| Name of STD | How is the STD spread and/or contracted? | Symptoms 1 | How do you get tested? | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome |
|
Initially, fever, headache, sore throat, swollen glands, rash Later symptoms of AIDS include night sweats, chills, high fever, white spots or lesions on tongue, blurred vision, weight loss |
| No cure for HIV/AIDS but medicines can help slow the progression of the disease |
| Genital Herpes (HSV) | Skin-to-skin sexual activity (oral, anal, vaginal); you can contract from someone who does not have sores/blisters; HSV-1 causes cold sores in the mouth/lips but is spread to genital area by oral sex | Painful blisters/sores on genital area. Can cause psychological distress in people who know they have the disease |
Pelvic exam Culture of blister/sores if present Blood test (usually not done) |
No cure but medicines can help heal and decrease frequency of outbreaks |
| HPV Human Papillomavirus | Genital skin-to-skin contact or by oral, anal, or vaginal sex | Genital warts or precancerous changes (on penis, scrotum, labia, vagina, cervix, anus) | Pelvic Exam to look for warts Pap smear of cervix to look for precancerous/cancerous cells |
Variety of options for wart removable, which may reduce HPV but not eliminate virus |
| Hepatitis B (HBV) | Sexual activity (vaginal/anal sex); I.V. drug use; contact with blood; infected mother to her baby during birth | Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite | Blood test | No cure once contracted but medications available to help control the disease There is a vaccine for Hepatitis B |
| Hepatitis C (HCV) | I.V. drug use, blood exposures on the job (i.e. healthcare workers, etc), infected mother to baby during birth, sex with an infected partner (vaginal, anal sex) | Jaundice (yellow skin/eyes), fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite | Blood test; you should be tested if you have ever injected illegal drugs or received blood products before 1992 | No vaccine available |
| Gonorrhea (GC) | Sexual activity (vaginal, oral, anal) | Women may have vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, break-through bleeding, and are at risk for developing further infections Males may have pain with urinating, a discharge (pus) from the penis, painful or swollen testicles. |
Lab test (culture, DNA test) of the secretions from the infected area (cervix, urethra, anus, throat) or of the urine | Antibiotics |
| Chlamydia | Contact with infected secretions during sexual activity (vaginal, oral, or anal sex) | Females may have a vaginal discharge, abdominal pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between periods. Males may have pain when urinating, discharge (pus) from the penis |
Lab test (culture, DNA test) of the secretions from the infected area (cervix, urethra, anus throat) or of the urine | Antibiotics |
| Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) | Vaginal intercourse | White or grayish vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odor, sometimes accompanied with pain, itching, or burning | Pelvic exam and test on vaginal fluid | Antibiotics or vaginal creams |
| PID Pelvic Inflammatory Disease | Vaginal intercourse | Women may have only mild symptoms even though serious damage to the internal reproductive organs (fallopian tubes) may be occurring. Symptoms include lower abdominal pain, fever, vaginal discharge, painful intercourse, painful urination, irregular menstrual periods Severe cases cause infertility |
No precise test, but cultures of the cervix to test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea should be performed in sexually active women with lower abdominal pain. Ultrasound and surgery may also be necessary to diagnose PID | Antibiotics |
| Syphilis | Skin-to-skin contact with syphilis sore during sexual activity (oral, anal, vaginal sex) | Sores can also occur on the lips and mouth Primary Stage: Painless sore on the genital area, mouth, lips Secondary Stage: Rash on hands, feet, and other areas of body Late Stage: Paralysis, numbness, blindness, dementia |
Blood test Special microscope test to examine material from infectious sores |
Antibiotics by injection |
| Trichomoniasis | vaginal or anal sex | yellow-green discharge with a strong odor | Pelvic exam and laboratory tests on infected fluid | Antibiotics |
Footnotes
- Most STD’s do not have symptoms, therefore many people are infected and do not know it. The only way to know for sure is to get tested.
Compiled using information from the following sources:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2006). Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Retrieved September 11, 2006.
Worth The Wait (2006). STD Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2006.