What are STDs and STIs?
STD stands for sexually transmitted disease and STI stands for sexually transmitted infection. Both terms describe almost the same thing but STI is being used more often to reduce the stigma surrounding STDs. Technically, infections are the first stage of disease so it can be said that STIs progress into STDs.
There are several diseases that fall into the category of STD such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis, human papillomavirus (HPV), HIV/AIDs, trichomoniasis, syphilis, scabies, crabs and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Having new or multiple sex partners increases the chances of getting an STD.
Populations that are at risk for STDs
Young adults and adolescents, ages 15-24, are at risk for STDs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 4 sexually active adolescent females have an STD such as chlamydia or HPV. For those between the ages of 15-24 years, there were 948,102 reported cases of chlamydial infection in 2014. Though STDs affect both females and males, in 2014 females aged 20-24 years had the highest rate of gonorrhea while those aged 15-19 years had the second highest rate of gonorrhea. Not all cases of STDs are reported by adolescents for reasons such as embarrassment, lack of transportation, inability to pay for STD services, long waiting times, conflicts between clinic hours and work or school schedules and concerns about confidentiality.
Data shows that gay, bisexual or men who have sex with other men (MSM) make up 75% of all primary and secondary syphilis cases. Other data, according to the CDC, show that an average of half of MSM with syphilis is also infected with HIV. MSM with new HIV infection diagnoses are more likely than uninfected MSM to receive a diagnosis of gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Can you get STDs if you are pregnant?
Pregnant women can also become infected with STDs and may not show symptoms. It is important to be tested early during pregnancy and just before delivery to ensure no infections. Having an STD during pregnancy is serious and even life-threatening for the mother and the baby as it can cause complications during pregnancy. STDs can be treated while pregnant to reduce the risk of passing the infection on to the baby. Talk to a doctor or healthcare provider if you are pregnant and think you may have an STD.
How do you know if you have an STD?
There are many types of STDs and symptoms vary for each. Symptoms could range from bumps, sores, or warts near the mouth, anus, penis, or vagina to severe itching around genitals to pelvic pain. Symptoms of an STD could show up between a few days to a few months after becoming infected. Some people may not know they have an STD because they may not experience any symptoms at all. Those who think they may have an STD should put off having sexual contact with others and get tested to know for sure if they have an STD. It is important to get tested often and to treat infections as soon as possible. Infections left untreated can lead to infertility. If you think you may have an STD talk to your doctor or healthcare provided about getting tested.
What are the treatment options for STDs?
Some STDs can be cured with prescription medication while others are not curable such as HIV. However, uncomfortable symptoms can be alleviated by using certain medications and through some procedures. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about what treatment options may be right for you.
How to prevent against getting STDs?
One way to prevent getting STDs is to abstain from sex or to be with one long-term partner that has tested negative for STDs. Another way is to use condoms or dental dams to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading STDs.
For more information about STDs visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/default.htm
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/specialpops.htm#adol
https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats13/std-trends-508.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/std/pregnancy/stdfact-pregnancy.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/adolescents-youngadults.htm
Scott KC, Philip S, Ahrens K, et al. High prevalence of gonococcal and chlamydial infection in men who have sex with men with newly diagnosed HIV infection - an opportunity for same-day presumptive treatment. J Acq Imm Def 2008;48:109–12.
http://beforeplay.org/stds/