Chlamydia
This is the most common sexually transmitted disease today. It is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis.
How infection occurs:
Men and women become infected during vaginal, oral or anal intercourse. Infants can be infected during delivery if the mother has the disease.
When symptoms appear:
Most women have no early symptoms. Many men see signs of infection in 1 to 3 weeks. Even if there are no symptoms, trasmission of infection of a sex partner can occur.
Signs of Infection:
Women may have a discharge from the vagina. Both men and women may have burning upon urination. The joints may ache, the eyes may itch or burn, or it may burn around the rectum. A woman may have pain in her lower abdomen or it may hurt to have sex. A man’s scrotum might swell up or hurt.
Problems that may develop:
Women may develop a serious infection called Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). Men may develop a serious infection in the epididymis (the tubes that carry the sperm). Both illnesses can cause infertility. Both men and women can develop infections in the bladder, eyes, joints or rectum. Infants can develop eye infections, pneumonia and other problems soon after they are born (if the mother is infected).
Tests:
Tests can be done on samples from the infected area, such as the woman’s vagina or the man’s penis. Results can be given in a few days. A clinic may go ahead and treat the infection without waiting for test results.
Treatment:
Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics. Any sex partner of the infected person from the past month should be tested and treated with antibiotics. The infected person should not have intercourse until the course of antibiotics is finished.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
STD Information Phone Number:
Centers for Disease Control VD Hotline
1-800-227-8922
Gonorrhea
This is also known as “GC,” “Clap,” “Drip,”and “Dose.” It is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
How Infection Occurs:
Men and women are infected by having vaginal, oral or anal intercourse. Infants are infected during delivery when the mother is infected.
When Symptoms Show:
Most women have no early symptoms. Most men have symptoms in 2 to 10 days. Because women may not have early symptoms, they should get tested if they suspect that their partner might have given them an infection in order to prevent serious problems.
Signs of Infection:
A man usually has a discharge or drip from his penis, or a sore throat or rectum. A woman may have a discharge from her vagina. She may have a pain in her lower abdomen(below the naval), which is a sign of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. She also may have a sore throat or rectum.
Problems that may develop:
Men can have an infection in the urethra (the tube that carries his urine or semen through the penis). This can make it difficult to have an erection, or to impregnate a partner. Women can develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in her reproductive organs. This can cause infertility in the woman due to the scarring it causes. In men and women, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body and cause arthritis, heart trouble, brain damage or blindness. Infants who are infected during birth can become blind.
Tests:
Tests can be done on samples from a person’s infected area. Results may be given right away, or after a week or two.
Treatment:
Antibiotics are given by injection or pill. Occasionally the first antibiotic used isn’t effective. Follow-up testing after the course of antibiotics is completed will confirm that the antibiotics were effective. Any sex contacts should be tested and treated. It is important that sexual intercourse not occur until the infection is eliminated.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
STD Information Phone number:
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922
Hepatitis B
A sexually transmitted disease caused by the Hepatitis B virus, which causes disease and inflammation of the liver.
Mode of Transmission:
Hepatitis B is similar to HIV in that it is spread by vaginal, oral or anal intercourse and sharing needles with infected blood. Infants can be infected while in utero. It can also be spread via infected feces.
When Symptoms Appear:
Several weeks to several months after infection.
Symptoms of Infection:
Upset stomach, poor appetite, abdominal pain, dark urine, skin rash, yellow skin or eyes, or joint pain. There may be no early signs.
Serious Problems:
The virus causes permanent damage to the liver. There is a 1% mortality rate with Hepatitis B.
Tests:
The blood is tested for liver function and Hepatitis B antibodies.
Treatment:
There is no cure for Hepatitis B. There is a vaccine to prevent the disease. Condoms give some protection from sexually transmitted Hepatitis B.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922
Herpes
Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV).
How Infection Occurs:
Infection occurs during vaginal, oral and anal sexual activity. Herpes Type 1 is infection of the mouth, but it can be spread to the genitals during oral sex. Herpes Type 2 is infection of the genitals, which cannot be spread to the mouth during oral sex.
When Symptoms Appear:
Symptoms can appear as early as four days from exposure, but studies have shown that 60% of people infected with Herpes may not have symptomatic outbreaks.
Signs of Infection:
Small blisters or sores appear on the part of the body that was infected. The sores may be found inside the vagina, on the perineum, around the rectum and on the penis. The sores are usually painful. There are often nonspecific systemic symptoms before the first outbreak which include fever, chills, weakness, headache and muscle aches. Pain or itching may occur at the site of outbreak before the actual outbreak of herpetic sores. Although some infected persons will never have an outbreak, others will have recurrent outbreaks as often as twice a month.
