Teens and STI’s

(What’s Up Down There!)

What Is Sex ? ?

What are STI’s?

Sexually transmitted infections are infections that are passed from an infected person through sexual activity that involves contact with the genitals or anus.

How Common are STI’s?

Almost 4 million teenagers get some type of STI each year. That’s roughly 8,000 every day, and 6 every minute.

How are STI’s Spread?

• • • Exchange of body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal secretions) from sexual partner to partner during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Skin-to-skin contact when rubbing genitals or when one person touches another person’s genitals and then touches his/her own.

Sometimes kissing or sharing inanimate sexual objects.

Risk Factors

• Multiple lifetime sexual partners- the more partners  RISK • Length of relationship- the less you know about a sexual partner  RISK • Substance use- mixing use of drugs and alcohol with sexual decision making  RISK

• Chlamydia

Common STI’s

• Genital Herpes • Gonorrhea • Syphilis • HPV • Pubic Lice • Hepatitis B • Trichomoniasis

Most Common STI’s in Teens

Human Papilloma Virus Chlamydia Trichomoniasis Genital Herpes

I P D R S

Common Symptoms

Discharge – unusual color, texture, amount, odor Rashes or redness – in genital area or on torso/soles of feet/palms of hands Itching and irritation in the genital area Pain – burning with urination, pain with intercourse, pelvic/scrotal pain Sores, bumps, blisters, warts

HPV

Human Pap

illoma Virus HPV is by far the most common viral STD. HPV lives in/on the skin and the mucus membranes.

• There are an estimated 6.2 million new cases of genital HPV every year – 4.6 million of these are among youth under 25.

• At any given time, there are approximately 20 million people (6.5%of the population) infected with HPV in the United States.

• It is estimated that at least 50% of people will have some type of HPV at some point in their lives. • HPV is a group of well over 100 different wart viruses. About 40 of them are sexually transmitted.

• Some are considered low risk – these types can cause genital warts.

• Some are considered high risk – these can cause abnormal cellular changes that can lead to cervical cancer, and cancers of the throat, penis, vulva, vagina, and anus.

• Most people who have HPV have no signs or symptoms and don’t know they have it. However, they are still capable of transmitting it to others.

• Most people fight off and clear the virus on their own (without treatment) within a few years.

• However, some people get persistent infections that do not go away. These persistent infections can cause:   Genital warts that can multiply and recur after treatment Cervical cancer and other cancers

How do you get HPV Infection?

• • • Through all types of sex (vaginal, anal, and oral) Intimate touching (hands, rubbing genitals) Sharing inanimate sexual objects

How Do You Know if You Have It?

Unfortunately, there is currently no screening test for HPV. However, HPV can be diagnosed when… • A physical examination shows presence of visual genital warts – this is the only way to diagnose HPV in men.

• A woman ’ s pap test comes back abnormal.

Genital Warts Look Like…

What is Gardasil?

Gardasil is the HPV vaccine that protects against the four most common types of HPV. These types cause 70% of all cervical cancer cases and 90% of genital warts.

It has been approved for boys and girls 9-26 years of age. It is specifically recommended to be given to boys and girls 11-12 years old, before they engage in sexual activity.

It is given in a series of three injections with the second and third injections given 2 and 6 months after the first.

Okay, let’s all take a break and look at something soothing.

CHLAMYDIA

The Facts About

Chlamydia

• • • • Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium Symptoms can appear 21 days after infection 75% of women and 50% of men infected with Chlamydia have no symptoms--they may not know they have it Infection can be cured with antibiotics, but any damage to the body is permanent

How Common is It?

• • 3 million cases occur each year 40% of all Chlamydia infections occur in teens, aged 15-19

How is It Spread?

Through vaginal, anal and oral sex.

Symptoms in Women

Abnormal vaginal discharge

Symptoms in Women

, cont’d Ladies, this is your cervix… … and this is your cervix on Chlamydia.

