Can a girl get pregnant if she has sex during her period?– Jamie*
A lot of people think that if a girl has sex during her period, she can't get pregnant. But it is possible for a girl to get pregnant while she is bleeding. This can happen for a couple of reasons:
Not all vaginal bleeding is the result of a menstrual period. Sometimes a girl will have a small amount of vaginal bleeding at the time of ovulation — the time when she is most fertile. During ovulation, an egg is released from one of the ovaries and travels down a fallopian tube to the uterus. It's common for girls who are ovulating to have some vaginal bleeding that can be mistaken for a period.
Sometimes ovulation can occur before the bleeding from a girl's period has stopped, or it may occur within a few days after her period is over. Sperm can fertilize an egg for several days after ejaculation. So in both cases, having sex before the period is finished can result in pregnancy.
Having unprotected sex at any time is very risky. Along with the chance of becoming pregnant, there is also the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), such as chlamydia, genital warts, or HIV. The only surefire way to prevent pregnancy and STDs is abstinence. If you do have sex, use a condom every time to protect against STDs. And talk to your doctor about additional forms of contraception.
For more information, check out these articles:About Birth Control: What You Need to KnowAll About MenstruationBirth Control Methods: How Well Do They Work?Talking to Your Partner About CondomsAbout Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: August 2006Originally reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Have a question? Email us.
Although we can't reply personally, you may see your question posted to this page in the future. If you're looking for medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment, consult your doctor or other qualified medical professional. If this is an emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Chlamydia
What Is It?
Chlamydia (pronounced: kluh-mid-ee-uh) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Although you may not have heard its name, chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. Because there often aren't any symptoms, though, lots of people can have chlamydia and not know it.
The bacteria can move from one person to another through sexual intercourse, and possibly through oral-genital contact. If someone touches bodily fluids that contain the bacteria and then touches his or her eye, a chlamydial eye infection is possible. Chlamydia also can be passed from a mother to her baby while the baby is being delivered. This can cause pneumonia and conjuntivitis, which can become very serious for the baby if it's not treated. You can't catch chlamydia from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
It can be difficult for a girl to know whether she has chlamydia because most girls don't have any symptoms. Chlamydia may cause an unusual vaginal discharge or pain during urination. Some girls with chlamydia also have pain in their lower abdomens, pain during sexual intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Sometimes a chlamydia infection can cause a mild fever, muscle aches, or headache.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
Like a girl, a guy can also have a difficult time telling whether he has chlamydia. Some guys may have a discharge from the tip of the penis (the urethra — where urine comes out), or experience itching or burning sensations around the penis. Rarely, the testicles may become swollen. Many times, a guy with chlamydia may have few or no symptoms, so he might not even know he has it.
When Do Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has contracted chlamydia may see symptoms a week later. In some people, the symptoms take up to 3 weeks to appear, and many people never develop any symptoms.
What Can Happen?
If left untreated in girls, chlamydia can cause an infection of the urethra (where urine comes out) and inflammation (swelling and soreness caused by the infection) of the cervix. It can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is an infection of the uterus, ovaries, and/or fallopian tubes. PID can cause infertility and ectopic (tubal) pregnancies later in life.
If left untreated in guys, chlamydia can cause inflammation of the urethra and epididymis (the structure attached to the testicle that helps transport sperm).
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have chlamydia or if you have had a partner who may have chlamydia, you need to see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. Some local health clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, can also test and treat people for chlamydia.
The doctor will do an exam that may include swabbing the vagina or penis for secretions, which will then be analyzed. Sometimes doctors can diagnose chlamydia by testing a person's urine. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you. And let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics, which should clear up the infection in 7 to 10 days. Anyone with whom you've had sex will also need to be tested and treated for chlamydia because that person may be infected but not have any symptoms. This includes any sexual partners in the last 2 months or your last sexual partner if it has been more than 2 months since your last sexual experience. It is very important that someone with a chlamydia infection abstain from having sex until they and their partner have been treated.
If a sexual partner has chlamydia, quick treatment will reduce his or her risk of complications and will lower your chances of being reinfected if you have sex with that partner again. (You can become infected with chlamydia again even after you have been treated because having chlamydia does not make you immune to it.)
It's better to prevent chlamydia than to treat it, and the only way to completely prevent the infection is to abstain from all types of sexual intercourse. If you do have sex, use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent chlamydia.
Chlamydia (pronounced: kluh-mid-ee-uh) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Although you may not have heard its name, chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. Because there often aren't any symptoms, though, lots of people can have chlamydia and not know it.
The bacteria can move from one person to another through sexual intercourse, and possibly through oral-genital contact. If someone touches bodily fluids that contain the bacteria and then touches his or her eye, a chlamydial eye infection is possible. Chlamydia also can be passed from a mother to her baby while the baby is being delivered. This can cause pneumonia and conjuntivitis, which can become very serious for the baby if it's not treated. You can't catch chlamydia from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
It can be difficult for a girl to know whether she has chlamydia because most girls don't have any symptoms. Chlamydia may cause an unusual vaginal discharge or pain during urination. Some girls with chlamydia also have pain in their lower abdomens, pain during sexual intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Sometimes a chlamydia infection can cause a mild fever, muscle aches, or headache.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
Like a girl, a guy can also have a difficult time telling whether he has chlamydia. Some guys may have a discharge from the tip of the penis (the urethra — where urine comes out), or experience itching or burning sensations around the penis. Rarely, the testicles may become swollen. Many times, a guy with chlamydia may have few or no symptoms, so he might not even know he has it.
When Do Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has contracted chlamydia may see symptoms a week later. In some people, the symptoms take up to 3 weeks to appear, and many people never develop any symptoms.
What Can Happen?
If left untreated in girls, chlamydia can cause an infection of the urethra (where urine comes out) and inflammation (swelling and soreness caused by the infection) of the cervix. It can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which is an infection of the uterus, ovaries, and/or fallopian tubes. PID can cause infertility and ectopic (tubal) pregnancies later in life.
If left untreated in guys, chlamydia can cause inflammation of the urethra and epididymis (the structure attached to the testicle that helps transport sperm).
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have chlamydia or if you have had a partner who may have chlamydia, you need to see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. Some local health clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, can also test and treat people for chlamydia.
The doctor will do an exam that may include swabbing the vagina or penis for secretions, which will then be analyzed. Sometimes doctors can diagnose chlamydia by testing a person's urine. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you. And let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics, which should clear up the infection in 7 to 10 days. Anyone with whom you've had sex will also need to be tested and treated for chlamydia because that person may be infected but not have any symptoms. This includes any sexual partners in the last 2 months or your last sexual partner if it has been more than 2 months since your last sexual experience. It is very important that someone with a chlamydia infection abstain from having sex until they and their partner have been treated.
If a sexual partner has chlamydia, quick treatment will reduce his or her risk of complications and will lower your chances of being reinfected if you have sex with that partner again. (You can become infected with chlamydia again even after you have been treated because having chlamydia does not make you immune to it.)
It's better to prevent chlamydia than to treat it, and the only way to completely prevent the infection is to abstain from all types of sexual intercourse. If you do have sex, use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent chlamydia.
Genital Herpes
What Is It?
Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex (HSV). There are two different types of herpes virus that cause genital herpes — HSV-1 and HSV-2. Most forms of genital herpes are HSV-2. But a person with HSV-1 (the type of virus that causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth) can transmit the virus through oral sex to another person's genitals.
HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It causes herpes sores in the genital area and is transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, especially from unprotected sex. Because the virus does not live outside the body for long, you cannot catch genital herpes from an object, such as a toilet seat.
Symptoms of a Genital Herpes Outbreak
Someone who has been exposed to the genital herpes virus may not be aware of the infection and may never have an outbreak of sores. However, if a person does have an outbreak, the symptoms can cause significant discomfort.
Someone with genital herpes may first notice itching or pain, followed by sores that appear a few hours to a few days later. The sores, which may appear on the vagina, penis, scrotum, buttocks, or anus, start out as red bumps that soon turn into red, watery blisters. The sores may make it very painful to urinate. The sores may open up, ooze fluid or bleed, and then heal within the next 2 to 4 weeks.
The entire genital area may feel very tender or painful, and the person may have flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. If someone has an outbreak in the future, it will tend to be less severe and shorter in duration, with the sores healing in about 10 days.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has been exposed to genital herpes will notice genital itching and/or pain about 2 to 20 days after being infected with the virus. The sores usually appear within days afterward.
What Can Happen?
After the herpes blisters disappear, a person may think the virus has gone away — but it's actually hiding in the body. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can stay hidden away in the body until the next herpes outbreak, when the virus reactivates itself and the painful sores return.
Over time, the herpes virus can reactivate itself again and again, causing discomfort and episodes of sores each time. Usually a person has about four to five herpes outbreaks each year — but in some people, the number of outbreaks will lessen over time.
There is no cure for herpes; it will always remain in the body and can always be passed to another person with any form of unprotected sex. This is the case even if blisters aren't present on the genitals. Many cases of genital herpes are transmitted when symptoms are not present.
Genital herpes also increases the risk of HIV infection. This is because HIV can enter the body more easily whenever there's a break in the skin (such as a sore) during unprotected sexual contact. In addition, if a pregnant woman with genital herpes has an active infection during childbirth, the newborn baby is at risk for getting herpes infection. Herpes infection in a newborn can cause meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord), seizures, and brain damage.
How Is It Prevented?
