Signs of STD

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis. It is the most reported STI in the United States (U.S.), and the CDC estimates over four million cases in 2018. Chlamydia is the most common STI reported in the U.S and might have no symptoms. Get tested for chlamydia if you are sexually active. See your HCP for advice about your sexual health and testing. Sexually active young people are most at risk for getting chlamydia infection. If you are pregnant, you can pass the infection to your baby. Get tested for chlamydia and any other STIs as recommended by your HCP. Maintaining your sexual health is important to your overall health and safety. This infection often has no symptoms and, left untreated, can cause serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility, ectopic (tubal) pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydia prevalence i...

Key Takeaways Syphilis infections are up 17% since last year. Syphilis can mimic other infections and requires a blood test for accurate detection. It is curable with antibiotics if caught early. Testing is available at your local health department. Cases of syphilis have increased by 79% in the last five years and 17% in the last year alone, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The numbers have surged to the point that the CDC recently released new laboratory testing guidelines to establish best practices for detecting the STI. As syphilis exposure has increased, the need for testing has grown along with it. This raises the questions: How and where is testing available, and how do you know when you need it? Here's what you need to know. What Is Syphilis? Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that can often mimic other conditions. One of the first signs of infection is sores, called chancres, that a...

2. Chlamydia Is Caused by Sexually Transmitted Bacteria  The bacteria  Chlamydia trachomatis  causes chlamydia infection, which usually occurs in the genital tract, so the cervix in women and the penis in men. In both women and men, the bacteria may also infect the rectum and the throat. "Infections are spread during any kind of sexual activity: vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse," says Jonathan Schaffir, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Chlamydia trachomatis can also cause conjunctivitis (pink eye) if the bacteria come into contact with the eyelids or the clear membrane covering the white of the eye. Because chlamydia infections often cause no symptoms, individuals who have one may not seek medical attention or get treated for it. However, anyone who is infected with chlamydia can pass it to other people, who can, in turn, pass it to others. 3. Young Sexually A...

2. Chlamydia Is Caused by Sexually Transmitted Bacteria  The bacteria  Chlamydia trachomatis  causes chlamydia infection, which usually occurs in the genital tract, so the cervix in women and the penis in men. In both women and men, the bacteria may also infect the rectum and the throat. "Infections are spread during any kind of sexual activity: vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse," says Jonathan Schaffir, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. Chlamydia trachomatis can also cause conjunctivitis (pink eye) if the bacteria come into contact with the eyelids or the clear membrane covering the white of the eye. Because chlamydia infections often cause no symptoms, individuals who have one may not seek medical attention or get treated for it. However, anyone who is infected with chlamydia can pass it to other people, who can, in turn, pass it to others. 3. Young Sexually A...

Although the risk is low, you can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI)—often used instead of a sexually transmitted disease (STD)—from kissing. Herpes, cytomegalovirus (CMV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and syphilis may spread through active lesions (i.e., cold sores) or saliva. In contrast, you cannot get STIs like chlamydia, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or trichomoniasis from kissing. Read on to learn about STIs that may pass through kissing and their symptoms and treatments.  Pexels / @cottonbro It's possible to spread certain STIs—including herpes, HMV, HPV, and syphilis—through kissing. "There are STIs that can be spread through non-sexual contact [like kissing] that are also spread through sexual contact," Martha Rac, MD, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Baylor College of Medicine, told Health. Still, kissing is generally a low-risk activity compared to anal, o...

Public health problems are diverse and can include infectious diseases, chronic diseases, emergencies, injuries, environmental health problems, as well as other health threats. Regardless of the topic, we take the same systematic, science-based approach to a public health problem by following four general steps. Surveillance (What is the problem?). In public health, we identify the problem by using surveillance systems to monitor health events and behaviors occurring among a population. Reported cases by sex, United States, 2013–2022. Rates increased from 2013 to 2021, and began to decrease between 2021 and 2022 For this section of the newsletter, we are going to dog into an example of public health in action in Baltimore, Maryland. The Community-based Approaches to Reducing STDs (CARS) initiative mission to address STI rates among adolescents. Before diving into the details of this public health initiative, we need to understand how CDC compiles the STI data that inform pu...

Infections spread by sexual activity are known as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). An estimated 20% of Americans have an STI, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). STI vs. STD: What's the difference? According to the CDC, the term STI is used interchangeably with sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, in its 2021 treatment guidelines for STIs, the CDC says the bacterium, virus, fungus or protozoan causing the infection is an STI, and the disease resulting from the infection is an STD. STI symptoms Symptoms of an STI depend upon the illness. STIs may show no immediate symptoms, or symptoms may be so mild that they go unnoticed. People may also experience moderate or severe symptoms as well. For example, human papillomavirus (HPV), the most common STI, often causes no symptoms, but some people may develop cauliflower-like bumps or warts on their genitals, and others, years after exposure, may develop cancer. STI symptoms may also vary by gend...

HIV is a virus that targets the immune system. It damages and destroys white blood cells called CD4 T cells. Without treatment, HIV can progress to an advanced stage called stage 3 HIV, or AIDS. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there were nearly 39 million people living with HIV worldwide by the end of 2022. In the United States, there were 1.2 million people living with HIV at the end of 2021. HIV is a serious medical condition that damages the immune system. If left untreated, the virus can progress through three stages that may seriously impair a person's quality and duration of life. That said, due to medical advances, people with HIV who receive appropriate treatment rarely develop stage 3 HIV, or AIDS. They can manage their condition and live long, healthy lives. As of 2022, 76% of people with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy. AIDS-related deaths have also significantly decreased by 51% since 2010. This article explores HIV and AIDS, including the symp...