All STD's -- Approximately 12 million new cases each year.
New cases--these are cases in persons who have never reported the disease
before. Reinfections
are not included in the number of new cases.
BACTERIAL DISEASES
GONORRHEA 1.3-2 MILLION NEW CASES PER YEAR
CHLAMYDIA 4 MILLION NEW CASEES PER YEAR
THE
"CLEAR DRIP"
CHLAMYDIAL VAGINITIS
SYPHILIS 100,000 NEW CASES PER YEAR
PRIMARY STAGE
SECONDARY STAGE
LATENT PERIOD
No symptoms for an extended period (months to years)
TERTIARY STAGE
Disease emerges as damage to primary organs
Each of the three bacterial diseases can be cured with treatment by antibiotics.
In the case of gonorrhea and chlamydia, the symptoms of the disease (burning urination and penile discharge) will decline in approximately 2 weeks after they first arose--even if left untreated. In the male, the symptoms are seen as early as 72 hours after the disease was contracted. That means that generally within three weeks after the disease was contracted, the male is again symptom free. The problem that now exists is that the disease is still present and the bacteria are now attacking the reproductive organs of the male. Also, the male is contagious.
In the case of the female, she generally sees no signs
of the disease. As in the male, the disease is actively present in
her body in approximately 72 hours but the female is asymptomatic.
The bacteria will continue to proliferate in the genital track and eventually
cause symptoms such as a vaginal discharge or noticeable odor. The
female is contagious throughout this period. The bacteria is also
likely to enter the pelvic cavity where it might result in pelvic
inflammatory disease. (PID)
In syphilis, the chancre appears in 1-2 weeks and will disappear in approximately 2 weeks. As with gonorrhea and chlamydia, the disease is still present and the bacteria are still growing. The infected individual progresses into the secondary stage and on to the latent and tertiary stages. The infected individual is contagious throughout the primary and secondary stages. The contagious period likely ends several years into the latent period. Since syphilis is a blood-born disease, a pregnant woman can pass the disease on to her child during any stage of the disease resulting in congenital syphilis. The results of this infection are bone and teeth deformities, anemia, kidney problems and other potential abnormalties at birth. If the child is not treated for syphilis, the disease will progress and eventually result in death. The danger of syphilis to the unborn child is the reason behind blood tests historically required by most states in the U. S. to obtain a marriage license.
Even though it is very rare in our society today, syphilis
left untreated will result in death.
VIRAL DISEASES
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS (HSV)
HERPES SIMPLEX I (ORAL HERPES--COLD SORES/FEVER BLISTERS)
CDC estimates
that there are currently 100 million persons in the US with HSV I
(no estimates
are available on yearly rates of new cases)
HERPES SIMPLEX II (GENITAL HERPES)
500,000
new cases each year
CDC estimates
that there are currently 30 million persons in the US with HSV II
HSV I and
II are different viruses. HSV I has an affinity for the oral area
and HSV II has an affinity
for the
genital area. However, each of these viruses can be transferred to
both areas. Approximately 25%
of HSV
in the genital area is due to infection by HSV I (oral herpes).
Symptoms
are open lesions that exclude a clear fluid which contain the virus.
The area where the lesions
appear
will be painful and inflamed. The virus can be spread directly by
oral contact (kissing and oral sex)
or genital
contact or indirectly. Oral herpes is more likely to be spread by
indirect contact than is genital
herpes.
Drinking glasses, towels and wash cloths, and the hand are the most likely
the indirect medium.
Genital
herpes can be spread indirectly by towels and wash cloths and toilet seats.
HSV is not
a body fluid disease. It does not reside in the blood, semen, vaginal
fluids, etc. When it is not
present
in an active case (lesions present), it resides in the nerves. When
an individual with HSV is under
stress
(physical, emotional, psychological), the HSV is activated and will travel
the nerve pathway back to
the location
where it entered the body to form new lesions on the surface of the skin.
The disease
is definitely contagious when the lesions are present; however, there is
some questions as to
whether
the disease is contagious when the lesions are not present. Current
thinking is that an
individual
is contagious several weeks prior to the appearance of the lesions and
several weeks following
the disappearance
of the lesions. There is even the possibility of spreading the disease
when an infected
individual
does not present any lesions at all.
HSV does
not cause death but it does increase a woman's chance of developing cervical
cancer later in life.
A woman
who has contracted HSV is 3 times more likely to develop cervical cancer
than are women in the
general
population.
Women who
have genital herpes (or oral herpes in the genital area) are at greater
risk for miscarriages
than are
women in the general population. When babies are delivered, a woman
with an active case
(lesions
present) of herpes in the genital area are likely to pass the disease along
to the new child.
Estimates
place the chance of a child delivered vaginally for contracting the disease
as high as 50%. Of
those children
who do contract the disease, the likelihood of developing serious consequences
such as
brain lesions
that can lead to mental retardation or death is also 50%. Since women
are likely to be under
physical
and emotional stress during pregnancy and delivery, an active case of herpes
is likely. Because of
this, delivery
by cesarean section is generally performed.
Once you
have HSV, you have it for life. There is no cure.
Acyclovir
(Zovirax, Valtrex, etc) is available to treat HSV and will shorten the
time active lesions are
present
and will reduce the severity of outbreaks.
HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV) (WARTS)
HPV is currently considered one of the fastest growing STD's. Approximately
3 million new cases are
recorded each year. HPV can appear as full-blown warts with margins
raised well above the skin line
or as flat warts with margins that are barely detectable above the skin
line.
Warts typically are spread by "flaking". The surface of the wart
flakes off and is easily transferred to a
sexual partner. Females often have the virus transferred to their
vaginas where it is not seen or noticed
and often only know that they have HPV when a partner informs them that
he has contracted HPV
from her. This is unfortunate since the longer the HPV is present
(and the earlier it was contracted), the
greater the risk the female will be for cervical cancer later on.
Some sources place this risk as high as
eight times the rate in the general population.
Warts can be cut off, burned off, or frozen off (with freezing being the
most popular method at the
current time).
HIV/AIDS
Basic Info
on HIV/AIDS
Center
for Disease Control Statistics on HIV/AIDS
More than
most of you ever want to know about HIV/AIDS
VIRAL HEPATITIS
Hepatitis
A (infectious hepatitis)
Contracted through contact with contaminated feces
Anal contact in sexual behavior is a possible method of contracting the
disease
Vaccine is available but usually given only when conditions dictate
Hepatitis
B (serum hepatitis)
Contracted through contact with contaminated body fluids
Risk in sexual behavior is the same as for HIV
Vaccine available
Has been treated effectively in 40% of cases with Interferon alpha-2b
Hepatitis
C and D
Contracted through contact with contaminated body fluids
No vaccine is available for C or D but you cannot get D if you do not have
B
Any of these
can cause liver damage and/or lead to liver cancer if not treated.
There is no cure.
Treatment
generally involves bed rest and adequate fluids and diet. Successful
treatment will allow the
body to
overcome the virus.
