TEACHER INFORMATION

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)? STDs are diseases
and infections which are capable of being spread from person to person
through sexual intercourse. Most but not all STDs are spread this way.
Some diseases are caused by bacteria. These are syphilis !hlamydia
gonorrhea "aginitis and #$% (nongonococcal urethritis). &ther diseases
are caused by a fungus including yeast infections. Still others are
caused by a "irus such as herpes '(DS and !hlamydia. The )uman
(mmunodeficiency *irus ()(*) causes S(DS. The )erpes simplex ((
"irus causes genital herpes and the )uman +apilloma *irus causes
!ondyloma or $enital Warts. Microscopic organisms are the cause of
scabies crabs and trichomoniasis.
HOW ARE STDS SPREAD?
Sexually transmitted diseases may be spread form one person to another
through sexual intercourse. (nfections can also be spread through oral,
genital contact or in non,sexual ways. -or instance. )(* the "irus that
causes '(DS is spread through sexual intercourse (* drug use and
blood transfusions. Some "aginal infections are caused by changes in the
"agina/s chemical balance. &ften antibiotics may trigger this change and
create a suitable setting for infections.
SYMPTOMS
What are the symptoms? )ow would ( 0now if ( ha"e been infected?
Sores (either painful or painless)
1lood in urine
1urning sensation when urinating
2ashes
(tching
1umps
Warts
%nusual discharge
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34 5 647 ha"e no idea that they ha"e the disease. Many women ne"er
show the signs or symptoms that men usually ha"e. Therefore they
continue to spread the disease rather than being treated for it.
(+ass out the STDs study guide for students to fill out as you discuss the
different STDs.)
TYPES OF STDs
!)8'M9D(' (:la,M(D,ee,uh).
The most widespread sexually transmitted disease today is !hlamydia.
-our million new cases of chlamydia occur each year. (t;s particularly
common among teens and young adults. The symptoms are mild and may be
similar to those of gonorrhea. (t is the ma<or cause of +el"ic
(nflammatory Disease (+(D) and nongonococcal urethritis (#$%). (#$%
is sometimes call nonspecific urethritis or #S%.)
S9M+T&MS= fe"er weight loss for no reason swollen glands
fati>ue diarrhea white spots on the mouth.
-?M'8? S9M+T&MS=
*aginal discharge (white or grey) or burning with
urination
8ower abdominal pain
1leeding between menstrual periods.
8ow,grade fe"er (later symptom)
M'8? S9M+T&MS=
Discharge from the penis and@or burning when urinating
1urning and itching around the opening of the penis
+ain and swelling in the testicles
8ow 5grade fe"er (associated with epididymitis 5
inflammation of the testicles)
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There are two 0inds of test for chlamydia. &ne in"ol"es collecting a small
amount of fluid from an infected site (cer"ix or penis) with a cotton
swab. These tests are uni"ersally a"ailable. #ew tests which use only
urine samples will be a"ailable soon and will ma0e testing much easier and
less painful.
Treatment includes , antibiotics
(f left untreated this infection can cause painful after,effects
including arthritis. +ermanent damage to the reproducti"e organs
causing chronic pain and infertility is also a result of nontreatment.
Sterility and ectopic or tubal pregnancies may also result if the disease
is untreated. When babies are born to infected mothers there may be
eye ear and lung infections and sometimes death.
(t is estimated that A4,647 of women and B47 of men with !hlamydia
ha"e no symptoms. This disease can be cured by antibiotics.
9ou can get and spread chlamydia through unprotected "aginal and anal
sex.
$&#&22)?' (gah,na,2??,uh)
$onorrhea is a "ery common form of sexually transmitted disease. &ther
names for gonorrhea are the clap drip or a dose. $onorrhea is a "ery
common infectious disease. ?ach year approximately AB4444 people in
the %nited States are infected with gonorrhea. +eople with gonorrhea
can more easily contract )(* the "irus that causes '(DS. +eople get
gonorrhea from close sexual contact (anal sex oral sex. and "aginal).
$onorrhea can also be spread from mother to child during birth.
$onorrhea infection can spread to other unli0ely parts of the body. -or
example a person can get an eye infection after touching infected
genitals and then the eyes. (ndi"iduals who ha"e had gonorrhea and
recei"ed treatment may get infected again if they ha"e sexual contact
with people infected with gonorrhea.
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S9M+T&MS=
'ppear B,3 days or can ta0e up to C4 days to appear
sore or red throat if you ha"e gonorrhea in the throat from
oral sex
rectal pain
blood and pus in bowel mo"ements if you ha"e gonorrhea in the
rectum from anal sex.
