Sexual Health (STDs) Articles

Gonorrhea in women

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In women, gonorrhea is a major cause of cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is a serious disease that can lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain.

What are the tests for syphilis?

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Blood tests for syphilis are the main method of diagnosis for syphilis. There are two groups of tests...

What are the symptoms of syphilis?

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Syphilis can be transmitted thru direct contact with a syphilis sore, which happens most frequently during sexual contact. For sexually acquired infections...

What is syphilis?

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Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum, is a common infection worldwide with an estimated 10-12 million new infections each year.

HPV and pregnancy

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HPV infection does not appear to affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant. The baby may be at risk of getting an HPV infection in the throat during delivery, but this is considered a rare occurrence...

What are the different types of HPV?

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High risk (or cancer associated) HPV types include 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 82...

What are the symptoms of HPV?

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HPV is often a ‘silent’ infection, because many people with HPV will have no obvious signs of infection. Genital warts, also called Condylomata, are a symptom...

HPV and cervical cancer

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Although HPV is incurable, most people are able to clear the infection within 2 years. Several risk factors have been identified that appear to be associated with HPV...

How HPV affects women

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Genital infection with low risk types of HPV is associated with genital warts in women. Persistent infection with high risk types of HPV is associated...

How is HPV transmitted?

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HPV is usually transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact most often during penetrative genital contact (vaginal or anal sex). Other types of genital contact in the...

Information about the HPV vaccine

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In 2006, an HPV vaccine was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, becoming the first licensed vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases in female...

What is HPV?

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Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a group of over 100 viruses that can cause warts and certain types of cancers. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections...

HIV pregnancy screening

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Pregnant women should be retested in the third trimester and rapid HIV testing at labor and delivery are additional strategies to further reduce the rate ...

What tests are available to diagnose HIV?

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Traditional testing for HIV consists of an initial enzyme immunoassay followed by confirmatory Western blot or immunofluorescent assay. The enzyme immunoassay has very hi...

Developing a resistance to HIV drugs

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Unfortunately, many people treated with antiretroviral drugs develop resistance to therapy. Their levels of virus (viral loads) increase despi...

Is it safe to take ART with other medicines or herbal medicines?

Tell your doctor about every other medicine you take. This means prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, and herbal products. ART can be...

What are the side effects of HIV medication ART?

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ART can increase cholesterol levels and cause you to gain fat in your upper back, neck, chest, and stomach. When these conditions are caused ...

What are the treatments for HIV?

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Drugs (antiretroviral agents) have greatly improved outcomes for HIV-1–infected patients. These drugs can suppress viral levels below limits of detection ...

What are the symptoms of HIV?

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Individuals with HIV infection may not feel sick at first. However, HIV infection is often accompanied by a variety of symptoms, which can vary depending on how long a per...

How is HIV/AIDS transmitted?

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You cannot get HIV infection from drinking from a water fountain, contact with a toilet seat, or touching an infected person. You can get HIV infection from...

What is HIV/AIDS?

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Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV for short) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS is a serious, life-threatening illness that has a va...

How herpes affects women and pregnancy

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With the first episode, many people have a fever and general aches, like the flu. Most people with herpes infection will have outbreaks of sores and symptoms from tim...

Tests and diagnosis for herpes

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Genital herpes are usually diagnosed by visual examination to see if any lesions or warts are present. If there is a question as to the cause of a sore or abnormal cell ...

What are the treatments for herpes?

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Genital herpes cannot be cured, but there are ways to treat outbreaks. Prompt treatment with oral antiviral medication or antiviral cream can shorten the duration of erupt...

Symptoms of oral and genital herpes

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Herpes sores usually form around the genital area a few days after you are exposed to the virus. The sores usually start as tiny, clear blisters. When they break open, they form pink or red sores. ...

What is genital herpes and oral herpes?

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Genital herpes is a common disease caused by infection with the herpesviruses. These blisters break open and turn into sores.

There are 2 types of herpesvirus that cause genital herpes: her...

What is herpes?

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Herpes labialis (cold sore, fever blister) is a commonly occurring ailment. Approximately one-third of all infected patients suffer relapses. Herpes labialis is a rash of the skin and mucous membra...

Chlamydia in men

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Chlamydia infections in men can lead to the development of urethritis and epididymitis. Another complication arising from chlamydial infections in men can in...

What are the treatments for chlamydia?

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Following detection, standard treatment for genital infection with Chlamydia consists of a single oral dose of 1 g of azithromycin or 100 mg of doxycycline orally twice...

What are the tests for chlamydia?

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Specimens for Chlamydia testing are taken as urethral swabs in men, and endocervical or urethral swabs. Other specimen sites include the eye conjunctiva, nose and t...

What are the signs and symptoms of chlamydia?

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Approximately 70% of Chlamydia infections in women and up to 50% of those in men have no visible symptoms. Thus, a large proportion of chlamydia infections will go unde...

What is chlamydia

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Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infections. In the USA in 2006, more than one million cases of chlamydial infection were report...

Epididymitis Introduction

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Epididymitis is an infection of the epididymis, which is a coiled structure located on the upper portion of the testicles. The epididymis is a structure that stores...

What do the stages of syphilis look like?

The symptoms for syphilis vary depending on which stage of infection the patient is in.

What are the risks versus benefits of getting the vaccine (Gardasil) to prevent HPV?

HPV is the most commonly transmitted sexual disease. Most people who develop HPV exhibit no symptoms as their immune systems are able to fight off the infection. However, some women who are infec...

Chlamydia symptoms for men and women

Chlamydia sometimes referred to the “silent" disease because most women and half of men who contract the disease exhibit no symptoms.