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PAPILLOMA VIRUS INFECTION) ,
also known as condyloma, is a family of viruses consisting of over seventy different types. It is probably the most common STD. There will be an estimated one million new cases of HPV diagnosed this year. Certain forms of HPV cause visible genital warts, though some strains of HPV infection cause no warts at all. Genital warts are growths that appear on the vulva, in or around the vagina or anus, and on the cervix, penis, scrotum, groin, or thigh. They can be raised or flat, single or multiple, small or large. All sexually active men and women are susceptible to contracting HPV. It is spread by direct contact during vaginal, oral, and anal sex with someone who has the virus.
There is often confusion about HPV and its relation to cervical cancer. There are two types of HPV that are known to cause cervical cancer and several others that specifically cause genital warts but not cervical cancer. Because is it is a virus that can lie dormant for years, there is no known cure for this disease. Genital warts can be treated in several ways including Freezing, laser surgery, chemical peels, and topical creams. The strains of HPV that don't produce genital warts usually go undetected until there is an abnormality in your Pap smear. The good news is that genital HPV is manageable with proper diagnosis and cervical cancer has a high rate of cure when detected in its earliest stages. For this reason, it is imperative for all women to have regular gynecological checkups. Research suggests that about 30 percent of people who have had sex carry HPV. This rate is even higher in certain age groups and locales. For men, the painless growths that usually appear on the penis may also appear on the urethra or in the rectal area.
HEPATITIS B is a disease of the liver. At least two causes of hepatitis can be sexually transmitted, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). These infections are not curable and are much more infectious than HIV. It is spread through infected semen, vaginal secretions, and saliva, and it is easily passed from mother to unborn child. You can get Hepatitis B from vaginal, oral, and anal sex. You can also get it 'by direct contact with an infected person through open sores and cuts. If someone in your home is infected, you can contract Hepatitis B by using the same razor or toothbrush. You can even get this disease by wearing the same pierced earrings as someone who has it. In its mildest and most common form, you may never know you have it, but a few carriers develop cirrhosis and/or liver cancer. Your chances of contracting liver cancer are two hundred times higher if you've had these viral infections. Symptoms, when they appear, can be very much like those of the stomach flu. See your doctor immediately if you have nausea, unexplainable tiredness, dark urine, or yellowing of the eyes and skin. The treatment for the disease is rest and a diet high in both protein and carbohydrates. There is a vaccination for Hepatitis B, consisting of a series of shots, given in the arm.
You must have all three shots to be safe. Hepatitis B mainly attacks young men and women in their teens and twenties, but once you contract it, you're a carrier for life. This year in the U.S., there will be more than 300,000 new cases of Hepatitis B documented. Not all doctors and nurses are aware of this fast-growing problem in their communities, so don't be afraid to ask for your vaccination.
HIV/AIDS —
The Epidemic Does Continue
ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)
is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. When someone tests positive for HIV, it means his or her system has been exposed to HIV and has produced an immune response. HIV and AIDS are not the same thing; one is the precursor of the other. You cannot get AIDS without having the HIV infection. You can, however, test positive for the HIV infection without having an AIDS diagnosis.
An AIDS diagnosis occurs when you have:
A positive HIV