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Hepatitis B (HBV): A common viral,
blood-borne disease. About 50% of infections are transmitted
through sexual activity. People who share needles when shooting
drugs are at high risk for infection. Hepatitis is a general
term that means inflammation of the liver. This inflammation can be
caused by infection. It can also be caused by exposure to alcohol,
certain medications, chemicals, poisons, and other toxins, or by other
diseases.
Symptoms:
-
jaundice
- fatigue
- abdominal pain
- loss of appetite
- nausea, vomiting
- joint pain
However,
30% of persons infected with HBV have no signs or symptoms and signs
and symptoms are less common in children than adults. Even with
no symptoms, you can pass the disease onto your partner.
These infections can cause cancer and, even death.
AT RISK:
- Persons with multiple sex partners or
diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease
- Men who have sex with men
- Sex contacts of infected persons
- Injection drug users
- Household contacts of chronically
infected persons
- Infants born to infected mothers
- Infants/children of immigrants from
areas with high rates of HBV infection
- Health care and public safety workers
- Hemodialysis patients
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
There are some drugs available for
treatment, however they can be very expensive, must be taken for
lengthy periods of time and don't always work. An HBV infected
persons should be evaluated by their doctor for liver disease.
Adefovir dipivoxil, alpha interferon, and lamivudine are three drugs
licensed for the treatment of persons with chronic HBV.
These drugs should not be used by pregnant women. Drinking alcohol can
make your liver disease worse.
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Hepatitis C
A common viral, blood-borne
infection. Though more commonly transmitted through the sharing
of needles, it can also be transmitted through sexual activity.
Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. This
inflammation can be caused by infection. It can also be caused by
exposure to alcohol, certain medications, chemicals, poisons, and
other toxins, or by other diseases. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of
the many viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver.
Symptoms:
Although hepatitis C damages the liver,
80% of people with the disease do not have symptoms. In those who
do, symptoms may not appear for 10-20 years, or even longer. Even
then, the symptoms usually come and go and are mild and vague.
Unfortunately, by the time symptoms appear, the damage may be very
serious.
However, a small percentage of people have
symptoms during the early acute phase of the infection. These symptoms
typically develop 5-12 weeks after exposure to HCV. Some people
describe the symptoms as being flulike. The symptoms may last a few
weeks or months.
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Pain over the liver (on the right side
of the abdomen, just under the rib cage)
- Jaundice - A condition in which the
skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow
- Dark-colored urine (may look like cola
or tea)
- Stools become pale in color (grayish or
clay colored)
AT RISK:
- Persons who ever injected illegal
drugs, including those who injected once or a few times many years
ago.
- Persons who received a blood
transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
- Persons who received clotting factor
concentrates before 1987.
- Persons who were ever on long-term
dialysis.
- Children born to HCV-positive women.
- Healthcare, emergency medical, and
public safety workers after needlesticks, sharps, or mucosal
exposures to HCV-positive blood.
- Persons with evidence of chronic liver
disease.
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
There are some drugs available for
treatment, however they can be very expensive, must be taken for
lengthy periods of time and don't always work.
Anti-Viral Drugs - Ribavirin (Copegus, Rebetol, Ribavirin
inhalation, Virazole Aerosol) Anti-virals are used for a wide
variety of viral infections. They typically work to blocks the growth
of the virus and slow the progression of the infection. Anti-virals
usually do not cure the viral infection, but prevent it from getting
worse.
Interferons -
Roferon-A; Pegasys; Peg-Intron are proteins that the body's immune
system normally produces to help fight
viruses, control the replication of cells, and regulate the immune
system. Interferons may cause many unpleasant side effects,
including fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle or joint aches,
dizziness, or vomiting, which could cause many people to stop using
the medication.
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Chlamydia
The most common bacterial sexually
transmitted disease.
Symptoms:
About 75% or women and 25% of men have no
visible symptoms. Even if you have no symptoms, chlamydial
infections can cause serious health problems. If untreated, they
can cause painful infections, permanent damage to reproductive organs
resulting in chronic pain and infertility, sterility and tubal
pregnancy which can result in maternal death.
Women: Unusual vaginal discharge or
burning when urinating; lower abdominal pain, pain during sex;
bleeding between periods or low-grade fever.
Men: Discharge from the penis and/or
burning when urinating; burning or itching around the opening of the
penis; pain and swelling in the testicles, or low-grade fever.
AT RISK:
Men or women who have had unprotected
vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected person.
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
There are different treatment options
available for this disease and your physician should be consulted as
to which would be suit you. The options are different for
pregnant women, so be sure to inform your physician if you are
pregnant.
