Sexually Transmitted Diseases or STDs are a serious illness that requires medical treatment. STDs are usually contracted person to person through some form of sexual contact. They are caused by different microorganisms such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses. These microorganisms are transmitted through vaginal fluid, semen, blood, or other body fluids during sexual acts. Sexual acts being vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, and oral to anal sex.
1. Everyone Can Be At Risk
STDs don’t discriminate and don’t care about your socioeconomic status, race, age or sexual orientation. There is no immunity to STDs and if you get one once you can get one again. You can also have more than one at the same time. They are infections that are causing problems or symptoms unlike their counterpart the STI (sexually transmitted infection) which doesn’t exhibit any symptoms. Statistics say that at some point in their lives nearly all sexually active people will contract an STD.
2. The Start of STDs
Though STDs were once referred to as venereal diseases (VDs), named after Venus the Roman Goddess of love, there is nothing warm or snuggly about them. The most deadly STD is AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) which stems from contracting HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus infection). AIDS was first discovered in 1981 and as of AIDS has caused approximately 40 million deaths worldwide. Like another STD Herpes, , is incurable. They believe that was first introduced into the US by an Haitian immigrant back in the 1960’s.
3. An Expensive Cost for Care
The medical cost in America from STDs is astounding. 65 million Americans have contracted an incurable STD. The number grows each year by 20 million new cases with half of them being incurable as well. The annual cost for diagnosing and treating STDs each year is $16 billion. Two of the most well-known and reported STDs are chlamydia and gonorrhea (the clap). Both are easily treated by antibiotics. 700.000 people are infected with gonorrhea each year.
4. Dozens of Types
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is the most common STD you can contract. With more than 30 types of HPV nearly every sexually active person will contract it at some point. HPV can be passed vaginally, anally, through oral sex, and even skin to skin contact. Most types have no symptoms and your body will get rid of it on its own without you even knowing about it. However, other forms of HPV can cause cancer of the penis, cervix, throat mouth. The recommends that young women and men get vaccinated for HPV. It is estimated that 79 million people are currently infected with HPV in the US.
5. Prevention Equals Safe Sexual Interaction
Though there is plenty of education and resources out there to engage in safe sex the number of STD cases continues to grow. Teenagers only account for 25% of the sexually active population but yet every day 12,000 teenagers contract an STD. The CDC estimates that there are approximately 333 million STD cases worldwide. A Brazilian website capitalizes on this by offering to send e-cards to people’s sexual partners informing them they have an STD and that the person should go see doctor.