The only surefire way to prevent genital herpes is
document.write(defabstinence120)
abstinence. Teens who do have sex must properly use a latex condom every time they have any form of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Girls receiving oral sex should have their partners use dental dams as protection. These sheets of thin latex can be purchased online or from many pharmacies.
If one partner has a herpes outbreak, avoid sex — even with a condom or dental dam — until all sores have healed. Herpes can be passed sexually even if a partner has no sores or other signs and symptoms of an outbreak.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have genital herpes or if you have had a partner who may have genital herpes, see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, gynecologist, or health clinic for a diagnosis. Right now, there is no cure for genital herpes, but a doctor can prescribe antiviral medication to help control recurring HSV-2 and clear up the painful sores. The doctor can also tell you how to keep the sores clean and dry and suggest other methods to ease the discomfort when the virus reappears.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex (HSV). There are two different types of herpes virus that cause genital herpes — HSV-1 and HSV-2. Most forms of genital herpes are HSV-2. But a person with HSV-1 (the type of virus that causes cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth) can transmit the virus through oral sex to another person's genitals.
HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It causes herpes sores in the genital area and is transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, especially from unprotected sex. Because the virus does not live outside the body for long, you cannot catch genital herpes from an object, such as a toilet seat.
Symptoms of a Genital Herpes Outbreak
Someone who has been exposed to the genital herpes virus may not be aware of the infection and may never have an outbreak of sores. However, if a person does have an outbreak, the symptoms can cause significant discomfort.
Someone with genital herpes may first notice itching or pain, followed by sores that appear a few hours to a few days later. The sores, which may appear on the vagina, penis, scrotum, buttocks, or anus, start out as red bumps that soon turn into red, watery blisters. The sores may make it very painful to urinate. The sores may open up, ooze fluid or bleed, and then heal within the next 2 to 4 weeks.
The entire genital area may feel very tender or painful, and the person may have flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. If someone has an outbreak in the future, it will tend to be less severe and shorter in duration, with the sores healing in about 10 days.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has been exposed to genital herpes will notice genital itching and/or pain about 2 to 20 days after being infected with the virus. The sores usually appear within days afterward.
What Can Happen?
After the herpes blisters disappear, a person may think the virus has gone away — but it's actually hiding in the body. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can stay hidden away in the body until the next herpes outbreak, when the virus reactivates itself and the painful sores return.
Over time, the herpes virus can reactivate itself again and again, causing discomfort and episodes of sores each time. Usually a person has about four to five herpes outbreaks each year — but in some people, the number of outbreaks will lessen over time.
There is no cure for herpes; it will always remain in the body and can always be passed to another person with any form of unprotected sex. This is the case even if blisters aren't present on the genitals. Many cases of genital herpes are transmitted when symptoms are not present.
Genital herpes also increases the risk of HIV infection. This is because HIV can enter the body more easily whenever there's a break in the skin (such as a sore) during unprotected sexual contact. In addition, if a pregnant woman with genital herpes has an active infection during childbirth, the newborn baby is at risk for getting herpes infection. Herpes infection in a newborn can cause meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord), seizures, and brain damage.
How Is It Prevented?
The only surefire way to prevent genital herpes is
document.write(defabstinence120)
abstinence. Teens who do have sex must properly use a latex condom every time they have any form of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Girls receiving oral sex should have their partners use dental dams as protection. These sheets of thin latex can be purchased online or from many pharmacies.
If one partner has a herpes outbreak, avoid sex — even with a condom or dental dam — until all sores have healed. Herpes can be passed sexually even if a partner has no sores or other signs and symptoms of an outbreak.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have genital herpes or if you have had a partner who may have genital herpes, see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, gynecologist, or health clinic for a diagnosis. Right now, there is no cure for genital herpes, but a doctor can prescribe antiviral medication to help control recurring HSV-2 and clear up the painful sores. The doctor can also tell you how to keep the sores clean and dry and suggest other methods to ease the discomfort when the virus reappears.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Gonorrhea
What Is It?
Gonorrhea (pronounced: gah-nuh-ree-uh) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The bacteria can be passed from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, even when the person who is infected has no symptoms. It can also be passed from a mother to her baby during birth. You cannot catch gonorrhea from a towel, a doorknob, or a toilet seat.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
A girl who has gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all or her symptoms may be so mild that she doesn't notice them until they become more severe. In some cases, girls will feel a burning sensation when they urinate, or they will have a yellow-green vaginal discharge. Girls may also experience vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods.
If the infection becomes more widespread and moves into the uterus or fallopian tubes, it may result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause abdominal pain, fever, and pain during sexual intercourse, as well as the symptoms above.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
Guys who have gonorrhea are much more likely to notice symptoms, although a guy can have gonorrhea and not know it. Guys often feel a burning sensation when they urinate, and yellowish-white discharge may ooze out of the urethra (at the tip of the penis).
How Long Until There Are Symptoms?
Symptoms usually appear 2 to 7 days after a person has been exposed to gonorrhea, and in girls they may appear even later.
What Can Happen?
Gonorrhea can be very dangerous if it is left untreated, even in someone who has mild or no symptoms. In girls, the infection can move into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries (causing PID) and can lead to scarring and infertility (the inability to have a baby). Gonorrhea infection during pregnancy can cause problems for the newborn baby, including meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord) and an eye infection that can result in blindness if it is not treated.
In guys, gonorrhea can spread to the epididymis (the structure attached to the testicle that helps transport sperm), causing pain and swelling in the testicular area. This can create scar tissue that might make a guy infertile.
In both guys and girls, untreated gonorrhea can affect other organs and parts of the body including the throat, eyes, heart, brain, skin, and joints, although this is less common.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have gonorrhea or if you have had a partner who may have gonorrhea, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist. He or she will do an exam which may include swabbing the vagina or penis for discharge, which will then be analyzed. Sometimes doctors can diagnose gonorrhea by testing a person's urine. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you. The doctor may also test for other STDs, such as syphilis or chlamydia. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If you are diagnosed with gonorrhea, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Anyone with whom you've had sex should also be tested and treated for gonorrhea immediately. This includes any sexual partners in the last 2 months, or your last sexual partner if it has been more than 2 months since your last sexual experience. If a sexual partner has gonorrhea, quick treatment will reduce the risk of complications for that person and will lower your chances of being reinfected if you have sex with that partner again. (You can become infected with gonorrhea again even after you have been treated because having gonorrhea does not make you immune to it.)
It's better to prevent gonorrhea than to treat it, and the only way to completely prevent the infection is to abstain from all types of sexual intercourse. If you do have sex, use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea (pronounced: gah-nuh-ree-uh) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The bacteria can be passed from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sex, even when the person who is infected has no symptoms. It can also be passed from a mother to her baby during birth. You cannot catch gonorrhea from a towel, a doorknob, or a toilet seat.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
A girl who has gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all or her symptoms may be so mild that she doesn't notice them until they become more severe. In some cases, girls will feel a burning sensation when they urinate, or they will have a yellow-green vaginal discharge. Girls may also experience vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods.
If the infection becomes more widespread and moves into the uterus or fallopian tubes, it may result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause abdominal pain, fever, and pain during sexual intercourse, as well as the symptoms above.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
Guys who have gonorrhea are much more likely to notice symptoms, although a guy can have gonorrhea and not know it. Guys often feel a burning sensation when they urinate, and yellowish-white discharge may ooze out of the urethra (at the tip of the penis).
How Long Until There Are Symptoms?
Symptoms usually appear 2 to 7 days after a person has been exposed to gonorrhea, and in girls they may appear even later.
What Can Happen?
Gonorrhea can be very dangerous if it is left untreated, even in someone who has mild or no symptoms. In girls, the infection can move into the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries (causing PID) and can lead to scarring and infertility (the inability to have a baby). Gonorrhea infection during pregnancy can cause problems for the newborn baby, including meningitis (an inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord) and an eye infection that can result in blindness if it is not treated.
In guys, gonorrhea can spread to the epididymis (the structure attached to the testicle that helps transport sperm), causing pain and swelling in the testicular area. This can create scar tissue that might make a guy infertile.
In both guys and girls, untreated gonorrhea can affect other organs and parts of the body including the throat, eyes, heart, brain, skin, and joints, although this is less common.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have gonorrhea or if you have had a partner who may have gonorrhea, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist. He or she will do an exam which may include swabbing the vagina or penis for discharge, which will then be analyzed. Sometimes doctors can diagnose gonorrhea by testing a person's urine. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you. The doctor may also test for other STDs, such as syphilis or chlamydia. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If you are diagnosed with gonorrhea, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. Anyone with whom you've had sex should also be tested and treated for gonorrhea immediately. This includes any sexual partners in the last 2 months, or your last sexual partner if it has been more than 2 months since your last sexual experience. If a sexual partner has gonorrhea, quick treatment will reduce the risk of complications for that person and will lower your chances of being reinfected if you have sex with that partner again. (You can become infected with gonorrhea again even after you have been treated because having gonorrhea does not make you immune to it.)
It's better to prevent gonorrhea than to treat it, and the only way to completely prevent the infection is to abstain from all types of sexual intercourse. If you do have sex, use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent gonorrhea.
Hepatitis
What do drugs, alcohol, unprotected sex, tattoos, and body piercings have in common? They're all things your parents probably lecture you about avoiding, but there's another connection as well - they can all lead to a liver condition called hepatitis.
What Is Hepatitis?
The liver is one of the body's powerhouses. It helps process nutrients and metabolizes medication. The liver also helps clear the body of toxic waste products.
