Lockport CareNet has partnered with STD Wizard to provide you the information you need. Click on the STD Wizard logo and a new window will open containing the wizard web site. This site is completely private and takes only 5 minutes to complete. There are over 70 million Americans affected currently with an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection), with 19 million new cases reported each year. Half of these are in people under the age of 25. Don't you think you owe it to yourself to take 5 minutes of your time and get the facts! You are worth it!
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Common STD's
Bacterial: Curable
Chlamydia: Most Common bacterial STD. By age 30, 50% of sexually active women will have this STD. 75% of infected women don't know they have it. 50% of infected men don't know they have it. In women, this can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, infertility and ectopic pregnancy. In men this can lead to infection, pain, fever and infertility.
Gonorrhea: Second most common bacterial STD. Most infected people do not have symptoms. Can lead to PID.
Syphillis: This occurs mostly in women age 20-24 and in men 35-39. Symptoms of early stage are skin rashes, fevers, patchy hair loss, headaches, muscle aches and cancers. Late stage may damage internal organs such as the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints.
Viral: No cure
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV): Most common of all STD's. This produces warts on or in genitals. At least 50% of sexually active people will get HPV in their lifetime. By age 50, 80% of women will have HPV. Of the American women diagnosed with cervical cancer, 90% are the result of HPV.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): This leads to AIDS, weakening the immune system. An estimated 17 millon Americans died from AIDS in 2005. Having an STD increases a person's risk of contracting HIV.
Herpes: One of every 5 adolescents and adults have herpes. This can cause painful genital warts and can make it easier to be infected with HIV.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): 10% of all sexually active teens are infected with PID. This women's disease is often caused by untreated gonorrhea or chlamydia and most often occurs in women under the age of 25. Some women have no symptoms while others experience painful cramps, bleeding and tenderness in the vagina. PID is a major cause of sterility and increases the chance of ectoptic (tubal) pregnancy in the future.
The only safe sex is no sex until you are married. When you have sex with someone you are exposed to every person they have had sex with and everyone they have had sex with. Look at the chart below, used with permission from "Why kNOw Abstinence Education (c). You may be surprised to see just how at risk you are!
