You can contract with the 9 STIs

Being faithful is not enough to prevent STIs

Being in a committed relationship where safe sex is practiced is a way to curb the risk of deadly infections. As estimated by the World Health Organization, every year, there are 357 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections.

Many ignorant people who are sexually active believe they can wish STIs away by avoiding screening or treatment. On the contrary, they have prolonged their doomsday with their poor judgment. Without being unfaithful to your sexual partners, there are risks of contracting many sexually transmitted infections.

Some STIs infections don't require you to be faithful

  1. Hepatitis: An active sexually transmitted infection that can stay unnoticed in the body is Hepatitis. You don't have to be unfaithful to your partner or be sexually active before you can contract the virus from drinking water. More so, the virus is contracted when infected blood samples or body fluids of a hepatitis patient is exchanged with a healthy person.

The symptoms of this dreaded disease are; darkened urine, abdominal pain, a yellowish patch on your skin and the whites of your eyes.

  1. HIV: The symptoms of HIV include night sweats, rash, fever, and swollen lymph nodes. When left undiagnosed or untreated, patients suffer from AIDS. Sharing sharp objects and engaging in unprotected sex can lead to HIV infection.
  2. Human papillomavirus: In the U.S, HPV is the most common infection transferred through vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Unknowingly, your partner may have the virus from a previous relationship and pass it on. Genital sores and bumps are noticeable symptoms that show up after a long time.
  3. Chlamydia: Sexually exposed people who have rich experience with STIs have another name for this infection. It's known as 'the silent STI' because the symptoms are initially hidden; prolonged condition of this illness leads to infertility and chronic pelvic pain.
  4. Molluscum Contagiosum: This type of viral skin rash is highly infectious through simple skin-to-skin contact. When you observe pink or red-colored bumps of skin rash (10 to 20 bumps), it is an alert to run a test, and your doctor might use physical removal, oral or topical therapy if your status has been diagnosed.
  5. Trichomoniasis: When you suspect an infection of Trichomoniasis without symptoms, the parasite can be confirmed in your bloodstream with a proper medical test. Sharing a towel with an infected person could put the parasite on your skin for 45 minutes before infecting you. From having vaginal discharge, and irritation, you can be devastated by a dire consequence of infertility if the infection is untreated.
  6. Syphilis: At the primary and secondary levels of syphilis are visible symptoms of lesions or skin rashes. However, at the latent stage, victims may think they have a clean bill of health from syphilis. Get treatment, and disclose your sexual health history to your doctor and new partners.
  7. Gonorrhea: The second most common STI in the U.S is gonorrhea, and a notable feature of the bacterial infection is its asymptomatic nature. Abnormal genital discharge, fatigue, painful and frequent urination are symptoms of this infection. You may be in a faithful relationship but have the infection from a previous sexual partner. The risk of infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease result if gonorrhea is left untreated.
  8. Herpes: About one out of every six people (14 to 49 years-old) in the U.S is infected with herpes without visible symptoms. This is a long-term infection and can show up in the bloodstream of victims in mutually monogamous relationships. Herpes can be suppressed with medications but get proper treatment to be safe from deadly side effects of this infection.

The practice of safe sex (using a condom) and abstinence are effective in STI prevention. Early STD testing or diagnosis and seeking your doctor's help will help combat the spread of deadly sexually transmitted infections.

 

 

Contributor: admin