Sexually Transmitted Diseases are caused due to the infections produced by different microorganisms and although some of these diseases like Syphilis and Gonorrhea have been infecting people since time immemorial, most of these microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa have only been identified in the past century. In earlier days, these diseases were called “venereal” diseases in reference to Venus, the goddess of love. Nowadays, antibiotics have helped to a very large extent in controlling these diseases but they are still a serious threat to the wellbeing of young adults and adolescents.

As in the case of many diseases, prevention is always better than cure and it is necessary to understand the basic facts about Sexually Transmitted Diseases in order to avoid getting infected. You should know how these diseases are spread, the common symptoms and the treatment procedures. The above information about Sexually Transmitted Diseases is available in a series of fact sheets prepared by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health. In order to prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases and to find out better diagnosis methods and more effective treatment techniques, research investigators supported by NIAID are working tirelessly.

There are five key points about Sexually Transmitted Diseases which should be understood thoroughly:

• Sexually Transmitted Diseases are more common among young people who are less than 25 years of age. STDs are equally prevalent among men and women of all backgrounds and economic levels.
• The rise in cases of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the past few decades is due to the fact that sexual activities are starting earlier in young people and they are delaying marriage. Moreover, divorce is also becoming more common leading to people having multiple sex partners during their lives which makes them more prone to the risk of developing STDs.
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases do not exhibit their symptoms in most cases, particularly in women. Even if some symptoms do appear, they can be mistaken to be those of other diseases. However, a person infected with STD and not exhibiting any symptoms can transmit this disease to a sexual partner. It is, therefore, recommended that people with multiple sex partners should get periodic testing or screening done.
• Women are at greater risk of getting more severe and more frequent health problems caused by STDs because of the high rate of occurrence of asymptomatic infection. Thus women fail to seek treatment until serious problems affect them.
• STDs can be treated with success if they are diagnosed and treated early. However, some infections are getting impervious to the actions of the drugs and new types of antibiotics are needed. Moreover, you stand a greater chance of getting infected with the AIDS virus if you suffer from any STD.

Treatment Tips
ALL the medicines given to you should be taken fully even though you might feel better during the course of the medication. Since you would not like to infect your sexual partner as you could get back the disease, you should find out from your health care provider (doctor or nurse) about when you can start your sexual activities safely. Medicines and prescriptions should never be shared or split with someone else. If you are asked to have more tests, you should go back to the clinic for the same. You must disclose to all your sexual partners that you have been infected with an STD and that they should get themselves tested.

Knowledge is certainly power in the case of Sexually Transmitted Diseases as you minimize the risk of getting these diseases and spreading them around only through a thorough understanding of its implications. Moreover, honesty and openness is also very important in curbing and dealing with Sexually Transmitted Diseases.