STDs: Information key to avoid being a statistic

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Adam Stewart
  • 90th Medical Operations Squadron
Despite modern day attempts to educate people and prevent sexually transmitted diseases, STDs continue to be a major problem in the United States. 

Everyone, no matter what age, gender or race, is susceptible to infection. Many people don't realize someone they know, even themselves, may be infected and don't take the necessary precautions if sexually active. 

In 2005, more than 1,349,320 cases of STDs were reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In Wyoming, there were 1,669 reported cases -- 1,549 were for Chlamydia and 120 were for gonorrhea. 

Many people who have STDs don't realize it, so they don't report it. While there are other types that were reported, Chlamydia, gonorrhea and human papillomavirus are three prevalent types. 

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that, in most cases, will show very mild symptoms to no symptoms at all. It can be passed through vaginal, anal and oral intercourse. Also, children born to infected mothers can get chlamydial infections in their eyes and respiratory tracts. The most common symptoms of Chlamydia for both males and females are an abnormal genital discharge and a burning sensation during urination. 

If left untreated, long-term complications can develop in both males and females but is more common among females. In females, untreated infections can move into the uterus and fallopian tubes causing pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility and a potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside of the uterus). In males, the complications are rare but involve the infection spreading to the epididymis, causing pain, possibly fever and sometimes infertility. 

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that can grow and thrive in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract in females, the urethra in males and females, and the mouth, throat, eyes and anus. Gonorrhea is transmitted through contact with the vagina, penis, mouth or anus. Infected pregnant mothers can also infect their child while giving birth. 

Gonorrhea may have mild to severe symptoms or no symptoms at all. Symptoms for males include painful urination, a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis and possibly swollen or painful testicles. Female symptoms are often mild or not apparent at all but can include painful urination, increased vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding between periods. If left untreated, this infection can cause serious complications such as epididymitis in males and pelvic inflammatory disease in females. Gonorrhea can pass to the blood and joints, making a life-threatening situation. 

Another common, yet unheard of STD, is a genital HPV infection. This infection is caused by human papillomavirus. More than 50 percent of sexually active people will acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives. There are an estimated 40 types of this virus that are sexually transmitted, and HPV has both high-risk and low-risk types of this virus. The high-risk types can cause cancer in the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus and penis, and can cause abnormal Pap smears in females. About 10,000 women each year are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and more than 3,700 die from it. Low-risk types can cause mild abnormalities in Pap smears and can also cause genital warts. Most people infected with HPV will show no symptoms at all. 

There is no cure for genital HPV, but most cases tend to go away on their own. There is, however, an HPV vaccine for females to prevent some genital HPV infections from an early age. This vaccination is designed to be given to girls around the ages of 11 or 12, before their first sexual contact, but has been given to women up to the age of 26. If someone is infected with a type of HPV when they receive the vaccination, the vaccination will not protect against that particular type. Just because someone has received the vaccine does not mean that they no longer can get cervical cancer. This vaccine does not prevent infection from all types of HPV that can cause cancer, just some. If someone is interested in receiving or having their child receive this vaccination, they can contact their doctor. 

Many of these STDs can make people more susceptible to contracting HIV, an extremely deadly virus. This virus will slowly attack the immune system and develop into AIDS, eventually shutting down the immune system, leaving the person susceptible to other diseases that the body would normally be able to fight off. HIV is spread through infected bodily fluids including blood. There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS. 

Prevention of STDs starts with education and comes down to actual application of safe practices and taking necessary precautions. 

The obvious and most effective way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases is abstinence, but for those which are sexually active, monogamy and protective resources such as male or female condoms are key elements to staying safe. 

It is not worth putting off and waiting to tell a doctor. Most often, cases are easily cured, and waiting could mean the worsening of the condition or, in extreme cases, death. So it's important to remember that if you're having any symptoms of any kind immediately contact a physician.