Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids such as semen, blood, vaginal secretions or saliva.
STIs can be transmitted without having sexual intercourse, through any bodily fluid exchange and some by skin-to-skin contact. If you are sexually active, it is important to get tested for STIs regularly. Many infections show no symptoms and can lead to long-term problems, including infertility and cancer.
One in four college-age adults has an STI, but often times they are unaware of the infection. Some STIs don't show symptoms until months after contracting them — another reason to get tested regularly.
Get Tested
STI testing and screening is available through the Vandal Health Clinic.
There isn’t a single test that can check for all STIs, so several may need to be performed. Some STIs may be detected through blood, urine or saliva samples. Others may only be detected from fluids collected from the vagina, penis, rectum or open sores. It is important to discuss with your doctor what tests you may need.
Types of STIs
Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is a condition where the normal balance of vaginal bacteria is changed. All women are susceptible to BV and often don’t know because it doesn’t always present symptoms.
Symptoms
- Itching
- Burning
- Discharge
- Odor
- Pain
Testing & Treatment
BV is tested for by looking at a sample of vaginal fluid and checking for bacteria. It can be easily treated by a doctor to avoid further complications.
The most common STI in the U.S., chlamydia is spread through bacteria.
Symptoms are usually mild or not present, but there are many potential long-term effects, including infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease, and women can face an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and damage to reproductive organs.
Symptoms in Women
- Burning while urinating
- Abnormal discharge
- Lower back/abdomen pain
- Irregular bleeding
Symptoms in Men
- Burning while urinating
- Discharge from the penis
Testing & Treatment
Testing procedures include urine testing or samples taken from the cervix or penis. If detected, chlamydia is easily treated and cured with antibiotics.
Herpes is transmitted by viruses known as Herpes Simplex 1 and 2.
It is spread when the virus is released by open sores. Herpes Simplex 1 can cause genital herpes, but is more often the cause of cold sores. Simplex 2 is typically the virus behind genital herpes.
Symptoms
- Outbreak of sores in the genital area that are blister-like and painful
- Flu-like symptoms
- Secondary outbreaks
Outbreaks usually occur four to five times a year, but over time the frequency of outbreaks decreases.
Testing & Treatment
Herpes is diagnosed by testing samples from the sores or a blood test. There is no cure for herpes, but there are antiviral medications to help prevent and shorten outbreaks.
Gonorrhea is transmitted through bacteria and can grow anywhere warm and moist, like the cervix or throat.
Symptoms are often mild if they appear at all. Many women mistake symptoms for a bladder infection.
Symptoms in Men
- Burning sensations while urinating
- White, yellow or green discharge from the penis
- Swollen testicles
Symptoms in Women
- Pain or burning during urination
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Bleeding between periods
Long-term effects may include pelvic inflammatory disease, internal cysts and increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. If left untreated, it can spread to the blood and joints, which is life-threatening.
Testing & Treatment
Gonorrhea can usually be detected in a urine sample and is treated with medication.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver spread through sexual activity and the exchange of bodily fluids.
Symptoms
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Dark-colored urine
- Light-colored stools
- Yellowed skin or whites of eyes
- Extreme fatigue
- Low fever
About half of infected individuals don’t know they have hepatitis, and 10 percent become carriers that can spread the virus without actually experiencing symptoms or effects.
Long-term complications include liver damage like cirrhosis or the possible development of liver cancer.
Testing & Treatment
Hepatitis is diagnosed through blood testing, but there is currently no specific method of treatment. High protein diets and plenty of sleep will help the liver repair itself. During recovery, alcohol and other things metabolized in the liver must be avoided. A preventative vaccine is available.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), passing from one person to another by contact through blood, sexual contact or mother-to-infant during birth or by breastfeeding.
HIV and AIDS can be diagnosed through blood testing, treatments and drugs exist to help slow the progression of HIV, but there is not a cure.
Symptoms of HIV
- Fever
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Flu-like symptoms
Symptoms of AIDS
- Rapid weight loss
- Cough
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Swollen glands
- Easy bruising
- White spots on the tongue, mouth or throat
- Chronic yeast infection
- Pneumonia
- Numbness in hands and feet
- Loss of muscle control/paralysis
- Memory loss
- Depression
- Other neurological complications
Testing & Treatment
HIV and AIDS can be diagnosed through blood testing. Treatments and drugs exist to help slow the progression of HIV, but there is no cure.
HPV is a virus that causes genital warts passed through sexual contact. It can also cause warts in the mouth and throat. The virus can be passed even when the infected person has no signs or symptoms.
There are many different strains of HPV, but most people who contract it won’t develop signs and symptoms. Some strains cause genital warts in males and females, and these can lead to cervical cancer in women.
Testing & Treatment
There is currently no standard set for HPV screening, but it is important for women to get annual gynecological exams and a pap smear every two years to monitor cell changes.
There is no way to directly treat the virus, but there are treatments available to control the complications. Warts can be treated with medication or removed, abnormal cervical cells can treated before they become cancerous, and cervical cancer is treatable if caught early.
PID occurs in women when bacteria from STIs — like gonorrhea and chlamydia — is left untreated and moves into the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, causing an infection.
It is characterized by lower abdomen pain and can lead to tissue damage in these areas, causing complications like increased risk for ectopic pregnancy, development of abscesses or infertility.
Testing & Treatment
PID may be hard to diagnose because symptoms are mild or unnoticed, and there is no specific test for this condition. Some indicators that can help healthcare providers detect PID are past infections of chlamydia and gonorrhea, and a physical pelvic exam. Once diagnosed, PID can be cured with antibiotics, but these cannot treat tissue damage that has occurred.
Syphilis is one of the first known STIs and is a common bacterial infection that lacks distinguishable signs and symptoms.
Bacteria is transmitted through direct contact with a syphilis sore, mainly through sexual contact in the genital area, but sores can also develop on the mouth.
Symptoms
- Sores
- Rashes
- Spots on the hands and feet (can be faint and difficult to see)
If the infection progresses without treatment, it can lead to complications such as organ and nerve damage, and can eventually lead to dementia, paralysis, blindness and even death.
Testing & Treatment
Syphilis can be diagnosed by testing samples from the sores or through a blood test. If detected early, it can be treated by a shot of penicillin or series of antibiotics.
Trichomoniasis (or trich) is a parasite that causes infection and varied symptoms in men and women. It is often hard to detect.
The parasite gets passed from an infected person during sexual contact. Unlike some of the other STIs, it is unlikely to infect the mouth, throat or anus.
Symptoms in Men
- Itching and irritation inside the penis
- Burning after ejaculation
- Discharge in men
Symptoms in Women
- Burning
- Redness or soreness of the genital area
- Uncomfortable urination
- Unusual discharge
If the infection progresses without treatment, it can lead to complications such as organ and nerve damage, and can eventually lead to dementia, paralysis, blindness and even death.
Testing & Treatment
Diagnosing trich, with its inconsistent symptoms, requires lab work on fluid samples taken from the urethra in males and vagina in females. Trich can be treated with antibiotics, and usually a single dose will clear it up.