Written by Shaundrie Jones
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"...and I hear she got that nasty women's disease." ~ Ol. Mr. from "The Color Purple"
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES : THE MORE YOU KNOW...
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections usually obtain by sexual contact and drug use. The microorganisms that lead to sexually transmitted diseases can transmit from person to person in, semen,vaginal, blood, or other bodily fluids. A few of these infections are transmitted through non-sexual contact, such as through a blood transfusion, shared needles or from a mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
Sometimes people that seem perfectly health are able to transfer sexually transmitted diseases — people who, don't know even know they are infected. A lot of the STDs create no symptoms. The best way to stay free of infections is to abstain from having sexual intercourse. If you are sexually active, it is imperative that you use protection EVERY TIME!
STD can occur when:
Sometimes people that seem perfectly health are able to transfer sexually transmitted diseases — people who, don't know even know they are infected. A lot of the STDs create no symptoms. The best way to stay free of infections is to abstain from having sexual intercourse. If you are sexually active, it is imperative that you use protection EVERY TIME!
STD can occur when:
- Sexual activity at a young age. The younger a person starts having sex, the greater his or her chances of becoming infected with an STD.
- Lots of sex partners. People who have sexual contact — not just intercourse, but any form of intimate activity — with many different partners are more at risk than those who stay with the same partner.
- Unprotected sex. Latex condoms are the only form of birth control that reduce your risk of getting an STD, and must be used every time. Spermicides, diaphragms, and other birth control methods may help prevent pregnancy, but they don't protect a person against STDs.
SyphilisWhat is syphilis? Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It has often been called "the great imitator" because so many of the signs and symptoms are indistinguishable from those of other diseases.
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TrichomoniasisWhat is trichomoniasis? Trichomoniasis (or “trich”) is a very common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by infection with a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Although symptoms of the disease vary, most women and men who have the parasite cannot tell they are infected.
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ChlamydiaWhat is Chlamydia? Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur "silently" before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man.
Genital Human PapillomavirusWhat is genital HPV infection? Genital human papillomavirus (also called HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are more than 40 HPV types that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat. Most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it.
HPV is not the same as herpes or HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). These are all viruses that can be passed on during sex, but they cause different symptoms and health problems. |
GonorrheaGonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium. Gonorrhea can grow easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (urine canal) in women and men. The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.
Genital herpesGenital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years.
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