Download STD and AIDS Note

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
What are STD’s
Sexually transmitted diseases
 Sometimes called venereal
diseases (VD’s)
 Infections caught from sexual
contact with an infected person.
 Untreated STDs can seriously
damage your health

What causes STDs?

STDs are caused by tiny
organisms that are passed from
one person to another through
an exchange of body fluids –
eg. Blood, semen and vaginal
secretions.
How do you get an STD?
STDs are spread through the
body fluids of an infected
person.
 Some STDs, like genital herpes
and genital warts, can be spread
by direct contact with infected
skin.

Who is at risk?
No one is immune. If you are
sexually active, you are at risk.
 If you are sexually active with a
partner who has an STD, you
may become infected.

Who is at risk?
Your chances of infection
increase with each new sexual
partner.
 If just one partner has an STD,
you are at risk.

What are the symptoms?

Be alert to physical changes in
the genital area in yourself and
others, or to sores around the
mouth.
Warning signs may appear
right away, or not show up
for weeks or even months
after contact with an
infected person.
 Symptoms may come and
go, even though the disease
is still there.

What are the symptoms?
Early symptoms usually – but not
always – show up in men.
 Women, however, may not
experience any symptoms from some
STDs until the disease has caused
permanent damage.

What are the symptoms?

Left untreated, these STDs can
leave a woman unable to have
children.
How can STDs be prevented?

The only sure ways to
prevent infection:
Be abstinent
 Never share needles for
intravenous drug use,
tattooing, or any skin
piercing.

What should I do if I think I
have an STD?



An untreated STD will only get
worse. You must be tested by a
doctor or at an STD clinic. Tests
are safe and private.
STD National Hotline: 1-800-2278922
National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342AIDS
What is HIV Infection?
HUMAN
IMMUNODEFICIENCY
VIRUS
How do you get an STD?
Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV)
 The virus that causes AIDS

How is HIV transmitted?
1.Through the sexual contact
with an HIV infected person.
 Virus is present in semen
and vaginal fluid.
How is HIV transmitted?
2.Through sharing HIV
infected needles or syringes.
3. From an HIV infected
mother to an infant in the
womb, during birth or during
breast feeding.
How is HIV transmitted?
4. Through the transfusion of
HIV infected blood or blood
products.
- Canada and USA – all blood
is screened since November
1985.
AIDS




Acquired-passed from one person
to another
Immune-body’s defence system
Deficiency-defence system is not
working
Syndrome-symptoms that mean a
person has a particular disease.
AIDS

1.
2.
THREE STAGES:
Asymptomatic – no symptoms
Symptomatic – weight loss, loss
of appetite, fever, rash, diarrhea,
night sweats, tiredness
AIDS
3. Immune system impaired
Otherwise controllable
infections invade the body
eventually causing death
Cough, fever, difficulty
breathing
Cancer and Dementia (brain
damage)
Ontario HIV AIDS
Statistics24,891 number of people in
Ontario living with HIV AIDS
 62% of those infected are
bisexual men
 Ontario is one the few
provinces that offers
anonymous testing

Genital Herpes
What is it? Virus which
causes sores on sex
organs or mouth.
Symptoms Small, painful
sores/blisters on genitals.
 Treatment
No known cure for herpes.
Treatment is to reduce pain
and speed healing. Sores
heal but may appear again.
Genital Warts (Human
Papaloma Virus)
What is it?
Virus which infects the
sex organs and may
cause warts or bumps.
Symptoms Small, painless
bumps on genitals; may
itch.
Treatment
No know cure for wart
virus. If visible, wart can be
removed (burnt off) but the
virus remains.
Chlamydia
What is it?
Bacteria which causes
infections in urethra,
cervix, and pelvic organs
in women. Usually infects
urethra (urine passage)
in men.
Curable

Symptoms
Similar to gonnorrhea.
Women may not experience
any symptoms but 25% of
females become infertile .
Males may experience a
green or yellow discharge
from the penis.
Gonnorrhea
What is it?
Bacteria which most often
infects cervix and urethra
(urine passage). Can also
infect throat or rectum. Can
spread to testicles in men
or to the pelvic area in
women.
Curable if detected in first stage.

Symptoms
Unusual discharge or
burning feeling from penis
or vagina. Some women
may have spotting between
periods. Fever, vomiting,
sterility if untreated.
Syphilis
What is it?
Bacteria which causes
infections on sex organs
and will spread
throughout body if
untreated. Curable if
treated.

Symptoms
First stage: small, painless
sores on genitals, mouth or
anus. Second stage: rash,
swollen glands, fever or
tiredness. If untreated, may
damage brain, eyes, heart
and other organs. Can lead
to insanity and paralysis.
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES




12,000 teenagers get a STD every
day
1 in 3 sexually active teens has a
STD
There are 50 different types of
STDs
25 are incurable.