Download ST. CLAIR COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

ST. CLAIR COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
19 Public Square, Suite 150
Belleville, IL 62220
(618) 233-7769
www.health.co.st-clair.il.us
¨¨¨¨Press Release ¨¨¨¨
Date: April 10, 2017
Contact: Marilyn Vise
618-825-4410
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Take Precautions; Get Tested
Anyone who is sexually active can get a Sexually Transmitted Disease
(STD). But, by taking a few precautions, STDs can be prevented.
Every year, the public health community recognizes April as STD Awareness
Month. The month-long observance provides individuals, doctors, public
health officials and community-based organizations the opportunity to
address ways to prevent new cases. Some of the most common STDs are
chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.
For the St. Clair County Health Department, reducing STDs is one of the objectives of the St. Clair County
Health Department Strategic Plan adopted by the Board of Health. The Infectious Disease Prevention
Services Division of the Health Department has local responsibility for preventing disease transmission and
maintaining communicable disease control.
If you have symptoms of an STD, the Infectious Disease Prevention Services Division recommends testing.
Symptoms may include genital sores, discharge from the penis or vagina, itching and burning during
urination.
However, not all STDs present symptoms. Chlamydia is known as the “silent infection” because most
infected people have no symptoms. Symptoms of gonorrhea are not always present. Some men who have
gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. Most women with gonorrhea do not have symptoms.
The best way to prevent STDs is to avoid sexual contact with others. If you are sexually active, here are some
precautions to take to help reduce the risk of developing and STD.

Delay having sexual relations as long as possible. The younger people are when having sex for the first
time, the more susceptible they become to developing an STD. The risk of acquiring a STD also increases
with the number of partners over a lifetime.

Have a mutually monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner.

Use condoms correctly every time you have sex. The use of latex or polyurethane condoms during
intercourse, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the transmission of STDs.
If you have any questions about STDs or suspect you have one, contact your physician immediately or
contact the St. Clair County Health Department at (618) 233-6175.
Sources
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/features/stdawareness/index.html