Symptoms in Men

• Discharge from the penis (may be runny and whitish) • Burning on urination (No pictures)

If Left Untreated…

In Women:

• Can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) which can lead to sterility

In Men:

• • Can cause sterility Can cause testicles to become swollen and tender (no pictures)

Deep breaths, people.

GONORRHEA

The Facts About Gonorrhea

• • • • Also called the “clap ” Caused by a bacterium Symptoms can appear in 1-13 days after contact Infection can be cured with antibiotics, but any damage to the body is permanent

How Common is Gonorrhea?

How Do You Get Gonorrhea?

Through vaginal, anal and oral sex.

Symptoms of Gonorrhea

Women • Greenish, yellowish vaginal discharge Men • Discharge from penis • Painful urination • Painful urination • Abnormal vaginal bleeding

If Left Untreated…

In Women:

• Can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) which can lead to sterility

In Men:

• Can cause testicles to become swollen and tender (no pictures)

GENITAL HERPES

The Facts About Genital Herpes

• • • • There are two types of the Herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2 HSV-1 causes oral infections like cold sores HSV-2 causes genital infections Herpes symptoms can be treated, but the virus has no known cure and can stay in the body for life

How Do You Get Genital Herpes?

• • • Through all types of sex (vaginal, anal, and oral) Intimate touching (hands, rubbing genitals) Sharing inanimate sexual objects

Symptoms of Genital Herpes

• • • • Painful or itchy/tingling sores on the vagina, penis, mouth, anus, or the eyes Sores can last from 4-21 days Herpes is MOST contagious during an outbreak of sores, but the virus can still be passed from person to person when no sores are present.

Most infections occur when there are no symptoms.

Genital Herpes Looks Like…

Ahhhhh.

PUBIC LICE

The Facts About Pubic Lice

• Also called “crabs” • Pubic lice are parasitic insects found in the genital area, living on pubic hair • After hatching, lice feed on human blood • Infestation can be treated with a medical shampoo

Symptoms of Pubic Lice

• Itching in the genital area or anus- depending on the area of contact--begins about 5 days after infestation • May be able to see eggs, or crawling grayish-white lice

Pubic Lice Look Like…

Whew

.

HIV

The Facts About HIV

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the immune system, and causes AIDS • Symptoms may not appear for up to 10 years • While there are medicines to help manage HIV infection, there is no known cure and no vaccine for HIV/AIDS

How Do You Get HIV?

• Through blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.

• This means that HIV is spread by sharing contaminated needles, from mother to child, vaginal and anal sex.

How Do You Get HIV? cont’d

People who already have an STI are more likely to contract HIV: • Women with Chlamydia are 3-5 times more likely to contract HIV if exposed • People with Syphilitic sores are 2-5 times more likely to contract HIV if exposed • Gonorrhea and Herpes may also make it easier to contract HIV

Symptoms of HIV

• There may be no symptoms for 10 years, or more--many people who are HIV+ do not know they are infected.

• When symptoms occur, they may include weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue.

The last stage of HIV disease is AIDS which is fatal.

How Common is HIV?

• Almost 1 million Americans are living with HIV/AIDS--over 30,000 are aged 13 24

In General

, STI’s… • Can be passed from pregnant woman to fetus/infant through the placenta (syphilis, HIV), during childbirth, or in some cases, after delivery during breastfeeding (HIV). In the newborn, STIs can cause many different problems from being born too early to brain damage to death. • Can come back after treatment if you are re-exposed. • Can be life-changing. If you are diagnosed with an incurable STI like HIV or Genital Herpes, you have the responsibility to inform any potential sexual partners before you have sex.

Prevention/Risk Reduction • Practice sexual abstinence – avoid all genital contact with a partner.

• Engage in alternative ways to release sexual tension.

• Limit or reduce your number of sexual partners.

• Use condoms for all sexual acts.

• Get vaccinated!