CHLAMYDIA |
Symptoms:
Men - Usually none. Some have discharge from the penis and burning with urination.
Women - Usually none. Some have pain and/or vaginal discharge. | Damage:
Men - Sterility.
Women - Considered to be the most common cause of sterility. Advanced stage may require removal of uterus, tubes and ovaries. |
Numbers: 4 million new cases reported annually; 70% are not aware they are infected; 40% of those sexually active are suspected carriers
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GONORRHEA |
Symptoms:
Men - Pus from urethra. Burning upon urination.
Women - Pelvic pain; painful urination and pus-like discharge. | Damage:
Men - Sterility. Scarring of the urethra and urinary tract problems.
Women - Sterility. Surgery in severe cases. |
Numbers: 1.1 million new cases reported annually. 80% are not aware they are infected in the early stages.
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SYPHILIS |
Symptoms:
Men - 1st stage: Swollen nonpainful ulcers on external genitals; 2nd stage: Changes of skin, fever, enlarged lymph nodes.
Women - 1st stage: Often unnoticed; 2nd stage: Same as men. | Damage:
Men - Brain disorders, heart disease; blindness, dementia and death.
Women - Same as men. Also can cause birth defects or death in newborns if mother is infected.
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Numbers: 120,000 new cases reported annually. 50% are not aware they have the disease.
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GENITAL HERPES |
Symptoms:
Men & Women - Lesions appear at the site of infection - periodic eruptions of painful blister and ulcers anywhere on the body. | Damage:
Men - Continuous outbreaks. Eventually may lead to hospitalization. Lifetime medication required.
Women - Same as men. Also causes infant death.
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Numbers: 30 million infected. 500,000 new cases reported annually. 73% show no symptoms. 20% of those sexually active have this disease.
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HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV) |
Symptoms:
Men - Wart-like genital growths.
Women - Often no visible symptoms. Some experience vulvar burning, itching and pain. Abnormal pap smears.
| Damage:
Men - Cancer of the penis and anus.
Women - Initially premalignant changes difficult to eradicate. Develops into cancer if not treated.
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Numbers: 24-40 million people are thought to be carriers. 60 different strains exist today. 33% of women have this virus.
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HEPATITIS B |
Symptoms:
Men - Often none. Some experience yellowing of the skin (jaundice), tiredness, dark urine and gray- colored stools.
Women - Same as men. | Damage:
Men & Women - Severe liver damage. Can eventually lead to cancer and of the liver and cirrhosis. |
Numbers: 300,000 new cases annually. The most common STD in the world. 40% to 50% of children born to infected mothers develop liver cancer.
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PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (PID) |
Symptoms:
Men - This disease affects only women.
Women - See Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. Often symptoms are minor and mistaken for menstrual cramps. | Damage:
Women - Ectopic pregnancy which is fatal to the baby and life-threatening to the woman. Sterility and cancer are common.
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Numbers: 1 million new cases annually, most in the 15-19 year age group. 100,000 women become infertile as a result of PID each year.
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HIV/AIDS |
Symptoms:
Men - Fever, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph glands.
Women - Same as men. | Damage:
Men & Women - Immune system breaks down; death. |
Numbers: 1 million infected. Approximately 20% in young adult population. 20% infected during the teen years.
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Statistics are for 1998, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia |