By Melissa Wermeister

Gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, herpes, everyone has heard of these diseases, but how much do we really know about them? These are infectious diseases that spread through sexual contact. Here are some statistics that may open your mind to what is out there. In the U.S. 15.3 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases occur each year, and at least a quarter of them occur in teenagers. Approximately two-thirds of people with STDs are younger than age 25. One out of every five people over the age of twelve are infected with genital herpes. In the U.S. the most common STD is Chlamydia and 40% of men with chlamydia report no signs of symptoms.

What are some symptoms? And how do these diseases effect our body? Gonorrhea is an STD that is common particularly among 15-29 year olds. The incubation period (the period before any symptoms are noticed) for gonorrhea fall within 2-8 days. In males, gonorrhea can produce a burning feeling during urination and a puss-filled discharge. 80% of women who are infected with gonorrhea may be asymptotic which means they may not have early symptoms or they are so mild that they go unnoticed. Symptoms for women may include a slight vaginal pus-filled discharge and may cause burning and itching. The pain from gonorrhea may be severe enough to force the infected person to seek immediate treatment.

Out of all the STDs, syphilis produces the most devastating effects in the body. Syphilis only survives in warm, moist areas of the body. The incubation period for syphilis is usually three weeks. The first symptom of syphilis is usually an open sore called a chancre. The chancre is pink or red in color, and it is firm with a hard edge around it, and it is painless. The sore is typically the size of a dime. The chancre will disappear in 1-6 weeks, and after this, the second symptom appears at ten weeks, which is a skin rash that does not itch or cause pain. The rash may produce reddish bumps that will occur all over your back or arms. The rash then may produce mucous patches. Syphilis can quickly be treated if it is identified early enough, but the main problem is sometimes symptoms may be mistaken for other diseases, that is why syphilis has the nickname “the great imitator.”

Herpes is a virus that is in your body for life, and more than 30 million Americans are currently living with herpes. Herpes can be noticed in the facial area through fever blisters, and cold sores, this is called HSV-1 Herpes. HSV-2 herpes effects the genital area. Both types of herpes are spread through skin to skin contact. Effects of herpes are usually noticed with in a week or two after exposure. In HSV-2 common symptoms are red spots, bumps and fluid filled blisters, on or near the genitals. Along with this, sometimes one will produce a fever and swollen glands. A herpes flare-up can be marked by headaches, fever, and painful blisters. The first herpes outbreak is usually the worst and in most cases the last. During a herpes outbreak, people are encouraged to avoid touching the lesions because it can spread to other parts of the body, particularly the eyes. One thing to remember about herpes is it is a dormant disease.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) only began to be officially known about 20 years ago. The spreading of the AIDS virus is growing twice as fast as it was a year ago. AIDS is the second leading cause of death among 25-44 year olds. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is believed to be the cause of AIDS. HIV can be passed to another person through blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. A person infected with HIV may have flu like symptoms, fevers, joint pain, and night sweats. In result, HIV destroys the white blood cells in the body and it takes about 10 or more years for the white blood cells to fall from a normal level. Once this happens, the person becomes very vulnerable to other infections, such as cancer, yeast, fungal, viral, and bacterial. HIV also directly effects your brain and spinal cord tissue. An AIDS diagnosis is given when a person has fewer than 200 white blood cells left.

There are many other STDs lurking around out there, but hopefully this will help you to be aware of what could happen to your body if you choose not to be safe while having sex.