Reports of Sexually Transmitted Disease Study or go to STD Chinese Version

STDs are infectious diseases spread from person-to-person through direct body contact or contact with infected body fluids. The term is used to describe any disease acquired primarily through sexual contact.STDs can be gotten through having oral, anal or vaginal sex with an infected partner. An individual can become infected with more than one STD at a time.

The term "venereal disease" or VD, was initially given to the diseases Syphilis and Gonorrhea, which were once thought to be a single disease. The term "venereal" emphasises the part played by sex in the spread of diseases that would not otherwise be considered as a single group. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) is not the same as genital disease in fact, most genital diseases are not caused by sexually transmitted organisms. However, most sexually transmitted infections do involve the genitals. Infection of the rectum, throat, and conjunctiva of the eye are also common, but initial infection of other parts of the body is rare. Several sexually transmitted diseases spread from an initial site and produce sores in many parts of the body.

You can se the list of STDs(Defined by WHO,World Health Organization):

Candidiasis	Chlamydial Infection	Syphilis
	Genital Herpes	Trichomoniasis
	Genital Warts	Molluscum Contagiosum
	Gonorrhea	Pubic Lice
	Non-specific Urethritis	Scabies

The most common or serious STDs in China are chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital warts, genital herpes, HIV/AIDS, trichomoniasis, syphilis, pubic lice, scabies, hepatitis B and C, and non-specific urethritis (NSU).Less common infections include chancroid and donovanosis.

There is fairly consistent agreement that at least a dozen diseases are sexually transmitted. In some countries lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), chancroid, and donovanosis are also included in the legal definition of venereal disease, causing many people to seek treatment at STD clinics, but they are not regarded as STDs. Although the causative organisms can be passed on during sexual intercourse, they occur commonly in a large proportion of the population and the symptoms usually result from some illness or lowered resistance in the infected person.

In western society, sexually transmitted diseases occur mainly in people 15 to 30 years of age. However, some younger people are also affected and in some underdeveloped communities infection is common in older individuals. People with one sexually transmitted infection are usually at high risk for other diseases common in the same environment. In South Australia, many clients attending a clinic solely "for an HIV/AIDS test" are found to have one or two and sometimes even more STDs, even though their AIDS test is usually negative.

For many STDs, more male cases are reported than female cases. In some communities, a limited number of women (e.g. prostitutes) may have sex with a large number of men. Also, infection passed on by homosexual contact may increase the proportion of male infections. In many parts of the world, 50 percent or more of reported Syphilis infections result from homosexual contact.

The statistics on sex differences may not reflect the actual situation however, because infected women often show no symptoms and are more difficult to diagnose than men. The fact that many infected women show no symptoms of STDs is especially unfortunate since the complications can be quite serious in pregnant women. Infections such as Syphilis, herpes, cytomegalovirus, and HIV infection may be passed on either to the foetus or during childbirth. The foetus or baby may suffer from the disease and in some cases die from it.(see the article Women & STD)

The management of STDs involves three parts: treatment, counselling, and follow-up. Standard types of treatment have been developed for most STDs. Wherever possible treatment is given in a single dose, but in some cases continues for a longer time. The doctor or health worker should always explain the disease, its treatment, and other aspects of its management to the client. A person may remain infected even if symptoms disappear, or may become reinfected immediately after treatment, so a follow-up visit is important. To avoid possible spread of infection the infected person should not have sex until the follow-up visit has confirmed the cure (usually from three to fourteen days after the end of treatment). The sex partners of clients with any venereal infection should also seek medical examination. This helps prevent further spread throughout the community and also reduces the chances of reinfection for the original client. "Ping-pong" infection ¡ªpassing disease back and forth between two partners who are treated alternately¡ªcan be prevented if both partners seek treatment together.

The major groups of sexually transmitted organisms are:

• bacteria - responsible for gonorrhoea, including gonococcal pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), syphilis, bacterial vaginosis;
• mycoplasmas and chlamydiae (these are bacteria but they do not have rigid cell walls) - mycoplasmas are responsible for non-gonococcal urethritis (including chlamydial) and cervicitis. Chlamydia trachomatis is primarily responsible for chlamydial PID;
• viruses (the smallest known disease-causing agents) - important viral STDs include hepatitis B, and C, genital herpes, molluscum contagiosum, human papilloma virus (HPV-genital warts), and the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS);
• fungi (plant-like organisms) - causing candidiasis (thrush);
• protozoa (single-celled microscopic forms of animal life) - responsible for trichomoniasis;
• metazoa (all other animal life forms) - causing scabies and pediculosis pubis (pubic lice or "crabs").

It is unlikely that STDs can be transmitted from inanimate objects other than sex toys¡ªan object has to have fresh and wet with contaminated body fluid on it. So, despite the stories, toilet seats are a very unlikely source of infection!

Fact Sheet N 110 March 1996 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDs) Sexually transmitted diseases affect industrialized as well as developing countries. The 20-24 age group is the most exposed to risk. Annual incidence of curable STDs (which excludes AIDS) is 333 million cases. Apart from AIDS, the four most common STDs at present are: Gonococcal infections Incidence: 62 million cases worldwide. Symptoms: Inflammation of the mucosa of the birth canal, of the mucous membrane of the throat, and/or of the rectum. Possible complications include septicaemia, arthritis, endocarditis and meningitis. Treatment: Antibiotics. Chlamydial infections Incidence: 89 million people. Symptoms: There are no obvious clinical manifestations of this bacterial infection. If infection with chlamydia is not properly diagnosed, it can result in sterility in some women or in mother-to-child infection during childbirth, leading to conjunctivitis or eye inflammation in the baby. In men it can cause urethritis with possible infection of the ductus deferens and the testicles (epididymitis). Treatment: Antibiotics. Syphilis Incidence: 12 million people. Symptoms: Syphilis is the most deadly STD apart from AIDS. Signs of this bacterial infection range from skin eruptions to complications of the heart and nervous system. Treatment: Penicillin. Trichomoniasis: Incidence: 170 million people. Symptoms: This parasitic infection can lead to vaginitis and vaginal discharge in women. Usually, however, there are no symptoms. Treatment: Metronidazole. The worldwide incidence of STDs is already high and constantly rising. The ever greater mobility of populations and weakening of traditional customs are increasing the prevalence of people having sexual relations with multiple partners. Apart from their specific symptoms, STDs also increase the risk of HIV infection. There is considerable evidence that the genital inflammations and lesions caused by STDs increase the risk of sexual transmission of HIV. Control strategy: STD control remains one of the main priorities of the World Health Organization. WHO's strategy is based on: 1. promotion of responsible sexual behaviour; 2. general access to condoms at affordable prices; 3. inclusion of STD treatment in basic health services; 4. proper treatment of STDs (ie. use of correct drugs, treatment of sexual partners, education and advice, reliable supply of condoms); 5. promotion of early recourse to health services by people suffering from STDs and by their partners; 6. screening of clinically asymptomatic patients, such as women with syphilis during pregnancy. For further information, please contact Health Communication and Public Relations, WHO, Geneva, Tel (41 22) 791 2584. Fax (41 22) 791 4858. All WHO Press Releases, Facts Sheets and Features can be obtained on the WHO Home Page of the Internet http: //www.who.ch/

YOUNG PEOPLE AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES||STDs and Pregnancy