Complications:
The virus can be spread by an infected person even when an outbreak is not occurring. This type of virus establishes a latent state within host cells and causes recurrent disease. All sexual contacts must be informed. It is uncommon, but if a primary infection occurs during the time of the delivery of an infant, the infection can cause significant problems for the child such as eye infections, retardation and even death.
Testing:
The disease can be diagnosed by the health care provider by evaluating the appearance of the sores. Liquid can also be taken from the blisters to be tested.
Treatment:
There is no cure. Antibiotics will not work because Herpes is a virus. Anti-viral medications such as Acyclovir® will shorten the length of outbreaks and frequency of occurrences. Condom use is important in the prevention of Herpes.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
STD Information Phone number:
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922
HIV and AIDS
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The Human Immunodeficiency virus attacks T- lymphocyte cells, resulting in a very poorly functioning immune system.
How HIV Infection Occurs:
HIV is spread through sexual intercourse, contaminated needles and infected blood. Infants are infected by their mother while still in utero, during delivery or through infected breast milk.
When do Symptoms Appear:
Antibodies to the virus appear in blood tests two weeks to six months after a person is infected. Many people do not have symptoms for years after being infected, but are able to spread the virus.
Symptoms of Active AIDS:
Symptoms develop after an incubation period and resemble mononucleosis. The initial symptoms usually last from 1-3 weeks. The symptoms include: fever, fatigue, swollen lymph glands, sore throat and painful joints.
Problems:
One of the big obstacles in halting the spread of HIV is that so many infected people are unaware that they are infected and so continue to have unprotected intercourse, have babies and share needles. The babies born to HIV infected mothers usually die within two to three years.
Testing:
A blood test will show if HIV antibodies are present in the blood indicating the virus is present.
Treatment:
There is no cure for HIV infection. There are medications that help the body fight the disease, because the immune system cannot do so. The sooner these medications are started, the longer an infected person will stay healthy. For this reason getting tested is very important. Using a condom with the spermacide that contains nonoxynol-9, every time sex takes place will lower the risk of HIV infection.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
STD Information Phone Number:
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922
National AIDS Information Clearinghouse:
1-800-458-5231
HPV
Warts in the genital areas caused by HPV (Human papilloma virus).
How Infection Occurs:
Infection occurs via sexual intercourse whether vaginal, anal or oral, or skin contact with infected cells shed by someone who has the virus.
When symptoms appear:
Symptoms can appear from 1 to 20 months after infection.
Signs of Infection:
Wart-like growths in the genital areas, around the rectum, the urethral opening, or in a woman’s vagina. HPV warts can grow in the throat as a result of oral sex.
Possible Problems:
HPV is a main cause of cervical cancer and cancer of the rectum. Infants can be infected by the virus in the birth canal during birth.
Tests:
The warts are diagnosed by appearance by a health care provider.
Treatment:
Depending on how large they are and where they are located, warts can be removed by freezing them, surgical removal, burning them off with a chemical or use of an anti-viral cream. However, the the virus often remains in the body, and the warts may grow back. All sexual contacts should be checked for warts. A condom should always be worn after the wart is found even after the wart is removed.
Information Source:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
STD Information Phone number:
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922
Syphilis
Also known as Syph, the pox, and bad blood. It is caused by a spirochete called Treponema pallidum.
Mode of Transmission of the Infection:
Syphilis is spread through sexual intercourse whether it be vaginal, oral or anal sex with a person who has a sore or rash caused by the infection.
When Symptoms Appear:
Symptoms appear 10 to 90 days for the first stage, 6 weeks to 6 months later for the second stage, many years later for the third stage. The symptoms in the first stage may not be obvious. It is very important to be tested early if infection is suspected.
Signs of Infection:
In the first stage there is a single painless sore where the spirochete entered the person’s body. Many people do not notice this sore. In the second stage there is a rash, and symptoms like the flu. In the late stage the spirochete can affect the brain, heart, eyes or other parts of a person’s body. Infected infants can be born dead, or have birth defects such as damaged hearts, eyes or brains.
Test:
There is a blood test to test for Syphilis antibodies. Liquid from a sore can also be looked at under a microscope to look for the syphilis spirochete.
Treatment:
Syphilis is usually treated with penicillin, but there are other antibiotics that provide effective treatment.
The sexual partner of someone infected with syphilis must be told about the infection so that they can be treated. A Public Health Officer will tell the partner if the infected person does not. The name of the infected person will not be given by the officer. Sexual intercourse must not take place until the antibiotic treatment is completed.
Source of Information:
Iowa Department of Public Health
STD/HIV Prevention Program
STD Information Phone Number:
Centers for Disease Control STD Hotline:
1-800-227-8922