia, red/brown/pink/purple blotches on skin, memory loss, depression, and neurologic disorders.
There is no cure and is fatal.

7. REFERENCES