Incidence and Prevalence
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the United States more than 13 million people are infected each year and more than 65 million have an incurable STD. Generally, STD incidence has declined in the United States over the past 15 years, although rates among certain populations, including men who have sex with men, have increased.
Most STDs cause relatively harmless disease, producing few or no symptoms. However, some produce persistent asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic disease (e.g., chlamydia). Some people carry the disease for days or weeks, while others carry the disease for longer periods, even for life. During this time, an infected individual, or carrier, can spread disease.
In persistent infection, the pathogen evades detection by the immune system and remains fairly inactive, causing no overt disease. This inactivity is called latency. However, certain triggers (e.g., stress, immune suppression, injury) can reactivate latent pathogens. In some cases, reactivated disease is asymptomatic (e.g., chlamydia); in others, overt (e.g., genital herpes); and in still others, severe and even fatal (e.g., HIV/AIDS).
Complications of STD infection include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis) in women, inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) and inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) in men, and fertility and reproductive system problems in both sexes.
Possible consequences to an infant infected while in the womb or during birth, include stillbirth, blindness, and permanent neurological damage.
A person infected with an STD is more likely to become infected with HIV, and a person infected with HIV and another STD is more likely to transmit HIV.
Viral STDs, such as genital herpes (HSV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cannot be cured, but symptoms can be managed with medication. Bacterial STDs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, can be cured with antibiotics. Fungal (e.g., vaginal yeast infection) and parasitic (e.g., trichomoniasis) diseases can be cured with antifungal and antihelminthic agents, respectively. Early diagnosis and treatment increase the chances for cure.
The only sure way to avoid becoming infected with an STD is monogamy with an uninfected partner. It is important for partners to discuss their sexual and STD history before having sex. Prevention is possible only if sexually active individuals understand STDs and how they are spread.
The risk for transmission is dramatically reduced with the use of condoms. The following behaviors and conditions can increase the risk for STDs:
Herpes Dating Sites
Herpes Date Resources
HSV-1 and HSV-2
Of the eight known types of HSV, the two most common are type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 is more common and generally considered to be associated with orofacial infection, typically the lip area. This type of infection is more easily acquired in part because of its exposed location. It is generally considered a less serious infection. HSV-2 is associated with the infection of the genitals however both types can affect either region. HSV-2 infection is of particular concern because of the largely asymptomatic nature of the infection, and the shedding of infective virions even in carriers without symptoms.
Herpes Outbreak Triggers
Many people with HSV have reported that increaed exposure to the sun, stress, viral infections, facial injuries and eating foods high in arginine, such as chocolate, peanuts and walnuts, may increase the chance and severity of outbreaks. In addition, some have found that excessive usage of antibiotics can limit the immune system's ability to keep the disease within the nerve ganglia. Allergic reactions can also trigger an outbreak.
STD, HIV and Herpes Information
A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a disease caused by a pathogen (e.g., virus, bacterium, parasite, fungus) that is spread from person to person primarily through sexual contact. STDs can be painful, irritating, debilitating, and life threatening. More than twenty sexually transmitted diseases have been identified.
STDs occur most commonly in sexually active teenagers and young adults, especially those with multiple sex partners. An estimated 200 to 400 million people worldwide are infected—representing men and women of all economic classes.
Characteristics of STD
STD Treatment
Prevention of STDs
If you suspect you have hiv, herpes, or an STD, see your physician immediately.