Lesson 1: Begin at the Beginning
Sexually Transmitted Diseases

This section offers an overview of the different types of STDs. I have broken this into the following areas - Curable, Incurable, HIV/AIDS, How they are contracted, How to prevent transmission, and Additional Resources.

Curable - The following are all curable sexually transmitted diseases or infections: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, pubic lice, trichomoniasis, scabies, bacterial vaginosis, and chancroids.

A curable sexually transmitted disease or infection is usually not life threatening, and can be cured when diagnosed early and properly treated with medications. If the following STDs are not diagnosed and treated, serious organ damage and even death could occur.

Syphilis, if not treated, attacks the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, liver, bones, blood vessels, and joints.

Gonorrhea, if untreated, can spread to the blood or joints and can be life threatening.

If you think you may have an STD, you should contact your doctor or local health clinic for testing, and stop having all sexual contact. If you do have a treatable STD, you must notify all of your recent sexual partners so they can receive treatment at the same time.

All sexually transmitted diseases and infections can cause PID, pelvic inflammatory disease. PID, if left untreated, can cause severe scarring of the woman's reproductive organs, leading to infertility, greater risk of ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain.

Incurable - Human papilloma virus, herpes simplex I, herpes simplex II, hepatitis B, and cytomegalovirus.

These sexually transmitted diseases cannot be cured, once you have them, you have them for life.

Hepatitis B attacks the liver causing scarring, cancer, liver failure and even death. The good news is that there is a vaccine that you can get to protect yourself from contracting this. Boosters of the vaccine are recommended as the protection can decline over time.

Herpes simplex I & II can be treated, but not cured. Herpes simplex I usually is associated with fever blisters, but it is possible to develop sores on the genitals with mouth to genital contact. Herpes simplex II is genital herpes, which is usually spread by sexual contact. A woman can spread this to her baby during birth, so a cesarean delivery is the usual method of birth if the mother is suffering from an outbreak at the time of birth.

Genital warts, or HPV (human papilloma virus), has no cure. Though the warts can be treated when they appear, they can be spread to your partner even with the use of condoms. HPV usually goes away on it's own, but if it does not, women must be checked more often for cervical cancer, which can develop.

HIV/AIDS - HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and is usually transmitted by intimate sexual contact, blood-to-blood contact, breast milk, and from mother to baby during pregnancy or birth. Currently there is no cure for HIV, or AIDS that many that are infected with HIV later develop. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and develops in the majority of people infected with HIV. Doctors determine if AIDS has developed in HIV infected individuals with certain tests.

HIV and AIDS cannot be transmitted through every day contact such as shaking hands and hugging. HIV and AIDS are not transmitted through the air, water, or by insects. Education is the best way to prevent the transmission of these and other STDs.

Knowing how they are transmitted, and how they are not transmitted will allow you to live your life with less fear and more control.

How STDs are contracted - Sexually transmitted diseases and infections are passed from person to person usually with intimate contact. Intimate contact includes kissing, manual sex, oral sex, anal sex, and penis to vagina contact of any kind. STD's can also be transmitted by sharing needles, breastfeeding, or through blood transfusions, although donated blood is carefully checked and contracting an STD from it is rare.

How to prevent transmission of STDs - One of the best ways to prevent STD transmission is to not have any intimate contact. Because this is not likely to happen, there are others things you can do to protect yourself and your partner. First and foremost, know that you and your partner are STD free, and do not have sexual contact with more than one partner. Second, always use a condom. Using a condom each and every time you have sexual contact will lessen your risk of being infected with an STD. Lambskin and 'animal membrane' condoms allow the passage of STD viruses because of the construction of the materials. These have microscopic pores that are naturally found in skin. These pores are not big enough for sperm to pass through, but are big enough for a virus to pass through.

For additional resources on the different STDs, where you can get tested, and information on symptoms, please go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov or to Planned Parenthood at http://www.plannedparenthood.org