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Trichomonas
- Trichomonas vaginalis is a
microscopic organism that causes the disease trichomoniasis, which can
be sexually transmitted from person to person. It causes more
genital infections each year than
any other STD. (with the exception of the Human Papilloma Virus)
Symptoms:
Both men and women may be infected with
trichomoniasis. Many people who are infected have no symptoms.
However, when left untreated, it can increase the risk for acquiring
or transmitting HIVinfection, the virus
that causes AIDS. Heavy discharge can cause moderate skin
irritation on the external genitals and inner thighs and is associated
with an increased risk of inflammation of the fallopian tubes.
Symptoms in women include:
- Unusual and increased vaginal discharge
(bubbly, pale green, or gray) with an unpleasant odor
- Itching, burning, or redness of the
vulva and vagina
Symptoms in men include:
- Discharge from the penis
- Burning with urination
AT RISK:
- Engaging in unsafe, unprotected sex
- Having sex with more than one partner
- Having sex with someone who has
multiple sex partners
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
Trichomoniasis can be easily treated and
cured with antibiotics—usually a one- or seven-day course of a drug
called metronidazole (Flagyl). This treatment can cause side effects
such as mild nausea, vomiting, and metallic taste in the mouth.
It can also cause a bad reaction when mixed with alcohol; avoid
drinking until 24 hours after you finish taking the medicine.
Metronidazole should not be used during early pregnancy.
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Gonorrhea -
Commonly known as 'the clap' or
'the drip,' Second most
common bacterial sexually transmitted disease. The disease
is usually spread through sexual contact (vaginal, anal or oral)
between an uninfected person and an infected person who does not have
symptoms or who chooses to ignore his or her symptoms.
Symptoms:
Symptoms in the male:
- a puss like discharge from the urethra
with burning on urination when urinating
- frequent urination.
- anal infection include anal burning,
itching, pain or discharge.
- Infection of the throat may result in
soreness with puss like material visible on the tonsils, or back of
the throat, but occurs very often without symptoms or lesions.
Symptoms in the female:
- increased vaginal discharge
- burning on urination
- frequent urination
- abnormal menstrual bleeding
- anal discomfort
- sore throat; Infection of the throat
may result in soreness with puss like material visible on the
tonsils, or back of the throat, but occurs very often without
symptoms or lesions.
In approximately fifteen percent of
females with infection of the inside of the mouth of the uterus, the
infection extends into the Fallopian tubes causing what is commonly
known as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or PID. Approximately
nine percent of women who have experienced one episode of PID because
of gonorrhea will be infertile due to permanent damage to the
Fallopian tubes. Such pelvic infections may also result in abscesses
around the tubes and ovaries and the infection may extend into the
abdominal cavity.
Gonorrhea infection can spread to other
unlikely parts of the body. For example, a person can get an eye
infection after touching infected genitals and then the eyes. People
who have had gonorrhea and received treatment may get infected again
if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.
AT RISK:
- Anyone who has had sexual contact with:
the penis, vagina, mouth, and anus of an infected person.
Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted
or acquired.
- Any sexually active person can be
infected with gonorrhea. In the United States, the highest reported
rates of infection are among sexually active teenagers, young
adults, and African Americans.
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
Several antibiotics can successfully cure
gonorrhea in adolescents and adults. However, drug-resistant strains
of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of the world, including the
United States, and successful treatment of gonorrhea is becoming more
difficult. Because many people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia,
another sexually transmitted disease, antibiotics for both infections
are usually given together. Persons with gonorrhea should be tested
for other STDs.
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Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually
transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1
and type 2. A person almost always gets HSV-2
infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital Type 2
infection but may not know that they are infected and may not have a
visible sore.
Symptoms:
- one or more painful blisters on or
around the genitals or rectum
- flu-like symptoms, including fever and
swollen glands.
AT RISK:
Men and women who have had sexual contact
(vaginal, anal or oral) with an infected person .
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
There is no treatment that can cure
herpes, but antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks
during the period of time the person takes the medication.
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HIV/AIDS
HIV - the
human immunodeficiency
virus - is a virus that kills your body’s
"CD4 cells." CD4 cells (also called T-helper cells) help your body
fight off infection and disease. The virus can be in an
infected person’s blood, semen, or vaginal secretions and can enter
your body through tiny cuts or sores in your skin, or in the lining of
your vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth.
AIDS - the
acquired
immunodeficiency
syndrome -
is a disease you get when HIV destroys your body’s immune system.
Normally, your immune system helps you fight off illness. When your
immune system fails you can become very sick and can die.
