Sexually Transmitted Infections

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections spread mainly through sexual or intimate physical contact. It is common for people to not know they have an STI, as they may seem healthy. Sometimes there are no symptoms or they may appear weeks or months after the sexual encounter. STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses and/or parasites. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most common STIs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts (caused by human papillomavirus, HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B.

How do people get STIs?

• Vaginal, anal or oral sex
• With oral sex people can get STIs from performing or receiving

Who gets STIs?

STIs can affect anyone. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), half of all new annual cases occur among 15 to 24 year-olds.

What are the signs and symptoms of STIs?

It's important to remember that STIs often have no signs or symptoms, however some signs to watch out for are:

• Pain, burning, or itching around the vagina, penis, or anus
• Sores, warts, blisters, swelling, or a rash on or around the penis, vagina, anus, or mouth
• A bad discharge or strange smell from the vagina or penis

Think You Have an STI?

Many sexually active individuals get an STI at some point. It is important to take action as soon as possible. If you notice any of the symptoms listed above or anything abnormal in your genital area, contact your medical provider immediately for testing. The most common STI, chlamydia, can be detected with a simple urine test. Keep in mind that STIs do not always present with symptoms. They can be transmitted without people realizing it. Therefore, if you are sexually active (especially if you have a new partner or multiple partners) you should be tested regularly for STIs. Taking action early helps cure or manage the infection and minimizes long-term damage such as infertility. To avoid reinfection make sure to abstain from all forms of sexual contact until you and your partner(s) have completed treatment.

How can STIs be prevented?

The only way to ensure avoiding contracting STIs is to abstain from sexual contact or to engage in a mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is found uninfected. For vaginal, anal and oral sex you can reduce the risk of transmission by consistently and correctly using latex condoms (both male and female), polyurethane (plastic) condoms and plastic or latex barriers like dental dams. If you have any signs or symptoms of STIs refrain from sex and do not touch the sores (if present). Sexually active individuals should be tested yearly for STIs.

Types of STIs

Bacterial:

Chlamydia

Gonorrhea

Syphilis

Chancroid NIH Site

DonovanosisNIH Site

Viral:

Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus type 2, HSV type 2)

Genital Warts (Human Papillomavirus, HPV)CDC Site

HIV/AIDSCDC Site

CytomegalovirusCDC Site

Protozoan:

Trichomonas vaginalis

STIs and HIV

Having an STI makes a person 2 to 5 times more at risk of contracting HIV. Conversely, when an individual infected with HIV contracts an STI, he or she is more likely to spread HIV. A male with gonorrhea and HIV has 10 times more concentration of HIV in the semen than does a male with only HIV. http://www.cdc.gov/std/hiv/

Statistics

STI Statistics

Family PACT (F-PACT)

Link to Family PACT information page

Testing Services

Link to Testing Services page

Other Links

Reportable Conditions

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/Documents/Reportable_Diseases_Conditions.pdf

Resources for all demographics, including parents (see Los Angeles County’s website)

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/std/resources.htm

Condoms (see Los Angeles County’s website)

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/std/condoms.htm

Dental Dams (see Los Angeles County’s website)

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/std/dental_dams.htm

Talking with your partner(s):

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/std/talking_with_partners.htm

http://www.sfcityclinic.org/stdbasics/partners.asp

http://inspot.org/Home.aspx?regionid=6&sitelvl=1

Online Resources

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/std/

NIH: http://health.nih.gov/topic/SexuallyTransmittedDiseases

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/sti/default.htm

WHO: http://www.who.int/topics/sexually_transmitted_infections/en/

Planned Parenthood: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex-101.htm

CA Department of Public Health: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/SexuallyTransmittedDiseases.aspx

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/std/Pages/default.aspx

The Body: http://www.thebody.com/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

See Los Angeles County’s website: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/std/faq.htm