-?M'8? S9M+T&MS=
Symptoms may show up D,DE days after ha"ing sex
May notice a yellow or white discharge from the "agina
May be a burning or pain when urinating
1leeding between periods
)ea"ier and more painful periods
!ramps or pain in the lower abdomen sometimes with
nausea or fe"er
M'8? S9M+T&MS=
9ellow or white drip@discharge from penis
1urning or pain when urinating
-re>uent urinating
Swollen testicles
!an gonorrhea be dangerous? 9esF (f not treated it can spread to
the pel"ic and sex organs. This can cause permanent damage and
ma0e both men and women unable to ha"e children. (t may also
cause pain and swelling in the 0nees or other <oints s0in problems
and heart problems.
$onorrhea in a pregnant woman can cause premature deli"ery or
spontaneous abortion. The infected mother may gi"e the infection
to her infant as the baby passes through the birth canal during
deli"ery. This can cause blindness <oint infection or a life,
threatening blood infection in the baby.
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$onorrhea can be cured by antibiotics. Many of the currently used
antibiotics can successfully cure uncomplicated gonorrhea. 1ecause
many people with gonorrhea also ha"e chlamydia antibiotics for
both infections are usually gi"en together.
S9+)(8(S (sif,a,lus)
This is one of the more serious of the STDs if not treated. The long
range effects can be "ery serious including death. This disease is
caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. (n the %nited States an
estimated 34444 new cases of syphilis in adults and more than C444
new cases of congenital syphilis in newborns occur each year.
The syphilis bacterium is passed from person to person through direct
contact with a syphilis sore. Sores mainly occur on the external genitalia
"agina anus or rectum. Sores can also occur on the lips and in the
mouth. Transmission of the organism occurs during "aginal anal or oral
sex.
S9M+T&MS=
Stage E= Symptoms usually appear E4,G4 days after contact.
'n infected person gets a sore (chancre) which may be
painful at the point of contact (mouth anus rectum
throat or the sex organ). The chancre is usually firm
round small and painless. (t appears at the spot where
the bacterium entered the body. The chancre lasts E,B
wee0s and heals on its own.
This will disappear on its own but may last H,A wee0s.
(n the female the chancre is often internal and cannot be
seen.
The secondary stage lasts C,A wee0s. 'fter the chancre
comes a copper,colored s0in rash which may appear on the
palms of the hands soles of the feet or in more se"ere cases
co"ers the entire body. The rash may be accompanied by
fe"er headaches indigestion loss of appetite or loss of hair
in spots o"er the scalp.
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The third stage is 0nown as the latent period. 'll symptoms
disappear so that the "ictim thin0s he@she is cured. (f the
infected person has not recei"ed treatment he@she still has
syphilis e"en though there are no symptoms. The bacterium
remains in the body and begins to damage the internal organs
including the brain ner"es eyes heart blood "essels li"er
bones and <oints. The spirochetes may attac0 bone marrow
the spleen lymph glands or any tissue or organ of the body.
The fourth stage (tertiary stage) in"ol"es the accumulated
damage produced during the latent period. The results of this
internal damage show up many years later in the late or
tertiary stage of syphilis in about one,third of untreated
persons. Ten twenty e"en thirty years after the initial
infection the degenerati"e wor0s of the spirochete may
become apparent in a sudden heart attac0 failure of "ision
loss of motor coordination or mental disturbances.
!an syphilis be dangerous? 9?SF The conditions mentioned in the
fourth stage bear this out. after about two years a person with
untreated syphilis reaches a point where she@he can/t infect others but
his@her own health will deteriorate.
+regnant women with the disease can pass it to the babies they are
carrying. 'n infected pregnant woman has about a H47 chance of ha"ing
a stillbirth (syphilitic stillbirth) or deli"ering a baby who dies shortly
after birth. 'bout ED7 of infected newborns will die because of the
disease.

(f an unborn child is infected with syphilis it will be born with congenital
syphilis (present at birth). The baby may seem healthy at
first but a heart defect bone deformity or other damage
may appear in childhood. Syphilis may be cured by antibodies.
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&ne dose of the antibiotic penicillin will cure a person who has
had syphilis for less than a year. More doses are needed to
cure someone who has had it for longer than a year. ' baby
born with the disease needs daily penicillin treatment for E4
days.
)?2+?S S(M+8?I T9+? D ()S*,D).
#ot e"ery form of )erpes is an STD but )S*,D is an STD. Symptoms
usually show D,D4 days after contact and may be extremely painful or
"ery mild. Some infected people ha"e Joutbrea0sK of blisters and ulcers.