The word hepatitis (pronounced: heh-puh-tie-tus) means an inflammation of the liver, and it can be caused by one of many things - including a bacterial infection, liver injury caused by a toxin (poison), and even an attack on the liver by the body's own immune system.
Although there are several forms of hepatitis, the condition is usually caused by one of three viruses: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C virus. Some hepatitis viruses can mutate, which means they can change over time and can be difficult for the body to fight. In some cases, hepatitis B or C can destroy the liver. The patient then will need a liver transplant to survive, which is not always available or successful.
Hepatitis A
The hepatitis A virus is transmitted through the feces (poop) of infected individuals. People usually get hepatitis A by eating food or drinking water that's been contaminated with feces. Although that sounds disgusting, hepatitis A is actually considered to be less destructive than some other hepatitis viruses. That's because, unlike some other types, it rarely leads to permanent liver damage. Within a few weeks, the symptoms will have gone away on their own and the hepatitis A virus will no longer be in your system. Once a person has recovered from a hepatitis A infection, that person has immunity to the virus, meaning he or she will probably never get it again. People are also protected against hepatitis A if they've been vaccinated for it.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a more serious infection. It may lead to a condition called cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver cancer, both of which cause severe illness and even death. Hepatitis B is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
In the United States, the most common way people get infected with hepatitis B is through unprotected sex with a person who has the disease. People who inject drugs (in other words, use a needle) also are at risk of becoming infected because it's likely that the needles they use will not have been sterilized. In fact, up to one in every 50 people living in the United States will become infected with the hepatitis B virus - and the risk of infection is greater among people who have unprotected sex or inject drugs.
That's scary stuff given that, as yet, there's no effective cure for hepatitis B. In most cases, a teen who gets hepatitis B will recover from the disease and may develop a natural immunity to future hepatitis B infections. But some people will have the condition forever. Medications can help some people with hepatitis B get rid of the virus.
Hepatitis C
Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Also like hepatitis B, hepatitis C is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
Hepatitis C is the most serious type of hepatitis - it's now one of the most common reasons for liver transplants in adults. Every year, thousands of people in the United States die from the virus. And there's no cure and no vaccine.
An estimated 4.1 million Americans are currently infected with the virus. The most common way people become infected is through sharing drug paraphernalia such as needles and straws. People also get hepatitis C after having unprotected sex with an infected partner. Before 1990, many people got hepatitis C through blood transfusions, but better blood screening and handling procedures now mean that this rarely happens.
The medications currently used to treat hepatitis C are effective in controlling the disease in some people. However, hepatitis C treatments are not very easy to take, especially because some require frequent injections.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Hepatitis infection causes inflammation of the liver, which means that the liver becomes swollen and damaged and begins losing its ability to function. People with hepatitis often get symptoms similar to those caused by other virus infections, such as weakness, tiredness, and nausea. Because the symptoms of hepatitis are similar to other conditions, it's easy for a person who has it to confuse it with another illness. In addition, people with hepatitis A may not show any symptoms of the infection, so the infection can go undiagnosed. People with hepatitis B or C infection also may not show symptoms right away, but can develop health problems from the infection many years later. Even when infected people don't have any symptoms, they can still pass the disease on to others.
Symptoms of hepatitis include:
yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice
fever
nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite
abdominal pain (on the upper right side)
light-colored bowel movements
dark-colored urine
The incubation period (how long it takes between the time a person becomes infected and symptoms first appear) for hepatitis varies depending on the type a person has. A person may not feel any different than before, or may notice these symptoms anywhere from 15 days to 4 months after getting the disease, depending on the type of hepatitis.
How Is Hepatitis Diagnosed and Treated?
A blood test is usually needed to determine if a person has hepatitis.
Doctors don't prescribe medications to treat hepatitis A; they usually recommend a person rest until any fever and jaundice are gone and the person's appetite has returned to normal. It is also important to stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids. Hepatitis B and C can sometimes be treated with medications, although some forms of medication used to treat hepatitis C are only approved for use in adults. Although treatments for hepatitis B and C are becoming more effective, a cure cannot be guaranteed.
Protecting Yourself
There are vaccines available to protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Today, all children in the United States are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth, and against hepatitis A between the ages of 1 and 2 years. People who are traveling to certain parts of the world where sanitation isn't very good also benefit from immunization against hepatitis A. Sometimes, if a person has been recently exposed to hepatitis A or B, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus to try to prevent the person from coming down with the disease.
In addition to the vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, there are other steps for protecting yourself against hepatitis virus infection:
Avoid unprotected sexual intercourse. Not only does unprotected sex put you at risk for hepatitis B and C, but also for many other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
Avoid intravenous drug use and sharing of drug paraphernalia. Hepatitis is only one of the life-threatening infections you can get by sharing contaminated needles.
Wash your hands before handling food and after using the bathroom. Washing your hands thoroughly is one of the simplest, most important ways to prevent the spread of any infection, including hepatitis.
If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing, be sure the shop sterilizes needles properly. Poorly sterilized or nonsterile needles put people at risk for hepatitis B or C.
Don't share toothbrushes or razors. Hepatitis can be transmitted through sores or cuts.
Avoid eating raw shellfish (such as clams or oysters). You could put yourself at risk for hepatitis A if the shellfish was harvested from contaminated water.
Hepatitis infection can be serious, but knowing what puts you at risk can help protect you.
What Is Hepatitis?
The liver is one of the body's powerhouses. It helps process nutrients and metabolizes medication. The liver also helps clear the body of toxic waste products.
The word hepatitis (pronounced: heh-puh-tie-tus) means an inflammation of the liver, and it can be caused by one of many things - including a bacterial infection, liver injury caused by a toxin (poison), and even an attack on the liver by the body's own immune system.
Although there are several forms of hepatitis, the condition is usually caused by one of three viruses: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C virus. Some hepatitis viruses can mutate, which means they can change over time and can be difficult for the body to fight. In some cases, hepatitis B or C can destroy the liver. The patient then will need a liver transplant to survive, which is not always available or successful.
Hepatitis A
The hepatitis A virus is transmitted through the feces (poop) of infected individuals. People usually get hepatitis A by eating food or drinking water that's been contaminated with feces. Although that sounds disgusting, hepatitis A is actually considered to be less destructive than some other hepatitis viruses. That's because, unlike some other types, it rarely leads to permanent liver damage. Within a few weeks, the symptoms will have gone away on their own and the hepatitis A virus will no longer be in your system. Once a person has recovered from a hepatitis A infection, that person has immunity to the virus, meaning he or she will probably never get it again. People are also protected against hepatitis A if they've been vaccinated for it.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a more serious infection. It may lead to a condition called cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver cancer, both of which cause severe illness and even death. Hepatitis B is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
In the United States, the most common way people get infected with hepatitis B is through unprotected sex with a person who has the disease. People who inject drugs (in other words, use a needle) also are at risk of becoming infected because it's likely that the needles they use will not have been sterilized. In fact, up to one in every 50 people living in the United States will become infected with the hepatitis B virus - and the risk of infection is greater among people who have unprotected sex or inject drugs.
That's scary stuff given that, as yet, there's no effective cure for hepatitis B. In most cases, a teen who gets hepatitis B will recover from the disease and may develop a natural immunity to future hepatitis B infections. But some people will have the condition forever. Medications can help some people with hepatitis B get rid of the virus.
Hepatitis C
Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Also like hepatitis B, hepatitis C is transmitted from person to person through blood or other body fluids.
Hepatitis C is the most serious type of hepatitis - it's now one of the most common reasons for liver transplants in adults. Every year, thousands of people in the United States die from the virus. And there's no cure and no vaccine.
An estimated 4.1 million Americans are currently infected with the virus. The most common way people become infected is through sharing drug paraphernalia such as needles and straws. People also get hepatitis C after having unprotected sex with an infected partner. Before 1990, many people got hepatitis C through blood transfusions, but better blood screening and handling procedures now mean that this rarely happens.
The medications currently used to treat hepatitis C are effective in controlling the disease in some people. However, hepatitis C treatments are not very easy to take, especially because some require frequent injections.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Hepatitis infection causes inflammation of the liver, which means that the liver becomes swollen and damaged and begins losing its ability to function. People with hepatitis often get symptoms similar to those caused by other virus infections, such as weakness, tiredness, and nausea. Because the symptoms of hepatitis are similar to other conditions, it's easy for a person who has it to confuse it with another illness. In addition, people with hepatitis A may not show any symptoms of the infection, so the infection can go undiagnosed. People with hepatitis B or C infection also may not show symptoms right away, but can develop health problems from the infection many years later. Even when infected people don't have any symptoms, they can still pass the disease on to others.
Symptoms of hepatitis include:
yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice
fever
nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite
abdominal pain (on the upper right side)
light-colored bowel movements
dark-colored urine
The incubation period (how long it takes between the time a person becomes infected and symptoms first appear) for hepatitis varies depending on the type a person has. A person may not feel any different than before, or may notice these symptoms anywhere from 15 days to 4 months after getting the disease, depending on the type of hepatitis.
How Is Hepatitis Diagnosed and Treated?
A blood test is usually needed to determine if a person has hepatitis.
Doctors don't prescribe medications to treat hepatitis A; they usually recommend a person rest until any fever and jaundice are gone and the person's appetite has returned to normal. It is also important to stay well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids. Hepatitis B and C can sometimes be treated with medications, although some forms of medication used to treat hepatitis C are only approved for use in adults. Although treatments for hepatitis B and C are becoming more effective, a cure cannot be guaranteed.
