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A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a disease transmitted through sexual contact between two people.
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a disease transmitted through sexual contact between two people. They may be transmitted through the exchange of semen, blood, and other body fluids or by direct body contact. The term sexually transmitted disease applies to more than twenty different infections. At one time, these diseases were more commonly referred to as venereal diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases are very common medical conditions. In the United States, about 85 percent of the most common infectious diseases can be spread by sexual contact. The rate of STD infection in the United States is more than 50 times as great as that in other developed countries. Experts estimate that 1 in 4 of all sexually active Americans will get an STD at least once in their lives. About twelve million new STD infections occur in the United States each year with teenagers between the ages of sixteen and nineteen accounting for 1 in 4 cases. Sexually transmitted diseases are often mild infections that can be cleared up with simple medical treatment. If left untreated, however, serious complications can result. The majority of these complications develop only when an STD is not treated properly. These complications include:
STDs are transmitted during sexual activity. Sexual activity often involves the exchange of bodily fluids between two people. These bodily fluids include semen, blood, and saliva. The risk of contracting an STD is low in any sexual activity in which no bodily fluids are exchanged. During sexual activity, the organisms that cause STDs are passed from an infected person to an uninfected person. Once those organisms enter the healthy person's body, they begin to grow and reproduce. After a certain period of time, enough organisms are present in the body to begin causing the symptoms of the disease. The symptoms of various STDs vary widely. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all, but in most cases symptoms develop that are characteristic of a specific form of STD. Common symptoms of STDs include:
The diagnosis of STDs depends to a large extent on the patient. Teenagers should learn the symptoms of various STDs. When they observe any of these symptoms in their own bodies, they should seek medical attention. This principle is valuable advice for most diseases and disorders. But it is especially important in the case of STDs. People are often reluctant to talk about personal matters, such as sexual activity. They may prefer to ignore changes they observe in their genital areas or changes they know may be related to sexual activity. But timely treatment can stop STDs from becoming even more serious.Most STDs are relatively easy to diagnose. The symptoms described above are easy to observe and quite characteristic of sexually transmitted diseases. Many of the diseases can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. The organism that causes the diseases can generally be detected and identified in the patient's blood. Sexually transmitted diseases are regarded as a public health problem. That is, they do not involve a single person alone, but the health of the entire community. A person diagnosed with an STD was infected by someone else and is at risk of transmitting to others.
The prognosis for recovery from STDs varies from disease to disease. When properly treated in their earliest stages, many can be cured completely in a short period of time. Gonorrhea, NGU, NSU, and syphilis fall into this category.In other cases, such as HIV infections, no cure is currently available. However, treatments are available to relieve the symptoms of non-curable STDs and to reduce the risk of serious complications. Sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented in a number of ways, including the use of vaccinations, lifestyle choices, safer sex practices, and hygienic measures. Vaccines have been developed for a few STDs, such as hepatitis A and hepatitis B. A vaccine is a material that that causes the body's immune system to build up resistance to a particular disease. Individuals at risk for these infections should be vaccinated against them. Researchers are continually looking for vaccines against other sexually transmitted diseases.
The risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease is very much related to choices one makes about one's sexual activity. Abstinence (avoiding sexual activity altogether) may be the best method of avoiding STDs. In general, the larger the number of sexual partners a person has, the greater the risk he or she has of contracting an STD. Among sexually active people, the risk of contracting an infection is lowest for those who are in monogamous relationships. It is also important to know the health status of a prospective sexual partner. Sexual activity with prostitutes or anonymous partners increases the risk of contracting STD. Discussing one's sexual health with a prospective partner is an important health precaution. One can also choose to take part or not take part in intravenous drug use. Intravenous drug use often involves sharing needles with other people who may be infected with an STD. Some sexually transmitted infections are easily spread in blood passed from one person to another. The term safer sex is used to describe a number of techniques that can be used during sexual activity to avoid contracting an STD. The concept is that sexual activity can be both pleasurable and safe by taking a few simple precautions. Perhaps the most effective precaution one can use during sexual activity is a condom. When properly used, a condom is very effective in preventing the transmission of bodily fluids from one person to another.
Spermicides and diaphragms are also somewhat effective in preventing the spread of STDs. But they are not totally effective and do not prevent the spread of some organisms, such as HIV. Either or both of these, when used with a condom, can decrease the chance of spreading and STD.Cleanliness is always an important factor in avoiding the spread of any disease. However, careful washing alone is not very effective against most organisms that cause STDs. The organisms are often able to penetrate far up into the body, where they will not be affected by soap and water. To see a list of the most common sexually transmitted diseases with their treatments, signs and symptoms, click here. To return to Teen Sex, click here
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To cut down on the spread of STDs through a community, many states have reporting laws. These laws require that public health officials find and contact the partners of anyone diagnosed with an STD. The purpose of these laws is to reduce the spread of STDs through the community. In an ideal situation, patients themselves will contact all their partners. To make sure that happens, public health officials usually ask patients for the names and addresses of those partners. They then follow up with interviews to let those partners know that they may also be infected with an STD.