Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Bacterial STIs Spread By Body Fluids

Facts: Fairly common on college campuses.
Symptoms: Often silent. If symptoms, genital discharge, burning with urination, abdominal or testicular pain
Consequences: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infertility
Treatment: Antibiotics, can be cured, partner may need to be treated.
Prevention: Condoms offer good protection, partners may need to be treated

Facts: Fairly common in US but not as common on college campuses.
Symptoms: Can be silent, especially in women. If symptoms, genital discharge, painful urination, abdominal or testicular pain
Consequences: PID, infertility, arthritis, heart problems.
Treatment: Antibiotics, can be cured, partners need to be treated.
Prevention: Condoms offer good protection

Other bacterial STIs: Spyhilis, Chancroid, Trichomoniasis, Bacterial Vaginosis (not always contracted sexually)

Facts: Increasing fastest among young people
Symptoms: Most people show no symptoms for many years but can still transmit the virus.
Consequences: Development of opportunistic infections and full blown AIDS, death.
Treatment: No cure. Many antiviral drugs can decrease viral load in the body, stave off infections and death.
Prevention: Condoms offer good protection. No sharing of needles/syringes or other body fluid to open skin/muucus membrane contact.

Facts: Much more readily infectious than HIV
Symptoms: Some people have no symptoms. If symptoms: fatigue, nausea, jaundice and dark urine.
Consequences: Can become chronic carriers, can cause progressive liver disease, sometimes death.
Treatment: Rest, good nutrition, symptom relief
Prevention: Vaccine preventable. If partner is infected, condoms offer some protection. No sharing of needles/syringes or other body fluid to open skin/muucus membrane contact.

Other viral STIs: CMV (not always contracted sexually), Molluscum Contagiosum

Facts: Possibly the most prevalent STI on college campuses
Symptoms: Can be silent. If symptomatic, soft warts shaped like miniature cauliflower florets
Consequences: Some strains cause cervical cancer in women, can cause genital cancer in males
Treatment: No cure. There are several methods for controlling/treating the warts.
Prevention: Condoms offer some protection, but uncovered skin might shed the virus even with no visible lesions.

Facts: Very prevalent on college campuses. Type 2 usually associated with genital herpes but type 1 can be present on genitals.
Symptoms: Often silent. If symptomatic presents as painful blistery sores, sometimes associated with fever/swollen glands in groin.
Consequences: Recurrent episodes, problems for babies of infected mothers
Treatment: No cure. Anti-viral medications control or decrease symptoms.
Prevention: No sexual contact during active stage. Condoms offer some protection, but uncovered skin might shed the virus even with no visible lesions.

Both can also be spread by close but not necessarily sexual contact