Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Chlamydia

• Caused by Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria
• Can be spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex and from infected pregnant women to their babies during childbirth
• Symptoms include:
  • Abnormal discharge
  • Burning sensation when urinating
  • Rectal pain
  • Swelling in testicles
• Complications can lead to:
  • Sterility or infertility
  • Infection spreading to vas deferens (causing pain and/or fever)
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Gonorrhea

• Second most common STD in the US, with an estimated 616,392 new cases in 2019
• Can be spread through sexual contact; vaginal, anal, or oral sex or from infected pregnant women to their babies during childbirth
• Symptoms include:
  • Painful or burning sensation when urinating
  • Abnormal vaginal/penile discharge (white, yellow, or green)
  • Rectal discharge
  • Itching
  • Soreness
  • Bleeding
• Complications can lead to:
  • Sterility or infertility
  • Disseminated infection (rash, arthritis, fever, meningitis, etc.)
  • Painful infection of tubes attached to the testicles
  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

• Caused by untreated STDs (like chlamydia and gonorrhea)
• May experience mild or no symptoms
• Symptoms include:
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Fever
  • Unusual discharge with bad odor from the vagina
  • Pain and/or bleeding during sex
  • Burning sensation when urinating
  • Bleeding between periods
• Complications include:
  • Scar tissue formation outside and inside the fallopian tubes (blockage)
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Infertility
  • Long-term pelvic pain

Syphilis

• Caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium
• Can be spread through direct contact with a syphilis sore (chancre) during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and from mother to baby

Primary Syphilis

• Presents with painless chancres that appear on the body after exposure to the infection
• Chancre:
  • Firm, round, and painless
  • Appears within 2-6 weeks after exposure (could take up to 3 months)
  • Found on the part of the body exposed to the infection (penis, vagina, anus, lips, or in mouth)
  • Typically disappears after a few weeks without treatment (still progresses to next stage)

Secondary Syphilis

• Appears about 4 weeks after chancre heals
• Symptoms include:
  • Condylomata lata or “fleshy warts” in anogenital region
  • Alopecia or patchy hair loss (non-itchy)
  • Non-itchy rash with rough red or reddish brown spots
  • Mucous Patches usually in the mouth, vagina, or anus

Late (Tertiary) Syphilis

• Typically occurs 10-30 years after infection begins
• Can damage various body parts like heart, brain, spinal cord, eyes, and bones leading to severe consequences
• Types include:
  • Cardiovascular Syphilis
  • Late Benign Syphilis
  • Neurosyphilis
• Gumma: a soft, gummy tumor, is a characteristic feature

Genital Herpes (HSV-2)

• Spread through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus
• Symptoms include:
  • Blisters around the genitals, rectum, or mouth, leading to painful sores that take weeks to heal
• No cure available, with outbreaks being common
• 1 in 8 people aged 14-49 have genital herpes, often without knowing it

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• Transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and vaginal, anal, oral sex (vaginal & anal most common)
• Highly common, with an estimated 80% of sexually-active individuals getting at least one type of HPV
• Major cause of cervical cancer, affecting a significant percentage of sexually active women
• Can be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected individual

Overview of STDs

• Many infections show no signs or symptoms, leading to untreated cases and potential long-term damage
• More than 2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were reported in the US in 2018
• CDC reported a rise in STD cases in the US, including congenital syphilis linked to newborn deaths