Protecting Yourself
There are vaccines available to protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Today, all children in the United States are routinely vaccinated against hepatitis B at birth, and against hepatitis A between the ages of 1 and 2 years. People who are traveling to certain parts of the world where sanitation isn't very good also benefit from immunization against hepatitis A. Sometimes, if a person has been recently exposed to hepatitis A or B, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus to try to prevent the person from coming down with the disease.
In addition to the vaccinations against hepatitis A and B, there are other steps for protecting yourself against hepatitis virus infection:
Avoid unprotected sexual intercourse. Not only does unprotected sex put you at risk for hepatitis B and C, but also for many other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
Avoid intravenous drug use and sharing of drug paraphernalia. Hepatitis is only one of the life-threatening infections you can get by sharing contaminated needles.
Wash your hands before handling food and after using the bathroom. Washing your hands thoroughly is one of the simplest, most important ways to prevent the spread of any infection, including hepatitis.
If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing, be sure the shop sterilizes needles properly. Poorly sterilized or nonsterile needles put people at risk for hepatitis B or C.
Don't share toothbrushes or razors. Hepatitis can be transmitted through sores or cuts.
Avoid eating raw shellfish (such as clams or oysters). You could put yourself at risk for hepatitis A if the shellfish was harvested from contaminated water.
Hepatitis infection can be serious, but knowing what puts you at risk can help protect you.
Syphilis
What Is It?
Syphilis (pronounced: siff-ill-iss) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a type of bacteria known as a
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spirochete (through a microscope, it looks like a corkscrew or spiral). It is extremely small and can live almost anywhere in the body.
The spirochetes that cause syphilis can be passed from one person to another through direct contact with a syphilis sore during sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, or oral sex). The infection can also be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. You cannot catch syphilis from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
In the 1990s there was a decrease in the number of people infected with syphilis. However, more recently there has been a steady increase in reported cases of syphilis, especially in young adults and in men who have male sexual partners.
In its early stages, syphilis is easily treatable. However, if left untreated, it can cause serious problems — even death. So it's important to understand as much as you can about this disease.
What Are the Symptoms?
Syphilis occurs in several different stages:
Primary Syphilis
In the first stage of syphilis, red, firm, and sometimes wet sores that don't hurt appear on the vagina, rectum, penis, or mouth. There is often just one sore, but there may be several. This type of sore is called a chancre (pronounced: shang-ker). Chancres appear on the part of the body where the spirochetes moved from one person to another. Someone with syphilis may also have swollen glands during this first stage.
After a few weeks, the chancre will disappear, but that's not a sign that the disease has gone away. In fact, if the infection hasn't been treated, the disease will continue to get worse.
Syphilis is highly contagious during this first stage. Unfortunately, it can be easy to miss because the chancres are painless and can appear in areas that may not be easy to see, like in the mouth, under the foreskin, or on the anus. This means that people may not know that they are infected, and can pass the disease on to others without realizing it.
Secondary Syphilis
If syphilis hasn't been treated yet, the person will usually break out in a rash (especially on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands) and may also notice flu-like symptoms, such as fever and achiness. Sometimes the rashes associated with syphilis can be very faint or look like rashes from other infections and, therefore, may not be noticed. Sores sometimes appear on the lips, mouth, throat, vagina, and anus — but many people with secondary syphilis don't have sores at all.
This secondary stage usually lasts 1 to 2 weeks and will go away with or without treatment. But if the infection hasn't been treated, the disease will continue to progress. Syphilis is still contagious during the secondary stage.
Latent Syphilis
If syphilis still hasn't been treated yet, the person will have a period of the illness called latent (hidden) syphilis. This means that all the signs of the disease go away, but the disease is still very much there. Even though the disease is "hiding," the spirochetes are still in the body. Syphilis can remain latent for many years.
Tertiary Syphilis
If the disease still hasn't been treated at this point, it becomes known as tertiary (or late-stage) syphilis. This means the spirochetes have spread all over the body and can affect the brain, the heart, the spinal cord, and bones. Symptoms of late syphilis can include difficulty walking, numbness, gradual blindness, and possibly even death.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
A person who has been exposed to the spirochetes that cause syphilis may notice a chancre from 10 days to 3 months later, though the average is 3 weeks. If the syphilis is not treated, the second stage of the disease may occur anywhere from about 2 to 10 weeks after the original sore (chancre). It's important to keep in mind that many people never notice any symptoms of syphilis. This means it is important to let your doctor know that you are having sex, so that he or she can test you for syphilis even if you don't have any symptoms.
What Can Happen?
Syphilis can be very dangerous to a person's health if left untreated. In both guys and girls, the spirochetes can spread throughout the whole body, infecting major organs. Brain damage and other serious health problems can occur, many of which can't be treated. A woman who is pregnant and hasn't been effectively treated is at great risk of putting her baby in danger. Untreated syphilis can also cause major birth defects. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection because HIV can enter the body more easily when there's a sore present.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have syphilis or if you have had sexual contact with someone who may have syphilis, see your doctor or gynecologist right away. It can sometimes be difficult to spot chancres. So it's important to get checked on a regular basis, especially if you have had unprotected sex and/or more than one sex partner.
Depending on the stage, the doctor can make a diagnosis by examining the discharge from chancres under a special microscope or by doing a blood test to look for signs of infection. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
Early stages of syphilis are easily cured with antibiotics. Someone who has been infected for a while will need treatment for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, damage to the body from the late stage of syphilis cannot be treated. However, even in the late stage, it is important to get treatment. This can prevent further damage to the body. Anyone with whom you've had unprotected sex should also be checked for syphilis immediately.
How Is Syphilis Prevented?
The best way to prevent any STD is to not have sex. However, for people who decide to have sex, it's important to use protection and to have as few sexual partners as possible. Latex condoms are effective against most STDs; however, if there are any sores or rashes that cannot be covered by the condom, it's wise to not have sex until rashes or other skin breaks have healed.
Syphilis (pronounced: siff-ill-iss) is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a type of bacteria known as a
document.write(defspirochete158)
spirochete (through a microscope, it looks like a corkscrew or spiral). It is extremely small and can live almost anywhere in the body.
The spirochetes that cause syphilis can be passed from one person to another through direct contact with a syphilis sore during sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal, or oral sex). The infection can also be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy. You cannot catch syphilis from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
In the 1990s there was a decrease in the number of people infected with syphilis. However, more recently there has been a steady increase in reported cases of syphilis, especially in young adults and in men who have male sexual partners.
In its early stages, syphilis is easily treatable. However, if left untreated, it can cause serious problems — even death. So it's important to understand as much as you can about this disease.
What Are the Symptoms?
Syphilis occurs in several different stages:
Primary Syphilis
In the first stage of syphilis, red, firm, and sometimes wet sores that don't hurt appear on the vagina, rectum, penis, or mouth. There is often just one sore, but there may be several. This type of sore is called a chancre (pronounced: shang-ker). Chancres appear on the part of the body where the spirochetes moved from one person to another. Someone with syphilis may also have swollen glands during this first stage.
After a few weeks, the chancre will disappear, but that's not a sign that the disease has gone away. In fact, if the infection hasn't been treated, the disease will continue to get worse.
Syphilis is highly contagious during this first stage. Unfortunately, it can be easy to miss because the chancres are painless and can appear in areas that may not be easy to see, like in the mouth, under the foreskin, or on the anus. This means that people may not know that they are infected, and can pass the disease on to others without realizing it.
Secondary Syphilis
If syphilis hasn't been treated yet, the person will usually break out in a rash (especially on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands) and may also notice flu-like symptoms, such as fever and achiness. Sometimes the rashes associated with syphilis can be very faint or look like rashes from other infections and, therefore, may not be noticed. Sores sometimes appear on the lips, mouth, throat, vagina, and anus — but many people with secondary syphilis don't have sores at all.
This secondary stage usually lasts 1 to 2 weeks and will go away with or without treatment. But if the infection hasn't been treated, the disease will continue to progress. Syphilis is still contagious during the secondary stage.
Latent Syphilis
If syphilis still hasn't been treated yet, the person will have a period of the illness called latent (hidden) syphilis. This means that all the signs of the disease go away, but the disease is still very much there. Even though the disease is "hiding," the spirochetes are still in the body. Syphilis can remain latent for many years.
Tertiary Syphilis
If the disease still hasn't been treated at this point, it becomes known as tertiary (or late-stage) syphilis. This means the spirochetes have spread all over the body and can affect the brain, the heart, the spinal cord, and bones. Symptoms of late syphilis can include difficulty walking, numbness, gradual blindness, and possibly even death.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
A person who has been exposed to the spirochetes that cause syphilis may notice a chancre from 10 days to 3 months later, though the average is 3 weeks. If the syphilis is not treated, the second stage of the disease may occur anywhere from about 2 to 10 weeks after the original sore (chancre). It's important to keep in mind that many people never notice any symptoms of syphilis. This means it is important to let your doctor know that you are having sex, so that he or she can test you for syphilis even if you don't have any symptoms.
What Can Happen?
Syphilis can be very dangerous to a person's health if left untreated. In both guys and girls, the spirochetes can spread throughout the whole body, infecting major organs. Brain damage and other serious health problems can occur, many of which can't be treated. A woman who is pregnant and hasn't been effectively treated is at great risk of putting her baby in danger. Untreated syphilis can also cause major birth defects. Syphilis also increases the risk of HIV infection because HIV can enter the body more easily when there's a sore present.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have syphilis or if you have had sexual contact with someone who may have syphilis, see your doctor or gynecologist right away. It can sometimes be difficult to spot chancres. So it's important to get checked on a regular basis, especially if you have had unprotected sex and/or more than one sex partner.
