2. What is an STD?
• STD’s can also be referred to as STI’s (Sexually
Transmitted Infections)
• These are diseases or infections that are
transmitted from person to person via sexual
contact
• Spread of STD’s are now considered an epidemic
in the U.S.
– An epidemic is occurences of diseases in which many
people in the same place at the same time are
affected
3. Behavior that Leads to STD’s
• Some people may spread STD’s without even
knowing that they have one themselves
asymptomatic
• Often these people do not seek treatment
because they either don’t know or are too
embarrassed to ask if they do have one
• If a person is diagnosed with an STD it is
supposed to be reported to the health
department so that sexual partners can be
contacted to help prevent the spread of the
disease
4. High Risk Behavior and STDs
• Teens make up 25% of the estimated 15
million cases of STDs in the U.S. every
year
– 10,000 per day
5. High Risk Behavior and STDs
• Being sexually active: any sort of sexual
activity puts you at risk of getting an STD
– Most people don’t know or won’t ask the past
behaviors of their partners
– Being sexually active with more than one person
at a time majorly increases your risk
6. High Risk Behaviors and STDs
• Abstinence is the only guaranteed way not to
get something!
• Unprotected sex increases the risk of
contracting an STD
– Some STDs can even be transmitted while
protected
7. High Risk Behaviors and STDs
• High risk partners: those who you know have
had multiple sexual partners in the past or do
illegal drugs
8. High Risk Behaviors and STDs
• Using Drugs
– Use of illegal drugs, especially those that are
injected via needles or syringes
– Alcohol: lowers inhibitions
• 25% of teens engaging in sexual activity are under the
influence of alcohol
9. Consequences of STDs
• Can cause serious issues that can affect a
person for the rest
of their lives
10. Consequences of STDs
• Some are incurable
• Certain STDs are unable to be removed from
the body through treatments and can remain
in the body for life
– AIDS or any other viruses
– Genital Herpes
11. Consequences of STDs
• Some STDs can cause other problems such as
Cancer
– Hepatitis B: cancer of the liver
– Human Papillomavirus (HPV): cancer of the cervix
12. Consequences of STDs
• Can prevent a person from being able to
reproduce
– Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
13. Consequences of STDs
• Some can be transferred from an infected
mother to her child
– Can happen before, during, or after the birth of
the child
– Can cause such things as premature
births, blindness, infection of the blood
stream, and chronic liver disease
– AIDS can be spread through breastfeeding
14. Common STDs
• Human Papillomavirus: virus that can cause
genital warts or asymptomatic infection
• There are about 30 different types of this virus
and most show no symptoms
• Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused
by HPV
• Most common STD in the U.S.
– 50-75% of sexually active male and females will
acquire HPV
15. Genital Warts
• Pink or reddish warts with cauliflower tops
that appear on or around the genitals
• May take up to 3 months for warts to appear
after infection occurs; often they disappear on
their own
• Treatments can get rid of warts but not virus
that accompanies them
• Over 20 million people are infected
17. Chlamydia
• Bacterial infection that affects the
reproductive organs of both males and
females
• Often is not noticed until very serious
complications arise
• Some symptoms that may appear include:
discharge and pain upon urination
• Lab tests are needed to diagnose
18. Genital Herpes
• Two Types: Type 1- causes cold sores; Type 2-
causes genital sores
• However, both can affect both the genitals
and the mouth
• Most people do not show symptoms and the
virus can be spread both when there are sores
and when there are not
19. Genital Herpes
• Lab tests are needed to diagnose
• Medications can relieve symptoms, but not
cure the virus
• 45 million people infected
• May increase the spread of HIV
21. Gonorrhea
• Bacterial STD that usually affects mucous
membranes
• Highest rate of infection is: Girls 15-19 and
Boys 20-24
• Symptoms are discharge and painful urination
• Can be without symptoms
• Left untreated can cause serious joint damage
and infertility
22. Trichomoniasis
• Caused by a microscopic protozoan that
results in infections of the vagina, urethra, and
bladder
• Usually no symptoms; maybe discharge
• Difficult to diagnose in males
24. Syphilis
• An STD that attacks many parts of the body
and is caused by small bacterium
• Signs include reddish sores
• Spreads through the blood and can cause
major damage to heart, liver, nervous system,
and kidneys
25. HIV and AIDS
• HIV: Human Immunodeficiency virus- a virus
that attacks the immune system and is the
cause of AIDS
• AIDS: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome-
a disease in which the immune system is
weakened
26. HIV and AIDS
• How does it spread?
– Sexual intercourse
– Sharing Needles
– Mother to Baby
27. HIV and AIDS
• Not everyone infected with HIV has AIDS
• AIDS is an advanced stage of HIV
• Virus is progressive and continues to multiply
in the body
• Weakens immune system
• Many who die do so from minor sicknesses
that their body can’t fight
• No cure for the virus
