The International E-magazine on Adolescent Health; The Male and Female Reproductive Systems E-Magazine Reproductive System | Page 4

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
STDs or Sexually transmitted Diseases are
infections or illnesses that are passed from
one person to another by sexual
intercourse. Around 20 different types of
STDs exist and this are caused either by a
bacteria, a virus or a parasite. Sexually
transmitted diseases are not necessarily
transmitted by vaginal intercourse; these
can also be passed from one person to
another by anal sex or by oral sex and in
some cases even by infected needles or
any event that involves exchange of blood
between people. From all the existing
STD´s the most common are AIDS
(Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome),
Genital
herpes,
syphilis,
chlamydia,
gonorrhea
and
HPV
(human
papillomavirus); and together they kill
thousands of people every year. This is
mainly because not all STDs are curable, in
fact just those that are produced by bacteria
are curable, STDs produced by viruses are
incurable although some of them are
treatable.
Two very common STD´s produced by a
virus are AIDS which is caused by the HIV
(human immunodeficiency virus), and HPV,
produced by papillomavirus. AIDS is the
most known STD; it has killed millions of
people, especially in African countries. More
than 70% of all AIDS cases occur in Africa.
HIV virus is transmitted by the exchange of
human fluids; this can be semen, blood,
vaginal fluid or even breast milk, so you
don’t necessarily need to have sexual
relations to get infected. This disease is not
curable, but it can be treated with different
drugs like antiretroviral (ARVs) and Highly
Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART or
ART). Some of the symptoms that HIV

hosts experience are chills, fever, low
energy and vomiting. The other common
virus produced STD is the HPV or human
papillomavirus. Unlike Aids there are around
100 different HPV viruses from which most
are inoffensive to humans but however
about 30 types can produce warts or even
cancer, this cancer tends to be around the
genital area and can be in the cervix, vulva,
vagina, penis and anus. There is no cure for
this disease but there are different
treatments depending on the type of virus.
There are different events that can end in
the transition of the virus, this are mainly by
sexual intercourse, but can also be by blood
transfusion, or even by touching an infected
object or person.

Another two sexually transmitted diseases
are Syphilis and Genital herpes. Annually,
55,400 people in the United States get new
syphilis infections. Syphilis causes severe
sores throughout the individual's body. This
disease is often mentioned as “the great
imitator” because of its wide variety of
symptoms. Syphilis is passed from person
to person during the act of sex. It is
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