&nce infected with )S* people remain infected for life.
Without treatment the symptoms disappear in a wee0 or two but may
flare up later. Stress bruising chaffing or a woman/s period may
cause an onset of the disease. $enital herpes cannot be completely
cured. (t may be a cause of cer"ical cancer in women.
-?M'8? S9M+T&MS=
1listers in or around the "agina fe"er and headaches.
.
M'8? S9M+T&MS=
Small sore or cluster of blisters on the penis.
' pregnant woman with acti"e genital herpes can infect her baby during
deli"ery. ' baby who sur"i"es se"ere infection usually suffers physical
or mental damage. To pre"ent herpes in the newborn a mother may ha"e
to ha"e her baby by !esarean Section (! Section). There is no 0nown
cure for herpes.
$?#(T'8 W'2TS @ *?#?2'8 W'2TS=
$rowths that appear on the "agina or penis near the anus and sometimes
in the throat. They are caused by "iruses and spread through sexual
contact. The "iruses are often call )uman +apilloma *irus ()+*). The
warts might loo0 harmless but should be treated as soon as possible.
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The "irus that causes genital warts is spread by "aginal or anal
intercourse and by oral sex. Warts may appear within se"eral wee0s
after sex with a person who has )+*. or they may ta0e months or years
to appear. or they may ne"er appear. ' person can be infected and pass
on the "irus without 0nowing it. 'pproximately B.B million new cases of
sexually transmitted )+* (one third of all new STDs) occur in the %.S.
each year with at least D4 million people currently infected. Three out
of four 'mericans between the ages of EB and HG ha"e been infected
with genital )+* in their lifetimes.
S9M+T&MS=
%sually the warts loo0 li0e tiny cauliflowers but sometimes
they are flat.
The warts may cause itching burning and some pain but often
don/t cause any pain at all.
Warts may be inside the "agina or on the cer"ix or in the rectum
or throat so you might not notice them.
They might also be so small that you cannot see them.
!an genital warts be cured? 9esF There are se"eral treatments for
genital warts. The goal of any treatment should be to remo"e "isible
genital warts to get rid of annoying symptoms. #o one treatment is best
for all cases. There are many ways to treat genital warts. They may be
remo"ed by applying certain li>uids surgically remo"ing them or freeLing
the wart.
The guidelines of the %.S. !enters for Disease !ontrol and +re"ention
(!D!) include the following=
+odofilox li>uid or gel is a self,applied treatment for external
genital warts. (t doesn/t cost much is easy to use and safe.
(mi>uimod cream ('ldaraM) is a self,applied treatment for
external genital warts including warts near the anus. (t is safe
effecti"e and easy to use. The cream is not harsh on the s0in and
does not cause scarring li0e some other treatments.
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!ryotherapy (freeLing off the wart with li>uid nitrogen) is
relati"ely inexpensi"e and is done by a trained doctor or nurse.
+odophyllin is a chemical compound that must be applied by a
doctor or nurse.
Trichloracetic acid (T!') is another chemical applied to the
surface of the wart by a doctor or a nurse.
8aser therapy (using an intense light to destroy warts) or surgery
(cutting off warts) has the ad"antage of getting rid of warts in a
single office "isit. )owe"er treatment can cost a lot. Most
doctors do not ha"e lasers in their office and the doctor must be
well,trained in these methods.
The drug interferon is sometimes used but less expensi"e
therapies wor0 <ust as well with fewer side effects.

#one of the treatments listed abo"e is a cure for )+*. The "irus can
remain in nearby s0in e"en after treatment. 1ecause the "irus can lie
dormant in cells warts can return months after treatment. Sometimes
warts may come bac0 years after they/"e cleared but that doesn/t
happen "ery often.
More and more researchers are finding a lin0 between genital cancer and
infection with wart "iruses. There may be an extra ris0 of cancer of the
cer"ix "ul"a penis or anus among people who ha"e and warts in these
places.

!2'1S (+ubic 8ice)=
+ubic lice are called JcrabsK because they loo0 li0e crabs when examined
under a magnifying glass. !rabs are fre>uently the color and siLe of small
frec0les. These "ery small lice (crabs) usually attac0 the sexual (pubic)
areas of the body. Sometimes they are found under arms on eyelashes
and on moustaches. !rab lice are spread through direct physical contact.
Specifically close body contact with an infected person. &ccasionally
crab lice can be spread through the use of someone else/s infested
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person. &ccasionally crab lice can be spread through the use of someone
else/s infested clothing towels bedding and sometimes contaminated
toilet seats.
S9M+T&MS=
' terrible persisting itch in the genital rectal (sexual) area.
!an lice cause serious harm? 8eft unchec0ed body lice ha"e been
the cause of widespread epidemics (typhus and trench fe"er).
' lice problem can be easily cured by using a non,prescription lice
0illing li>uid such as T2(+8? I. This li>uid will 0ill all three types of lice=
head body and crab lice.
!'#D(D('S(S (can,di,die,a,sis)=
(s a yeast fungus that may or may not be transmitted by sexual
intercourse. (t may also be casued by high doses of antibiotics. (t is
usually caused by altering the +h of the "agina. (t causes much
discomfort due to the intense itching. (t is often called J)ousewi"es/
(tchK.
S9M+T&MS=
' thic0 cheesy "aginal discharge
Se"ere itching
Douching and the use of antibiotics may actually increase the
problem rather than helping to relie"e it.
!an !andidiasis be dangerous? #o.
The discomfort is the worst part of this disease.
T2(!)&M&#('S(S @ Tric0 (tric0,e,men,ni,e,ses)=
*ery much li0e gonorrhea in its symptoms. (t is #S% nonspecific
urethritis (#S%). Tric0 can effect men as well as women. The bacteria
can li"e outside the human body and can be pic0ed up from a towel or
toilet seat. Sexually transmitted disease abstinence or monogamy is the
only pre"ention (also condoms). 'n estimated B million new cases occur
each year in women and men. &ccurs in "agina of women so may be
sexually transmitted to men using infected washcloths and towels. (t is
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transmitted to the baby during deli"ery. (t also can occur in the urethra
(carries urine to penis) in men doesn/t ha"e symptoms usually.
S9M+T&MS.
symptoms usually appear within B to D6 days of exposure in
women. Women usually ha"e a "aginal discharge that
also has an odor.
-?M'8? S9M+T&MS=
(tching and burning at the outside of the opening of the
"agina and "ul"a.
+ainful and fre>uent urination
)ea"y unpleasant smelling greenish yellow discharge
M'8? S9M+T&MS=
%sually nothing or discomfort in urethra inflamed head
of the penis.
Treatment= both partners if not symptoms reappear.
#&#$&#&!&!!'8 %2?T)2(T(S @ #$% (non,gon,o,co0,al)=
'n inflammation or infection of the urethra (the tube that carries the
urine from the bladder) caused by something other than the germ that
causes gonorrhea.
This is usually a sexually transmitted disease. (t is passed from person
to person during intimate physical contact usually during sexual
intercourse.
-?M'8? S9M+T&MS=
+ain
(tching or burning around the "agina
'ny discharge may be a sign of #$%. (because the disease is
internal women sometimes do not show any ob"ious
symptoms.)
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M'8? S9M+T&MS=
Discharge from the penis (this may be thin and watery or
thic0 and white)
1urning and itching around the opening of the penis
Sometimes the signs appear only in the morning then go away
and come bac0.
'bout E47 of men show no symptoms
HIV:
'c>uired immune deficiency syndrome was first reported in the %nited
States in mid EG6E. 't the present time there is no cure for this "irus,
caused disease. '(DS attac0s the immune system of the body so that
the person cannot fight off e"en mild infections. The person e"entually
becomes "ulnerable to life threatening infections and cancers. This
disease is caused by the )uman (mmuno,deficiency *irus )(*. 'n
estimated B44444 to one million people ha"e been infected by the "irus
that causes '(DS but ha"e no symptoms of illness. (n fact the
incubation period for '(DS may be from se"en to ten years.
)ow do you get '(DS?
The following information was ta0en from J'(DS wee0ly Sur"eillance
2eportK !enter for Disease !ontrol. (#&T?= teacher should up,date
this information with current statistics as necessary. 2esearch and
terminology change daily. (t is "ital to 0eep current. !ontact your local
'(DS specialist for further information.)
)omosexual @ 1isexual Males AH7
(nfants infected during pregnancy or at birth E7
%ndetermined C7
)eterosexual cases H7
Transfusion of blood or blood components including coagulation
disorders H7
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(ntra"enous (* drug abuse EH7
)omosexual male and (* drug abuse 37
There are two main ways you get '(DS. &ne way is by ha"ing any type of
sex ("aginal oral anal digital etc.) with someone who is infected with
the '(DS "irus. 'nother way to become infected is by sharing drug
needles and syringes with an infected person.
http=@@www,nehc.med.na"y.mil@hp@sharp@Shrpfact.htm
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