Depending on the stage, the doctor can make a diagnosis by examining the discharge from chancres under a special microscope or by doing a blood test to look for signs of infection. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
Early stages of syphilis are easily cured with antibiotics. Someone who has been infected for a while will need treatment for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, damage to the body from the late stage of syphilis cannot be treated. However, even in the late stage, it is important to get treatment. This can prevent further damage to the body. Anyone with whom you've had unprotected sex should also be checked for syphilis immediately.
How Is Syphilis Prevented?
The best way to prevent any STD is to not have sex. However, for people who decide to have sex, it's important to use protection and to have as few sexual partners as possible. Latex condoms are effective against most STDs; however, if there are any sores or rashes that cannot be covered by the condom, it's wise to not have sex until rashes or other skin breaks have healed.
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
What Are They?
Pubic lice are tiny insects that can crawl from the pubic hair of one person to the pubic hair of another person during sexual intercourse. People can also catch pubic lice from infested clothing, towels, and bedding. Once they are on a person's body, the insects live by sucking blood from their host. Pubic lice are sometimes called "crabs" because when seen under a microscope they look like tiny crabs.
What Are the Symptoms?
Pubic lice cause intense itching. A person who has been exposed to pubic lice may notice tiny tan to grayish-white insects crawling in their pubic hair. He or she may also see tiny oval-shaped, yellow to white blobs called nits clinging to the hair. Nits are about the size of a pinhead, and are the louse eggs. Nits can't be easily removed from the hair with the fingers — "nit combs" made especially to remove the eggs are sold at drugstores and many grocery stores.
Someone who has been exposed to pubic lice will usually notice symptoms within a week. But it can take up to 2–3 weeks for the mature lice to appear. That means itching may start in the first week, but people may not actually notice the lice for 2–3 weeks after they have been exposed. The primary symptom of pubic lice is itching, but lice can also leave bluish-grayish marks on the thighs and pubic area from bites.
What Can Happen?
It's unusual for pubic lice to create any serious health problems, but the itching can be very uncomfortable, and it's easy to transmit pubic lice to others. The female louse survives an average of 25 to 30 days and each can lay 20 to 30 eggs. Lice can also live away from the body for 1 to 2 days. So it's important to get properly diagnosed and treated, or it can take forever to get rid of them.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have pubic lice or if you have had a partner who may have pubic lice, see a doctor or gynecologist right away. If the doctor diagnoses pubic lice, you may be prescribed medication or told to buy an over-the-counter medicine that kills the lice and their eggs. The important thing to remember is that the treatment you use may need to be repeated after 7 to 10 days to kill any lice you didn't get the first time.
You will also need to dry clean or use very hot water and a hot dryer cycle to wash and dry all your bedding, towels, or recently worn clothing to properly kill the lice and their eggs. Anyone with whom you've had sex should also check for pubic lice immediately. Although condoms help protect against other STDs, a partner could still get pubic lice because the condom does not cover the entire pubic area.
Pubic lice are tiny insects that can crawl from the pubic hair of one person to the pubic hair of another person during sexual intercourse. People can also catch pubic lice from infested clothing, towels, and bedding. Once they are on a person's body, the insects live by sucking blood from their host. Pubic lice are sometimes called "crabs" because when seen under a microscope they look like tiny crabs.
What Are the Symptoms?
Pubic lice cause intense itching. A person who has been exposed to pubic lice may notice tiny tan to grayish-white insects crawling in their pubic hair. He or she may also see tiny oval-shaped, yellow to white blobs called nits clinging to the hair. Nits are about the size of a pinhead, and are the louse eggs. Nits can't be easily removed from the hair with the fingers — "nit combs" made especially to remove the eggs are sold at drugstores and many grocery stores.
Someone who has been exposed to pubic lice will usually notice symptoms within a week. But it can take up to 2–3 weeks for the mature lice to appear. That means itching may start in the first week, but people may not actually notice the lice for 2–3 weeks after they have been exposed. The primary symptom of pubic lice is itching, but lice can also leave bluish-grayish marks on the thighs and pubic area from bites.
What Can Happen?
It's unusual for pubic lice to create any serious health problems, but the itching can be very uncomfortable, and it's easy to transmit pubic lice to others. The female louse survives an average of 25 to 30 days and each can lay 20 to 30 eggs. Lice can also live away from the body for 1 to 2 days. So it's important to get properly diagnosed and treated, or it can take forever to get rid of them.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have pubic lice or if you have had a partner who may have pubic lice, see a doctor or gynecologist right away. If the doctor diagnoses pubic lice, you may be prescribed medication or told to buy an over-the-counter medicine that kills the lice and their eggs. The important thing to remember is that the treatment you use may need to be repeated after 7 to 10 days to kill any lice you didn't get the first time.
You will also need to dry clean or use very hot water and a hot dryer cycle to wash and dry all your bedding, towels, or recently worn clothing to properly kill the lice and their eggs. Anyone with whom you've had sex should also check for pubic lice immediately. Although condoms help protect against other STDs, a partner could still get pubic lice because the condom does not cover the entire pubic area.
Trichomoniasis
What Is It?
Trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The parasite that causes
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trichomoniasis can be passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse.
Unlike most STDs, the parasite can live for about an hour on damp towels, washcloths, and bathing suits. If someone uses these towels or washcloths or puts on the bathing suit, the disease may be passed on that way. The good news is that trichomoniasis is curable.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
A girl with trichomoniasis can get vaginitis, which is the medical term for inflammation of the vagina. A girl who has trichomoniasis will usually have vaginal discharge that can be gray or yellowish green, and may be foamy. This discharge may have a foul odor, and a girl's vagina may feel very itchy.
A girl with trichomoniasis may find it very painful to urinate. Trichomoniasis can also cause an achy abdomen and pain during sexual intercourse.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
In most cases, guys won't notice any symptoms. However, a guy who has trichomoniasis may notice some temporary irritation inside his penis or a mild burning feeling when he pees.
When Do Symptoms Appear?
Symptoms usually appear 5 to 28 days after a person has been exposed.
What Can Happen?
Trichomoniasis by itself isn't very dangerous to a person's health, but it can be uncomfortable. It can also make someone more susceptible to getting other STDs. In pregnant women, trichomoniasis can cause the baby to be born early or to be born with a low birth weight.
If a patient has trichomoniasis a doctor will typically also test for gonorrhea and chlamydia because these STDs sometimes occur together.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have trichomoniasis or if you have had a partner who may have trichomoniasis, you need to see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. He or she will do an exam and swab the vagina or penis for secretions, which will then be tested.
Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics for people who are diagnosed with trichomoniasis. Sexual partners should be treated at the same time, and people being treated should not have sex until they have finished their treatment and no longer have symptoms.
It's better to prevent trichomoniasis than to treat it, of course. The only way to completely prevent infection is to not have any type of sexual intercourse (called abstinence). People who choose to have sex should use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent trichomoniasis.
Trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The parasite that causes
document.write(deftrichomoniasis159)
trichomoniasis can be passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse.
Unlike most STDs, the parasite can live for about an hour on damp towels, washcloths, and bathing suits. If someone uses these towels or washcloths or puts on the bathing suit, the disease may be passed on that way. The good news is that trichomoniasis is curable.
How Does a Girl Know She Has It?
A girl with trichomoniasis can get vaginitis, which is the medical term for inflammation of the vagina. A girl who has trichomoniasis will usually have vaginal discharge that can be gray or yellowish green, and may be foamy. This discharge may have a foul odor, and a girl's vagina may feel very itchy.
A girl with trichomoniasis may find it very painful to urinate. Trichomoniasis can also cause an achy abdomen and pain during sexual intercourse.
How Does a Guy Know He Has It?
In most cases, guys won't notice any symptoms. However, a guy who has trichomoniasis may notice some temporary irritation inside his penis or a mild burning feeling when he pees.
When Do Symptoms Appear?
Symptoms usually appear 5 to 28 days after a person has been exposed.
What Can Happen?
Trichomoniasis by itself isn't very dangerous to a person's health, but it can be uncomfortable. It can also make someone more susceptible to getting other STDs. In pregnant women, trichomoniasis can cause the baby to be born early or to be born with a low birth weight.
If a patient has trichomoniasis a doctor will typically also test for gonorrhea and chlamydia because these STDs sometimes occur together.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have trichomoniasis or if you have had a partner who may have trichomoniasis, you need to see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. He or she will do an exam and swab the vagina or penis for secretions, which will then be tested.
Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics for people who are diagnosed with trichomoniasis. Sexual partners should be treated at the same time, and people being treated should not have sex until they have finished their treatment and no longer have symptoms.
It's better to prevent trichomoniasis than to treat it, of course. The only way to completely prevent infection is to not have any type of sexual intercourse (called abstinence). People who choose to have sex should use a latex condom every time. This is the only birth control method that will help prevent trichomoniasis.
Urinary Tract Infections
It was only third period, but Tracy had already visited the bathroom six times that morning. Sometimes she barely had time to ask the teacher for permission because the urge to pee was so intense. Did she drink too much orange juice for breakfast? Nope — although she really had to go, only a little urine came out each time. And every time she peed, she felt a burning sensation. What was going on?
Tracy's experience is not unusual. Her problem, a urinary tract infection, is one of the most common reasons that teens — especially girls — visit a doctor.
What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?
A bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common kind of infection affecting the urinary tract. Urine, or pee, is the fluid that is filtered out of the bloodstream by the kidneys. Urine contains salts and waste products, but it doesn't normally contain bacteria. When bacteria get into the bladder or kidney and multiply in the urine, a UTI can result.
There are three main types of UTI. Bacteria that infect only the urethra (the short tube that delivers urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) cause urethritis (pronounced: yur-ih-threye-tis). Bacteria can also cause a bladder infection, which is called cystitis (pronounced: sis-tie-tis). Another, more serious, kind of UTI is infection of the kidney itself, known as pyelonephritis (pronounced: pie-low-nih-fry-tis). With this type of UTI, a person often has back pain, high fever, and vomiting.
The most common type of UTI, the bladder infection, causes mostly just discomfort and inconvenience. Bladder infections can be quickly and easily treated. And it's important to get treatment promptly to avoid the more serious infection that reaches the kidneys.
Bacteria Are to Blame
UTIs are usually caused by E. coli, bacteria that are normally found in the digestive tract and on the skin around the rectal and vaginal areas. When the bacteria enter the urethra, they can make their way up into the bladder and cause an infection.
Girls get urinary tract infections much more frequently than guys, most likely due to differences in the shape and length of the urethra. Girls have shorter urethras than guys, and the opening lies closer to the rectum and vagina where bacteria are likely to be. Some people seem to get frequent UTIs, but they often have other problems that make them more prone to infection, like an abnormality in the urinary tract structures or function. The most common functional problem of the urinary tract is called vesicoureteral reflux (pronounced: veh-zi-coe-you-ree-tur-al), a condition in which some urine flows backward, or refluxes, from the bladder into the ureters and even up to the kidneys.
There are several ways bacteria can get into the urethra. During sexual intercourse, the bacteria in the vaginal area may be pushed into the urethra and eventually end up in the bladder, where urine provides a good environment for the bacteria to grow. This is the reason why females who are sexually active often get UTIs (UTIs are not contagious, so you can't catch a urinary tract infection from someone else). Bacteria may also be introduced into a girl's bladder by wiping from back to front after a bowel movement, which can contaminate the urethral opening. The use of spermicides (including condoms treated with spermicide) and diaphragms as contraceptives may also increase the risk of getting a urinary tract infection.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may cause UTI-like symptoms, such as pain with urination. This is due to the inflammation and irritation of the urethra or vagina that's sometimes associated with chlamydia and other STDs. If untreated, STDs may lead to serious long-term problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility. Unlike UTIs, STDs are contagious.
Symptoms of UTIs
There are a number of symptoms associated with UTIs. With bladder infections, symptoms may include:
frequent urination
burning or pain during urination
the feeling of having to pee even though little or no urine actually comes out
pain in the lower abdomen
pain above the pubic bone (in women)
a full feeling in the rectum (in men)
bloody or foul-smelling urine
mild fever
a general feeling of shakiness and fatigue
A kidney infection may involve more serious symptoms, including:
high fever
chills
nausea and vomiting
abdominal pain
cloudy or bloody urine
pain in the back, just above the waist
If you have any symptoms of a urinary tract infection, you'll need to go to a doctor right away. The symptoms won't go away if you ignore them — they'll only become worse. The more quickly you begin treatment, the less uncomfortable it will be.
Call your doctor's office or clinic immediately. If you can't reach your doctor, you can visit an urgent care center or hospital emergency room. The most important thing is to take action as soon as possible.
Battling the Bacteria
Only your health care provider can treat urinary tract infections. The first thing a doctor will do is confirm that a person has a UTI by taking a clean-catch urine specimen. At the doctor's office, you'll be asked to clean your genital area with disposable wipes and then urinate into a sterile (bacteria-free) cup.
If an infection is suspected when the specimen is examined, a doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Because there are many different antibiotics available, the doctor may send the urine specimen for a urine culture, which is a test to identify the exact type of bacteria causing your infection. It takes about 48 hours to get results from a urine culture, and a doctor may ask patients to switch antibiotics depending on the results.
Although antibiotics begin fighting the infection right away, they can't stop all the symptoms immediately. If someone has a lot of pain from a UTI, the doctor may recommend a medication to help relieve the spasm and pain in the bladder. This will turn urine a bright orange color, but it's harmless and will usually make a person much more comfortable within hours. In the case of a kidney infection, a doctor may prescribe pain medication.
For some infections, a person may only have to take antibiotics for 3 days, but usually people with UTIs stay on medication for 7 to 14 days. It's important to take the antibiotics until the prescription is finished. Many people stop taking medication when they begin to feel better, but that doesn't allow the antibiotics to completely kill the bacteria, which increases the risk that the infection will reappear. If you've been diagnosed with a UTI and symptoms continue after you've used up all your medication or if your symptoms aren't much better after 2 to 3 days of treatment, contact your doctor.
It's important to drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you urinate, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice may also be helpful. People with UTIs should avoid coffee and spicy foods. And, while it's always a good idea to quit smoking, this is especially true for people who have a UTI or are prone to getting UTIs because smoking is linked to bladder problems.
People who get a doctor's help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. For a more serious kidney infection, most people have to return to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit to ensure that the infection has responded completely to the medication.
In either case, a doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sexual intercourse for a week or so, which allows the inflammation to disappear completely.
Preventing UTIs
There are several ways people may be able to prevent urinary tract infections. After urination, girls should wipe from front to back with toilet paper. After bowel movements, be sure to wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.
Another thing both girls and guys can do to prevent UTIs is to go to the bathroom frequently. Avoid holding urine for long periods of time.
Males and females should also keep the genital area clean and dry. Girls should change their tampons and pads regularly during their periods. Frequent bubble baths can cause irritation of the vaginal area, so girls should take showers or plain baths. Avoid prolonged exposure to moisture in the genital area by not wearing nylon underwear or wet swimsuits. Wearing underwear with cotton crotches is also helpful. And girls should skip using feminine hygiene sprays or douches — these products can irritate the urethra.
If you are sexually active, go to the bathroom both before and within 15 minutes after intercourse. After sex, gently wash the genital area to remove any bacteria. Avoid sexual positions that irritate or hurt the urethra or bladder. For girls who use lubrication during sex, use a water-soluble lubricant such as K-Y Jelly.
Finally, drinking lots of water each day keeps the bladder active and bacteria free.
Remember that although urinary tract infections are uncomfortable and often painful, they are very common and easily treated. The sooner you contact your doctor, the sooner you'll be able to get rid of the problem.
Tracy's experience is not unusual. Her problem, a urinary tract infection, is one of the most common reasons that teens — especially girls — visit a doctor.
What Is a Urinary Tract Infection?
A bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common kind of infection affecting the urinary tract. Urine, or pee, is the fluid that is filtered out of the bloodstream by the kidneys. Urine contains salts and waste products, but it doesn't normally contain bacteria. When bacteria get into the bladder or kidney and multiply in the urine, a UTI can result.
There are three main types of UTI. Bacteria that infect only the urethra (the short tube that delivers urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) cause urethritis (pronounced: yur-ih-threye-tis). Bacteria can also cause a bladder infection, which is called cystitis (pronounced: sis-tie-tis). Another, more serious, kind of UTI is infection of the kidney itself, known as pyelonephritis (pronounced: pie-low-nih-fry-tis). With this type of UTI, a person often has back pain, high fever, and vomiting.
The most common type of UTI, the bladder infection, causes mostly just discomfort and inconvenience. Bladder infections can be quickly and easily treated. And it's important to get treatment promptly to avoid the more serious infection that reaches the kidneys.
Bacteria Are to Blame
UTIs are usually caused by E. coli, bacteria that are normally found in the digestive tract and on the skin around the rectal and vaginal areas. When the bacteria enter the urethra, they can make their way up into the bladder and cause an infection.
Girls get urinary tract infections much more frequently than guys, most likely due to differences in the shape and length of the urethra. Girls have shorter urethras than guys, and the opening lies closer to the rectum and vagina where bacteria are likely to be. Some people seem to get frequent UTIs, but they often have other problems that make them more prone to infection, like an abnormality in the urinary tract structures or function. The most common functional problem of the urinary tract is called vesicoureteral reflux (pronounced: veh-zi-coe-you-ree-tur-al), a condition in which some urine flows backward, or refluxes, from the bladder into the ureters and even up to the kidneys.
There are several ways bacteria can get into the urethra. During sexual intercourse, the bacteria in the vaginal area may be pushed into the urethra and eventually end up in the bladder, where urine provides a good environment for the bacteria to grow. This is the reason why females who are sexually active often get UTIs (UTIs are not contagious, so you can't catch a urinary tract infection from someone else). Bacteria may also be introduced into a girl's bladder by wiping from back to front after a bowel movement, which can contaminate the urethral opening. The use of spermicides (including condoms treated with spermicide) and diaphragms as contraceptives may also increase the risk of getting a urinary tract infection.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may cause UTI-like symptoms, such as pain with urination. This is due to the inflammation and irritation of the urethra or vagina that's sometimes associated with chlamydia and other STDs. If untreated, STDs may lead to serious long-term problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility. Unlike UTIs, STDs are contagious.
