Sexually transmitted infection | |
---|---|
Other names | Sexually transmitted diseases (STD), venereal diseases (VD) |
![]() | |
"Syphilis is a dangerous disease, but it can be cured." Poster encouraging treatment. Published between 1936 and 1938. | |
Specialty | Infectious disease |
Symptoms | None, vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, pelvic pain [1] |
Complications | Infertility [1] |
Causes | Infections commonly spread by sex [1] |
Prevention | Not having sex, vaccinations, condoms [2] |
Frequency | 1.1 billion (STIs other than HIV/AIDS, 2015) [3] |
Deaths | 108,000 (STIs other than HIV/AIDS, 2015) [4] |
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are commonly spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex and oral sex. [1] [5] STIs often do not initially cause symptoms, [1] which results in a greater risk of passing the disease on to others. [6] [7] Symptoms and signs of STIs may include vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, and pelvic pain. [1] STIs can be transmitted to a baby before or during childbirth, which can result worsened health outcomes. [1] [8] Some STIs can result in a decreased ability to get pregnant. [1]
More than 30 different bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be transmitted through sexual activity. [1] Bacterial STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. [1] Viral STIs include genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, and genital warts. [1] Parasitic STIs include trichomoniasis. [1] While usually spread by sex, some STIs can be spread by non-sexual contact with donor tissue, blood, breastfeeding, or during childbirth. [1] STI diagnostic tests are usually easily available in the developed world, but they are often unavailable in the developing world. [1]
The most effective way to prevent STIs is to not have sex. [2] Some vaccinations may also decrease the risk of certain infections including hepatitis B and some types of HPV. [2] Safe sex practices, such as use of condoms, having a smaller number of sexual partners, and being in a relationship in which each person only has sex with the other also decreases the risk of STIs. [1] [2] Circumcision in adult males may be effective to prevent some infections. [1] During school, comprehensive sex education may also be useful. [9] Most STIs are treatable or curable; of the most common infections, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are curable, while herpes, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and HPV are treatable but not curable. [1] Resistance to certain antibiotics is developing among some organisms such as gonorrhea. [10]
In 2015, about 1.1 billion people had STIs other than HIV/AIDS. [3] About 500 million were infected with either syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis. [1] At least an additional 530 million people have genital herpes, and 290 million women have human papillomavirus. [1] STIs other than HIV resulted in 108,000 deaths in 2015. [4] In the United States, there were 19 million new cases of STIs in 2010. [11] Historical documentation of STIs dates back to at least the Ebers papyrus around 1550 BC and the Old Testament. [12] There is often shame and stigma associated with STIs. [1] The term sexually transmitted infection is generally preferred over sexually transmitted disease or venereal disease, as it includes those who do not have symptomatic disease. [13]
Sexually transmitted infection | |
---|---|
Other names | Sexually transmitted diseases (STD), venereal diseases (VD) |
![]() | |
"Syphilis is a dangerous disease, but it can be cured." Poster encouraging treatment. Published between 1936 and 1938. | |
Specialty | Infectious disease |
Symptoms | None, vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, pelvic pain [1] |
Complications | Infertility [1] |
Causes | Infections commonly spread by sex [1] |
Prevention | Not having sex, vaccinations, condoms [2] |
Frequency | 1.1 billion (STIs other than HIV/AIDS, 2015) [3] |
Deaths | 108,000 (STIs other than HIV/AIDS, 2015) [4] |
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections that are commonly spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex and oral sex. [1] [5] STIs often do not initially cause symptoms, [1] which results in a greater risk of passing the disease on to others. [6] [7] Symptoms and signs of STIs may include vaginal discharge, penile discharge, ulcers on or around the genitals, and pelvic pain. [1] STIs can be transmitted to a baby before or during childbirth, which can result worsened health outcomes. [1] [8] Some STIs can result in a decreased ability to get pregnant. [1]
More than 30 different bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be transmitted through sexual activity. [1] Bacterial STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. [1] Viral STIs include genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, and genital warts. [1] Parasitic STIs include trichomoniasis. [1] While usually spread by sex, some STIs can be spread by non-sexual contact with donor tissue, blood, breastfeeding, or during childbirth. [1] STI diagnostic tests are usually easily available in the developed world, but they are often unavailable in the developing world. [1]
The most effective way to prevent STIs is to not have sex. [2] Some vaccinations may also decrease the risk of certain infections including hepatitis B and some types of HPV. [2] Safe sex practices, such as use of condoms, having a smaller number of sexual partners, and being in a relationship in which each person only has sex with the other also decreases the risk of STIs. [1] [2] Circumcision in adult males may be effective to prevent some infections. [1] During school, comprehensive sex education may also be useful. [9] Most STIs are treatable or curable; of the most common infections, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are curable, while herpes, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, and HPV are treatable but not curable. [1] Resistance to certain antibiotics is developing among some organisms such as gonorrhea. [10]
In 2015, about 1.1 billion people had STIs other than HIV/AIDS. [3] About 500 million were infected with either syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia or trichomoniasis. [1] At least an additional 530 million people have genital herpes, and 290 million women have human papillomavirus. [1] STIs other than HIV resulted in 108,000 deaths in 2015. [4] In the United States, there were 19 million new cases of STIs in 2010. [11] Historical documentation of STIs dates back to at least the Ebers papyrus around 1550 BC and the Old Testament. [12] There is often shame and stigma associated with STIs. [1] The term sexually transmitted infection is generally preferred over sexually transmitted disease or venereal disease, as it includes those who do not have symptomatic disease. [13]