About Us | Privacy | Site Map
February 3, 2012
Font Size
A
A
A
1
...

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(STDs)

Medical Author:
Medical Editor:

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Overview (STDs)

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, venereal diseases) are among the most common infectious diseases in the United States today. STDs are sometimes referred to as sexually transmitted infections, since these conditions involve the transmission of an infectious organism between sex partners. More than 20 different STDs have been identified, and about 19 million men and women are infected each year in the United States, according to the CDC (2010).

Depending on the disease, the infection can be spread through any type of sexual activity involving the sex organs, the anus, or the mouth; an infection can also be spread through contact with blood during sexual activity. STDs are infrequently transmitted by any other type of contact (blood, body fluids or tissue removed from an STD infected person and placed in contact with an uninfected person); however, people that share unsterilized needles markedly increase the chance to pass many diseases, including STD's (especially hepatitis B), to others. Some diseases are not considered to be officially an STD (for example, hepatitis types A, C, E) but are infrequently noted to be transferred during sexual activity. Consequently, some authors include them as STD's, others do not. Consequently, lists of STD's can vary, depending on whether the STD is usually transmitted by sexual contact or only infrequently transmitted.

  • STDs affect men and women of all ages and backgrounds, including children. Many states require that Child Protective Services be notified if children are diagnosed with an STD.

  • STDs have become more common in recent years, partly because people are becoming sexually active at a younger age, are having multiple partners, and do not use preventive methods to lessen their chance of acquiring an STD.

  • People can pass STDs to sexual partners even if they themselves do not have any symptoms.

  • Frequently, STDs can be present but cause no symptoms, especially in women (for example, chlamydia, genital herpes or gonorrhea). This can also occur in some men.

  • Health problems and long-term consequences from STDs tend to be more severe for women than for men. Some STDs can cause pelvic infections such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may cause a tubo-ovarian abscess. The abscess, in turn, may lead to scarring of the reproductive organs, which can result in an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the uterus), infertility or even death for a woman.

  • Human papillomavirus infection (HPV infection), an STD, is a known cause of cancer of the cervix.

  • Many STDs can be passed from a mother to her baby before, during, or immediately after birth.

  • Because the method of becoming infected is similar with all STDs, a person often obtains more than one pathogenic organism at a time. For example, many people (about 50%) are infected at a single sexual contact with both gonorrhea and chlamydia.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Causes

Depending on the disease, STDs can be spread with any type of sexual activity. STDs are most often caused by viruses and bacteria. The following is a list of the most common STDs, their causes and other infections (see STDs with asterisk mark*) that may be transmitted on occasion by sexual activity, but are frequently not considered primarily to be an STD by many investigators:

STDs caused by bacteria

STDs caused by viruses

STD caused by protozoan

STD's* caused by fungi

STD's caused by parasites

For details about the pathogens that cause the diseases, the reader is urged to search the specific disease by simply clicking on it.


Women's Health

Find out what women really need.



Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Hepatitis B Overview

Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B may cause people to become very ill for several weeks. These patients may have jaundice (yellow skin), poor appetite, and other symptoms. A life-threatening hepatitis B infection is called 'fulminant,' although this occurs in only 1% of symptomatic cases. However, some people, especially children, appear to have almost no symptoms when they acquire hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is spread through exposure to infected blood or secretions.

The body's immune system is eventually able to wipe out the virus and cure the infection in 95% of infected adults. Unfortunately, some patients' immune systems are unable to eliminate the virus and they become chronically infected. Children are especially prone to chronic infection, which occurs in 95% of newly-infected infants and 5% of newly-infected adults.

Patients with chronic hepatitis B ca...

Read the Hepatitis B Treatment article »


Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape

Papillomavirus »

Infections due to papillomaviruses are common and lead to a wide variety of clinical manifestations that involve the epidermal surfaces.

Read More on Medscape Reference »

Medical Dictionary


Use Pill Finder Find it Now

Pill Identifier on RxList

  • quick,
    easy,
    pill identification

Find a Local Pharmacy

  • including
    24 hour
    pharmacies