Download Section 5 STI`s

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Any pathogen that spreads from one person
to another during sexual contact.
(Such infections are sometimes called
sexually transmitted diseases, or STD’s)
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Short term may cause:
◦ Pain
◦ Discomfort
◦ Embarrassment
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Long term may cause:
◦ Increased risk of certain
cancers
◦ Increased risk of infertility
in both men and women
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Many STIs can be treated with medicines, but
some are incurable.
If left untreated, some STIs are fatal.
People do not develop immunity to STIs after
being infected.
A person can be cured, and then reinfected
with the same STI.
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Ignoring Risks:
◦ Being sexually active and not taking any
precautions against infection
◦ Don’t realize the risks of contracting STIs or choose
to ignore the risks.
◦ Adolescents tend to ignore the risks, thinking “It
can’t happen to me”, but it can and happens to
many teens.
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Multiple Partners:
◦ Many people begin in sexual activity at a young age
◦ Some people have multiple partners during their
lifetime.
◦ The more sexual partners a person has, the greater
the chance of getting an STI.
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Not Seeking Treatment:
◦ Some people don’t seek treatment due to
embarrassment.
◦ Others don’t know they have an STI because they
don’t know the symptoms.
◦ Some STIs have no symptoms and can only be
detected by laboratory tests.
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Continued…
◦ Sometimes the symptoms go away temporarily,
leading the person to think the infection has been
cured.
◦ The infection may go untreated, increasing the
chances that the person will spread it to others.
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Practice Abstinence
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Avoid Drugs
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Choose Responsible Friends
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The BEST way to avoid STIs is to practice sexual
abstinence.
Sexual abstinence means not having sexual
intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex.
Even teens who have not been abstinent up to
point can still choose abstinence now.
Teens that are sexually active should be tested for
STIs.
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Blood to blood contact
◦ Use of illegal drugs or inject steroids run a high risk
of contracting certain STIs when sharing needles
that have been contaminated with blood or an
infected person.
◦ People who get tattoos run a risk of being infected
with a contaminated needle.
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Sharing partners – anyone who engages in
sexual activity with someone who has come
into contact with an infected needle is at risk
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Drugs, including alcohol, also play an indirect
role.
◦ Alcohol and other drugs impair the ability to think
clearly, people may make decisions they later
regret.
◦ For example, they may engage in sexual behaviors
that place them at risk for STIs.
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Best way to practice abstinence and avoid
drugs is to have friends that have the same
values.
◦ Friends who support your decisions can make it
easier to resist the peer pressure to engage in
sexual behavior.
◦ Going out as groups, rather than as couples, can
make it easier to choose abstinence.
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Parents, teachers and other adults can also
provide support for healthy behavior choices.
It may feel uncomfortable at first to talk to a
parent or other adult about the pressures to
engage in sexual activity.
Most adults can offer helpful advice about
choosing abstinence as the responsible and
healthy choice.
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Trichomoniasis
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Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
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Chlamydia
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Caused by a protozoan that infects the
urinary tract or vagina.
In males symptoms include:
◦ Painful urination
◦ A clear discharge from the penis
◦ Some itching
◦ Most males experience no symptoms at all.
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In females symptoms include:
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Itching and burning in the vagina
An unpleasant smelling
Yellowish discharge
Pain when urinating
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A doctor can prescribe medicine to cure
trichomoniasis infection.
In males, if untreated, can lead to
inflammation of the lining of the urethra,
called urethritis.
In females, if untreated, can lead to vaginitis
which is a vaginal infection or irritation.
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Most common viral STI in the USA.
In many cases, HPV causes no symptoms, so
people may not be aware they are infected.
A vaccine made for females, should get between
the ages of 9-27
Hangs out in the cervix and could cause cancer
Cervical Cancer, get a Pap test before it become
life threatening
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Some forms of HPV cause genital warts, which
may itch or burn.
◦ A doctor can remove the warts, but some may
reappear.
◦ Sometimes the body’s immune system will destroy
the virus, clearing the body of infection.
◦ In some people, HPV remains in the body for life.
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Most common reported bacteria STI in the
USA
Has no symptoms
Causes problems with organs, joints and
reproductive organs
Bacteria, treated with antibiotics
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Infected males – experience painful, frequent
urination and discharge from the penis.
If untreated may lead to urethritis.
In females-has no symptoms other than
yellowish vaginal discharge.
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If untreated can cause a serious infection of
the reproductive organs called pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID).
◦ Can lead to infertility or an ectopic pregnancy, a
potentially fatal condition where fertilized egg
implants somewhere other than in the uterus.
◦ A pregnancy woman can transmit Chlamydia to her
baby during birth. If the infected infant survives, it
may suffer damage to the lungs or eyes.
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Gonorrhea
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Syphilis
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Herpes
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Hepatitis
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Males – burning when urinating/puss
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Females – no symptoms, usually carriers
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Bacteria, treated with antibiotics
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Can cause reproductive problems if not
treated
Can be transmitted to baby during birth
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“Great Imitator”
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Effects every organ in the body
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1.) Skin Legion
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2.) Get into other legions of the body
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3.) Can get into the brain and cause tertiary
syphilis
Can cause just about anything and destroy
every organ/joint in the body
Caused by a bacteria known as “Spirochette”
which also cause “Lyme disease” (carried by a
tick)
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HSV 1, HSV 2 (Herpes Symplex Virus)
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Not curable
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HSV 1 – effects facial features
◦ Not transmittable unless a sore is out (lips)
◦ Valtrex – drug – stops it and sends it back, doesn’t
stop the disease
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HSV 2 – effects genitals
◦ Genital herpes
◦ Can be treated with antibiotics but is not curable
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B and C, called HBV and HCV are sexually
transmitted infections that attack the liver.
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Also spread by blood-to-blood contact.
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Often unaware of the infection
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Symptoms include-fatigue, abdominal pain,
nausea.
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Both infections may lead to liver cancer or
cirrhosis, a condition in which normal liver tissue is
replaced by scar tissue.
Diagnosed by a blood test.
Medication may relieve symptoms but there is no
cure.
Children are routinely vaccinated for HBV, no
vaccine for HVC.
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Seek medical attention!!
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Refrain from sexual activity and see a doctor.
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Make sure all medication prescribed is
finished.
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Notify any sexual partners, so they can seek
treatment if they are infected.
If the STI is not curable, the doctor can offer
advice about how to live with the disease and
how to prevent passing it on to others.
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Human Immunodeficiency Virus - AIDS
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There are some drugs that can keep it at HIV
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Some people never get AIDS because of drugs
nowadays
Disease of lifestyle/choice
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Guys can transmit to girls, girls can transmit
to guys
No vaccine for guys, guys can usually fight off
the virus