Symptoms:
You might have HIV and still feel
perfectly healthy. The only way to know for sure if you are infected
or not is to be tested.
AT RISK:
- any person, male or female, who has had
unprotected sex- sex without a condom- with someone who has HIV.
Note: a condom cannot safely reduce your chances of contracting HIV
by 100%.
- any person, male or female, who has
shared a needle and syringe to inject drugs or sharing drug
equipment used to prepare drugs for injection with someone who has
HIV.
- any person, male or female, who has had
a blood transfusion or blood clotting factor that you got before
1985. (But today it is unlikely you could get infected that way
because all blood in the United States has been tested for HIV since
1985.)
- any person, male or female, who has had
sex with anyone participating
the above listed behaviors.
- Babies born to women with HIV also can
become infected during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding.
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
There are different treatment options
available to you. Please consult your physician or health care
provider.
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Human Papilloma Virus
- Human papilloma virus (HPV), the
genital wart virus, is the most common yet the least understood
sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. Some strains of the
HPV virus have been identified as the main factor in cervical cancer.
Symptoms:
The incubation period is one month to many
years.
- Palpable lump or irregularity of the
skin surface (feels rough)
- Soft, moist, pink or red swellings,
cauliflower-like (genital warts)
- Painful intercourse if the lesions are
rubbed
- NO SYMPTOMS — The virus is often
asymptomatic, especially women because the warts can be located
within the vagina and on the cervix.
AT RISK:
-
Usually passed from one
partner to another during sexual intercourse.
-
Intimate contact of the
genitals, mouth, rectal area, or the sharing of sexual toys can
transmit the organism from one individual to another.
-
A woman's risk of HPV
infection is increased if she has more than one sexual partner.
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
30 to
40 percent of warts will go away on their own without treatment,
although most people choose to see a practitioner and have external
genital warts removed. In the case of an abnormal Pap,
report recommendations may be to repeat the Pap smear at more frequent
intervals. Getting regular Pap smears is the best way to monitor
HPV for women.
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Syphilis -
Syphilis is a sexually
transmitted disease (STD) caused by bacteria — Treponema pallidum —
that can move throughout the body, damaging many organs
over time. Medical experts divide the course of the disease into
four stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary (late). An
infected person who does not get treatment may infect others during
the first two stages when lesions (sores) are present. In its late
stages, untreated syphilis, although not contagious, can cause serious
heart abnormalities, mental disorders, blindness, other neurological
problems and death.
Symptoms:
- PRIMARY: The first symptom of
syphilis is a sore called a chancre, which can appear within 10 days
to three months after exposure but generally within three weeks.
It is usually found on the part of the body exposed to the bacteria,
such as the penis, the vagina or the rectum. A chancre also can
develop on the cervix, tongue, lips or other parts of the body. The
chancre disappears within a few weeks regardless of whether
treatment is obtained.
- SECONDARY: The signs of secondary
syphilis may come and go over the next one to two years. Are
usually marked by a skin rash that appears up to 10 weeks after the
chancre heals. The rash may cover the whole body or appear only in a
few areas, such as on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
The rash usually heals within several weeks or months.
Other symptoms of secondary syphilis:
mild fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, patchy hair loss and
swollen lymph glands throughout the body.
- LATENT: If primary and
secondary stages go untreated, it can develop into Latent Syphilis
at which point the disease is no longer contagious and no symptoms
are present.
- TERTIARY: The bacteria now
damages the heart, eyes, brain, nervous system, bones, joints or
almost any other part of the body. This stage can last for
years, or even decades. Late or tertiary syphilis can result
in mental illness, blindness, other neurological problems, heart
disease and death
AT RISK:
- anyone having multiple sex partners
- having been infected with another STD
in the past
- anyone having sexual contact with a
person who has the disease can be infected from the sores of an
infected person touching the mucous membranes of the genital area,
the mouth or the anus of a sexual partner
- touching the broken skin on other parts
of the body of an infected person.
- passed through the bacteria to the
unborn child of an infected mother (child may be born with serious
mental and physical problems as a result of this infection.)
TREATMENT OPTIONS:
Early stages of Syphilis can usually be
treated with penicillin, administered by injection. Other antibiotics
can be used for patients allergic to penicillin. It is important that
people being treated for syphilis have periodic blood tests to ensure
that they have been cured. Persons with syphilis that has
invaded the nervous system may need to be retested for up to two years
after treatment. In all stages of syphilis, proper treatment will cure
the disease but, in late or tertiary syphilis, damage already done to
body organs cannot be reversed.
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