Center For Human Diversity

You may have heard about the increase of sexually transmitted diseases in people ages 15 - 29. You may even know some people who are infected or you may even be infected. Is this something you should be worried about or is it just someone else’s problem? The answer is yes, and yes! You should be worried - for yourself, for your kids, for your parents, and for the community at large. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/I) may affect us all at one time or another - directly or indirectly.

According to the National Institutes of Health there are twenty STDs. You have heard of the most common STD/I like gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, and HIV but there are others to worry about as well. STDs are caused by bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Most STDs are equal opportunity offenders in that they affect both men and women however women may be affected more seriously by some STDS. Some STDs may not have symptoms that are obvious in women so they may go undetected until the infection has reached other parts of the body or may affect a woman’s ability to bear children.

For a basic but thorough introduction to STD causes, symptoms and treatment go to the tutorial at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sexuallytransmitteddiseases/htm/_no_50_no_0.htm