According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are on the rise for the third year in a row — and are now at a record high. From 2015 to 2016, there was a 4.7 percent increase in cases of chlamydia, an 18.5 percent increases in cases of gonorrhea, and a 27.6 percent increase in cases of syphilis, with half of these cases affecting those between ages 15 and 24.
What’s behind these numbers reported by the CDC? “One of the major reasons is that we continue to see increased rates of infection among men who have sex with men, and there does seem to be, with the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylactic [PrEP] medication, decreased condom use in that population,” says Timothy Wilkin, MD, associate professor of infectious disease at Cornell Weill Medicine in New York City.
A majority of the cases of syphilis, the CDC found, occurred in men who have sex with men — men who self-report that they’re gay, bisexual, or have one or more male sex partners. Gonorrhea is also on the rise in this population.
The rates of chlamydia, according to the CDC, are highest among teenage girls and young women, and it could be due to a lack of access to screening. The CDC notes that more than half of state and local STD programs have had their budgets cut over the last few years, and that lack of funding may make it harder to educate and test people. So it’s important to get regular screening exams if you’re sexually active, especially because the symptoms for some STDs are often silent.
If you do have symptoms, you may notice soreness, discharge, itching, and burning pain when passing urine. If you notice any of these, it's important to see your doctor: if left untreated, these can lead to more serious health conditions. Chlamydia and gonorrhea, for instance, can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, or even infertility, in women.
But, says Dr. Wilkin, “most infections are very treatable.” A short course of antibiotics is usually all that’s needed. And make sure, he adds, to get regular rescreenings after the initial infection clears up.
Read on to find out what the signs and symptoms are for eight common sexually transmitted diseases.
Additional reporting by Carlene Bauer
Human Papillomavirus: A Vaccine May Help Prevent It
The human papillomavirus (HPV) can infect the genitals, mouth, and throat. It has been estimated that 79 million Americans are infected with HPV. But many people with HPV never have symptoms and may clear the virus on their own.
Some types of HPV cause genital warts, while other types of HPV can cause cervical and oral cancer. The best way to protect yourself from HPV is to practice safe sex.
Gardasil, which is administered as two or three shots, is a vaccine that can help protect you against the types of HPV that lead to oral and cervical cancer, but it needs to be given before you become sexually active. Cervarix, another vaccine, is only protective against the types that lead to cervical cancer.
The CDC recommends that both boys and girls begin to receive the series of shots at age 11 or 12, with girls completing it by 26 and boys by 21.
Chlamydia: The Most Common Bacterial STD
Chlamydia, the most common bacterial STD, is easily treated with antibiotics. But chlamydia symptoms only occur in about 30 percent of infected men and 10 percent of infected women — and untreated chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility in women. When symptoms do develop, they can occur about one to three weeks after contact, and include discharge and burning during urination. Have a screening exam if you are sexually active.
Genital Herpes: There's No Cure, but Treatment Works
Genital herpes affects 1 in 6 of American adults. Symptoms of this virus can be mild, so most people don't know they have it. They include mouth and genital sores, fever, and aches, and may occur about 2 to 12 days after sexual contact. While there's no cure — which means if you have herpes you'll have it for life — antiviral medication can shorten an outbreak and reduce recurrences, and the longer you have the virus, the less you'll experience symptoms.
Trichomoniasis: Women Are More Likely to Notice the Signs
Trichomoniasis occurs in both men and women through vaginal sex, and most people who have it don't experience symptoms. Women are more likely to notice them: vaginal discharge, a strong odor, irritation, vaginal itching, and burning during urination.
You should let any sexual partner know if you have been diagnosed with this STD. If left untreated, trichomoniasis makes you more susceptible to HIV, and symptoms may continue. The infection can spread to the prostate in men. Trichomoniasis is easy to treat and cure with antibiotics.
Gonorrhea: You Can Have It but Not Know It
Gonorrhea, a bacterial STD, is spread through genital, oral, or anal contact. Symptoms include burning urination, increased or otherwise changed discharge from the penis or vagina, or sore throat. When the bacteria spread throughout the body, they can also cause skin lesions, as seen in the image.
Antibiotics are used to treat the infection, but gonorrhea is increasingly becoming resistant to drugs. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to serious infections that can cause infertility in men and women, and an infected woman can pass the infection to her baby during labor. You can have gonorrhea without obvious symptoms.
Syphilis: It Progresses Through 4 Stages
Syphilis has been called "the great imitator" because it has four stages with different symptoms. Syphilis is spread through vaginal, oral, or anal contact, and starts with a painless skin lesion called a chancre, usually found at the site of infection. If untreated during this first stage, symptoms of the second stage can include a rash on the feet or hands (as seen in the image), swollen lymph glands, hair loss, and fatigue.
In the third stage, there are no signs, and the disease lies dormant until the final stage. In the fourth and final stage, syphilis can damage the brain, nerve, heart, and bones. If you see your doctor early on, a simple shot of penicillin can cure this dangerous STD. Later stages usually require more intensive treatment. Pregnant mothers should be screened for the disease, as it can be passed from mother to child.
Pubic Lice: Shampoos and Hot Water Wash It Away
Pubic lice, commonly called “crabs,” are parasites spread by skin contact with body hair during sex. They can also be spread through infested clothing or bedding. The lice burrow into skin to feed on blood and cause symptoms of itching and inflammation. Spots of blood or the lice themselves can sometimes be seen on the skin. Special shampoos and lotions kill the lice on skin and washing in hot water will kill lice on clothing and bedding.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): Get Screened
A very important reason to recognize and treat an STD is that these diseases can make you more susceptible to HIV. It's possible that if someone with HIV makes contact with the genital, anal, or oral areas inflamed by an STD, the virus can more easily infect cells in those tissues or enter the bloodstream.
People infected with HIV may develop skin lesions related to a type of cancer called Kaposi sarcoma (as seen in the image). About 36 million people worldwide are now living with HIV. Symptoms are often mild or absent, so the only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Educate yourself about HIV and symptoms of STDs. Your best protection is prevention.