Chlamydia is caused by bacteria that targets mucous membranes.
Incubation: 1 to 3 weeks
Risks: Anal or vaginal sex, rarely oral sex
Symptoms: Often asymptomatic. Women=vaginal discharge, pain with urination, pelvic pain
Men=penile discharge, pain with urination, testicular pain
Frequency: Most common bacterial STI in the United States
Extra info: Can transmit with infected secretions.
Gonorrhea is caused by bacteria that targets mucous membranes.
Incubation: Men=2 to 5 days, Women=within 10 days
Risks: Anal, vaginal, or oral sex
Symptoms: Women=most asymptomatic; can be same as chlamydia
Men=often symptomatic; same as chlamydia
Frequency: ~700,000 new cases each year
Extra info: Can transmit with infected secretions.
Hepatitis B is a virus.
Incubation: 9-21 weeks
Risks: Anal, vaginal, or oral sex; IV drug use; Possibly thru bites, shared razors or tooth brushes
Symptoms: May be asymptomatic. Initial symptoms include fatigue, nausea, yellowing of skin and eyes. Chronic illness occurs in about 5%.
Frequency: 1 out of 20 people in the U.S. will be infected during their lives
Extra info: A carrier state is possible where people feel well, but can transmit the infection
Herpes is a virus classified into categories: Type 1 and Type 2.
Incubation: 3 to 10 days or can lay dormant for years
Risks: Oral herpes=kissing or oral sex
Genital herpes=anal, vaginal or oral sex
Symptoms: Itching, bumps, blisters, ulcers--mild to severe
Can have fever, aches, swollen glands or vaginal discharge.
Frequency: 50-80% of adults have type 1, about 20% have type 2
Extra info: May be transmitted through opening in regular skin.
HIV/AIDS is a virus.
Incubation: Variable progression from infection to AIDS.
Risks: Anal, vaginal or oral sex; IV drug use
Symptoms: Initially without symptoms. Later can be vague problems including swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever.
Frequency: Over 900,000 people in U.S. are infected. Leading cause of death in adults ages 25-44
Extra info: By 3 months 97% of those infected will test positive
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is a virus. There are over 40 strains of the virus that infect the genital area.
Incubation: 4 weeks to >1 year after exposure
Risks: Anal or vaginal sex, genital touching
Symptoms: Mostly asymptomatic. May appear as whitish pink bumps or cause irritation. May be diagnosed by pap smear
Frequency: Most common STI. 50-75% of sexually active people will have an infection in their lifetime.
Extra info: Skin to skin transmission. Condoms limited in effectiveness
Syphilis is caused be a bacteria that enters the bloodstream and can affect all organs.
Incubation: 10 to 90 days
Risks: Anal, vaginal or oral sex; genital touching; deep kissing
Symptoms: 4 stages
Primary: chancre=painless sore
Secondary: rash, wars and sores
Latent: no symptoms
Tertiary: tumors, heart damage, insanity
Frequency: Uncommon, but increasing in men who have sex with men.
Extra info: Highly contagious if lesions are present