Symptoms of UTIs
There are a number of symptoms associated with UTIs. With bladder infections, symptoms may include:
frequent urination
burning or pain during urination
the feeling of having to pee even though little or no urine actually comes out
pain in the lower abdomen
pain above the pubic bone (in women)
a full feeling in the rectum (in men)
bloody or foul-smelling urine
mild fever
a general feeling of shakiness and fatigue
A kidney infection may involve more serious symptoms, including:
high fever
chills
nausea and vomiting
abdominal pain
cloudy or bloody urine
pain in the back, just above the waist
If you have any symptoms of a urinary tract infection, you'll need to go to a doctor right away. The symptoms won't go away if you ignore them — they'll only become worse. The more quickly you begin treatment, the less uncomfortable it will be.
Call your doctor's office or clinic immediately. If you can't reach your doctor, you can visit an urgent care center or hospital emergency room. The most important thing is to take action as soon as possible.
Battling the Bacteria
Only your health care provider can treat urinary tract infections. The first thing a doctor will do is confirm that a person has a UTI by taking a clean-catch urine specimen. At the doctor's office, you'll be asked to clean your genital area with disposable wipes and then urinate into a sterile (bacteria-free) cup.
If an infection is suspected when the specimen is examined, a doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Because there are many different antibiotics available, the doctor may send the urine specimen for a urine culture, which is a test to identify the exact type of bacteria causing your infection. It takes about 48 hours to get results from a urine culture, and a doctor may ask patients to switch antibiotics depending on the results.
Although antibiotics begin fighting the infection right away, they can't stop all the symptoms immediately. If someone has a lot of pain from a UTI, the doctor may recommend a medication to help relieve the spasm and pain in the bladder. This will turn urine a bright orange color, but it's harmless and will usually make a person much more comfortable within hours. In the case of a kidney infection, a doctor may prescribe pain medication.
For some infections, a person may only have to take antibiotics for 3 days, but usually people with UTIs stay on medication for 7 to 14 days. It's important to take the antibiotics until the prescription is finished. Many people stop taking medication when they begin to feel better, but that doesn't allow the antibiotics to completely kill the bacteria, which increases the risk that the infection will reappear. If you've been diagnosed with a UTI and symptoms continue after you've used up all your medication or if your symptoms aren't much better after 2 to 3 days of treatment, contact your doctor.
It's important to drink lots of water during and after treatment because each time you urinate, the bladder cleanses itself a little bit more. Cranberry juice may also be helpful. People with UTIs should avoid coffee and spicy foods. And, while it's always a good idea to quit smoking, this is especially true for people who have a UTI or are prone to getting UTIs because smoking is linked to bladder problems.
People who get a doctor's help for a UTI right away should be clear of symptoms within a week. For a more serious kidney infection, most people have to return to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit to ensure that the infection has responded completely to the medication.
In either case, a doctor may tell people with UTIs to avoid sexual intercourse for a week or so, which allows the inflammation to disappear completely.
Preventing UTIs
There are several ways people may be able to prevent urinary tract infections. After urination, girls should wipe from front to back with toilet paper. After bowel movements, be sure to wipe from front to back to avoid spreading bacteria from the rectal area to the urethra.
Another thing both girls and guys can do to prevent UTIs is to go to the bathroom frequently. Avoid holding urine for long periods of time.
Males and females should also keep the genital area clean and dry. Girls should change their tampons and pads regularly during their periods. Frequent bubble baths can cause irritation of the vaginal area, so girls should take showers or plain baths. Avoid prolonged exposure to moisture in the genital area by not wearing nylon underwear or wet swimsuits. Wearing underwear with cotton crotches is also helpful. And girls should skip using feminine hygiene sprays or douches — these products can irritate the urethra.
If you are sexually active, go to the bathroom both before and within 15 minutes after intercourse. After sex, gently wash the genital area to remove any bacteria. Avoid sexual positions that irritate or hurt the urethra or bladder. For girls who use lubrication during sex, use a water-soluble lubricant such as K-Y Jelly.
Finally, drinking lots of water each day keeps the bladder active and bacteria free.
Remember that although urinary tract infections are uncomfortable and often painful, they are very common and easily treated. The sooner you contact your doctor, the sooner you'll be able to get rid of the problem.
Vaccine Against Genital Warts and Cervical Cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes genital warts, is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). HPV infection can also cause problems with the cervix (the opening to the uterus located at the top of the vagina) that may lead to cervical cancer.
Both girls and guys can get HPV from sexual contact, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Most people infected with HPV don't know it because they have no symptoms. People do not always develop genital warts when they are infected with the virus, but it's still in their system and it could be causing damage. With or without obvious signs like warts, people with HPV might not know they have it and can pass the infection to others.
Because HPV can cause serious problems such as genital warts and cervical cancer, a vaccine is an important step in preventing infection and protecting against the spread of HPV. In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine, which protects girls from getting some of the more dangerous strains of HPV.
How Does It Work?
The FDA approved the HPV vaccine as safe for females ages 9 to 26 years old. The vaccine is given as three injections over a 6-month period.
The vaccine does not protect girls who have been infected with HPV before they've been vaccinated. So getting the vaccine before having sex for the first time is the most effective way for it to help prevent the infection. However, the vaccine doesn't protect against all types of HPV, so it's important for girls who are having sex to get routine checkups and, when their doctor recommends it, Pap smears.
The only way to be completely sure about preventing HPV infections and other STDs is not to have sex (called abstinence). For those who are having sex, condoms offer some protection against HPV. Condoms can't completely prevent infections because the warts can be outside the area covered by the condom (warts are not always clearly seen), and condoms can break.
The HPV vaccine is also not a replacement for using condoms to protect against other STDs when having sex.
Spermicidal foams, creams, and jellies have not been proven to protect against HPV and genital warts. If you have questions about the vaccine or are concerned about STDs, talk to your doctor.
Both girls and guys can get HPV from sexual contact, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. Most people infected with HPV don't know it because they have no symptoms. People do not always develop genital warts when they are infected with the virus, but it's still in their system and it could be causing damage. With or without obvious signs like warts, people with HPV might not know they have it and can pass the infection to others.
Because HPV can cause serious problems such as genital warts and cervical cancer, a vaccine is an important step in preventing infection and protecting against the spread of HPV. In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine, which protects girls from getting some of the more dangerous strains of HPV.
How Does It Work?
The FDA approved the HPV vaccine as safe for females ages 9 to 26 years old. The vaccine is given as three injections over a 6-month period.
The vaccine does not protect girls who have been infected with HPV before they've been vaccinated. So getting the vaccine before having sex for the first time is the most effective way for it to help prevent the infection. However, the vaccine doesn't protect against all types of HPV, so it's important for girls who are having sex to get routine checkups and, when their doctor recommends it, Pap smears.
The only way to be completely sure about preventing HPV infections and other STDs is not to have sex (called abstinence). For those who are having sex, condoms offer some protection against HPV. Condoms can't completely prevent infections because the warts can be outside the area covered by the condom (warts are not always clearly seen), and condoms can break.
The HPV vaccine is also not a replacement for using condoms to protect against other STDs when having sex.
Spermicidal foams, creams, and jellies have not been proven to protect against HPV and genital warts. If you have questions about the vaccine or are concerned about STDs, talk to your doctor.
Hepatitis B (HBV)
What Is It?
Hepatitis (pronounced: hep-uh-tie-tiss) is a disease of the liver. It is usually caused by a virus, although it can also be caused by long-term overuse of alcohol or other toxins (poisons).
Although there are several different types of hepatitis, hepatitis B is a type that can move from one person to another through blood and other bodily fluids. It can be transmitted through sexual intercourse and through needles — such as those shared by intravenous drug or steroid users who have the virus, or tattoo needles that haven't been properly sterilized. A pregnant woman can also pass hepatitis B to her unborn baby. You cannot catch hepatitis B from an object, such as a toilet seat.
What Are the Symptoms?
Someone with hepatitis B may have symptoms similar to those caused by other viral infections, such as the flu — for example, tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, mild fever, and vomiting — as well as abdominal pain or pain underneath the right ribcage where the liver is.
Hepatitis B can also cause jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, and may cause the urine to appear brownish.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has been exposed to hepatitis B may have symptoms 1 to 4 months later. Some people with hepatitis B don't notice symptoms until they become quite severe. Some have few or no symptoms, but even someone who doesn't notice any symptoms can still transmit the disease to others. Some people carry the virus in their bodies and are contagious for the rest of their lives.
What Can Happen?
Hepatitis B can be very dangerous to a person's health, leading to liver damage and an increased risk of liver cancer. Of babies born to women who have the hepatitis B virus, 90% will have the virus unless they receive a special immune injection and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth.
How Is It Prevented?
Because hepatitis B can easily be transmitted through blood and most body fluids, it can be prevented by:
abstaining from sex (not having oral, vaginal, or anal sex)
always using latex condoms for all types of sexual intercourse
avoiding contact with an infected person's blood
not using intravenous drugs or sharing any drug paraphernalia
not sharing things like toothbrushes or razors
Tattoo parlors sometimes reuse needles without properly sterilizing them, so be sure to research and choose tattoo and piercing providers carefully.
To help prevent the spread of hepatitis B, health care professionals wear gloves at all times when in contact with blood or body fluids, and are usually required to be immunized against the hepatitis B virus.
There is an immunization (vaccine) against hepatitis B. The immunization is given as a series of three shots over a 6-month period. Newborn babies in the United States now routinely receive this immunization series. Teens who see their health care provider for yearly exams are also likely to be given the hepatitis B immunization if they haven't had it before. Immunization programs have been responsible for a significant drop in the number of cases of hepatitis B among teens over the past 10 years.
Sometimes, if someone has been recently exposed to the hepatitis B virus, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus to try to prevent the person from coming down with the disease. For this reason, it's especially important to see a doctor quickly after any possible exposure to the virus.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have hepatitis B or if you have been intimate with someone who may have hepatitis B, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist, who will do blood tests. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If your doctor diagnoses hepatitis B, you may get medicines to help fight it. Sometimes, people need to be hospitalized for a little while if they are too sick to eat or drink. Most people with hepatitis B feel better within 6 months.
Hepatitis (pronounced: hep-uh-tie-tiss) is a disease of the liver. It is usually caused by a virus, although it can also be caused by long-term overuse of alcohol or other toxins (poisons).
Although there are several different types of hepatitis, hepatitis B is a type that can move from one person to another through blood and other bodily fluids. It can be transmitted through sexual intercourse and through needles — such as those shared by intravenous drug or steroid users who have the virus, or tattoo needles that haven't been properly sterilized. A pregnant woman can also pass hepatitis B to her unborn baby. You cannot catch hepatitis B from an object, such as a toilet seat.
What Are the Symptoms?
Someone with hepatitis B may have symptoms similar to those caused by other viral infections, such as the flu — for example, tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, mild fever, and vomiting — as well as abdominal pain or pain underneath the right ribcage where the liver is.
Hepatitis B can also cause jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, and may cause the urine to appear brownish.
How Long Until Symptoms Appear?
Someone who has been exposed to hepatitis B may have symptoms 1 to 4 months later. Some people with hepatitis B don't notice symptoms until they become quite severe. Some have few or no symptoms, but even someone who doesn't notice any symptoms can still transmit the disease to others. Some people carry the virus in their bodies and are contagious for the rest of their lives.
What Can Happen?
Hepatitis B can be very dangerous to a person's health, leading to liver damage and an increased risk of liver cancer. Of babies born to women who have the hepatitis B virus, 90% will have the virus unless they receive a special immune injection and the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth.
How Is It Prevented?
Because hepatitis B can easily be transmitted through blood and most body fluids, it can be prevented by:
abstaining from sex (not having oral, vaginal, or anal sex)
always using latex condoms for all types of sexual intercourse
avoiding contact with an infected person's blood
not using intravenous drugs or sharing any drug paraphernalia
not sharing things like toothbrushes or razors
Tattoo parlors sometimes reuse needles without properly sterilizing them, so be sure to research and choose tattoo and piercing providers carefully.
To help prevent the spread of hepatitis B, health care professionals wear gloves at all times when in contact with blood or body fluids, and are usually required to be immunized against the hepatitis B virus.
There is an immunization (vaccine) against hepatitis B. The immunization is given as a series of three shots over a 6-month period. Newborn babies in the United States now routinely receive this immunization series. Teens who see their health care provider for yearly exams are also likely to be given the hepatitis B immunization if they haven't had it before. Immunization programs have been responsible for a significant drop in the number of cases of hepatitis B among teens over the past 10 years.
Sometimes, if someone has been recently exposed to the hepatitis B virus, a doctor may recommend a shot of immune globulin containing antibodies against the virus to try to prevent the person from coming down with the disease. For this reason, it's especially important to see a doctor quickly after any possible exposure to the virus.
How Is It Treated?
If you think you may have hepatitis B or if you have been intimate with someone who may have hepatitis B, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist, who will do blood tests. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If your doctor diagnoses hepatitis B, you may get medicines to help fight it. Sometimes, people need to be hospitalized for a little while if they are too sick to eat or drink. Most people with hepatitis B feel better within 6 months.
HIV and AIDS
What Is It?
AIDS is one of the most serious, deadly diseases in human history.
More than 20 years ago, doctors in the United States identified the first cases of AIDS in San Francisco and New York. Now there are an estimated 42 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide, and more than 3 million die every year from AIDS-related illnesses.
AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV destroys a type of defense cell in the body called a CD4 helper lymphocyte (pronounced: lim-fuh-site). These lymphocytes are part of the body's immune system, the defense system that fights infectious diseases. But as HIV destroys these lymphocytes, people with the virus begin to get serious infections that they normally wouldn't — that is, they become immune deficient. The name for this condition is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
As the medical community learns more about how HIV works, they've been able to develop drugs to inhibit it (meaning they interfere with its growth). These drugs have been successful in slowing the progress of the disease, and people with the disease now live much longer. But there is still no cure for HIV and AIDS.
Hundreds of U.S. teens become infected with HIV each year. HIV can be transmitted from an infected person to another person through blood, semen (also known as "cum," the fluid released from the penis when a male ejaculates), vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
The virus is spread through high-risk behaviors including:
unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sexual intercourse ("unprotected" means not using a condom)
sharing needles, such as needles used to inject drugs (including needles used for injecting steroids) and those used for tattooing
People who have another sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis are at greater risk for getting HIV during sex with infected partners.
If a woman with HIV is pregnant, her newborn baby can catch the virus from her before birth, during the birthing process, or from breastfeeding. If doctors know an expectant mother has HIV, they can usually prevent the spread of the virus from mother to baby. All pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV so they can begin treatment if necessary.
How Does HIV Affect the Body?
A healthy body is equipped with CD4 helper lymphocyte cells (CD4 cells). These cells help the immune system function normally and fight off certain kinds of infections. They do this by acting as messengers to other types of immune system cells, telling them to become active and fight against an invading germ.
HIV attaches to these CD4 cells, infects them, and uses them as a place to multiply. In doing so, the virus destroys the ability of the infected cells to do their job in the immune system. The body then loses the ability to fight many infections.
Because their immune systems are weakened, people who have AIDS are unable to fight off many infections, particularly tuberculosis and other kinds of otherwise rare infections of the lung (such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia), the surface covering of the brain (meningitis), or the brain itself (encephalitis). People who have AIDS tend to keep getting sicker, especially if they are not taking antiviral medications properly.
AIDS can affect every body system. The immune defect caused by having too few CD4 cells also permits some cancers that are stimulated by viral illness to occur — some people with AIDS get forms of lymphoma and a rare tumor of blood vessels in the skin called Kaposi's sarcoma. Because AIDS is fatal, it's important that doctors detect HIV infection as early as possible so a person can take medication to delay the onset of AIDS.
How Do People Know They Have HIV?
Once a person's blood lacks the number of CD4 cells required to fight infections, or the person has signs of specific illnesses or diseases that occur in people with HIV infection, doctors make a diagnosis of AIDS.
Severe symptoms of HIV infection and AIDS may not appear for 10 years. And for years leading up to that, a person may not have symptoms of AIDS. The amount of time it takes for symptoms of AIDS to appear varies from person to person. Some people may feel and look healthy for years while they are infected with HIV. It is still possible to infect others with HIV, even if the person with the virus has absolutely no symptoms. You cannot tell simply by looking at someone whether he or she is infected.
When a person's immune system is overwhelmed by AIDS, the symptoms can include:
extreme weakness or fatigue
rapid weight loss
frequent fevers that last for several weeks with no explanation
heavy sweating at night
swollen lymph glands
minor infections that cause skin rashes and mouth, genital, and anal sores
white spots in the mouth or throat
chronic diarrhea
a cough that won't go away
trouble remembering things
Girls may also experience severe vaginal yeast infections that don't respond to usual treatment, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
How Can It Be Prevented?
One of the reasons that HIV is so dangerous is that a person can have the virus for a long time without knowing it. That person can then spread the virus to others through high-risk behaviors. HIV transmission can be prevented by:
abstaining from sex (not having oral, vaginal, or anal sex)
always using latex condoms for all types of sexual intercourse
avoiding contact with the bodily fluids through which HIV is transmitted
never sharing needles
How Do Doctors Test for and Treat HIV?
If you think that you may have HIV or AIDS or if you have had a partner who may have HIV or AIDS, see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. He or she will talk with you and perform tests. The doctor may do a blood test or a swab of the inside of your cheek. Depending on what type of test is done, results may take from a few hours to several days. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
People can also get tested for HIV/AIDS at special AIDS clinics around the country. Clinics offer both anonymous (meaning the clinic doesn't know a person's name) and confidential (meaning they know who a person is but keep it private) testing. Most AIDS testing centers will ask you to follow up for counseling to get your results, whether the test is negative or positive.
If you're not sure how to find a doctor or get an AIDS test, you can contact the National AIDS Hotlines at (800) 342-AIDS (English) or (800) 344-7432 (Spanish). A specialist there will explain what you should do next.
There is no cure for AIDS, which makes prevention so important. Combinations of antiviral drugs and drugs that boost the immune system have allowed many people with HIV to resist infections, stay healthy, and prolong their lives, but these medications are not a cure. Right now there is no vaccine to prevent HIV and AIDS, although researchers are working on developing one.
AIDS is one of the most serious, deadly diseases in human history.
More than 20 years ago, doctors in the United States identified the first cases of AIDS in San Francisco and New York. Now there are an estimated 42 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide, and more than 3 million die every year from AIDS-related illnesses.
AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV destroys a type of defense cell in the body called a CD4 helper lymphocyte (pronounced: lim-fuh-site). These lymphocytes are part of the body's immune system, the defense system that fights infectious diseases. But as HIV destroys these lymphocytes, people with the virus begin to get serious infections that they normally wouldn't — that is, they become immune deficient. The name for this condition is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
As the medical community learns more about how HIV works, they've been able to develop drugs to inhibit it (meaning they interfere with its growth). These drugs have been successful in slowing the progress of the disease, and people with the disease now live much longer. But there is still no cure for HIV and AIDS.
Hundreds of U.S. teens become infected with HIV each year. HIV can be transmitted from an infected person to another person through blood, semen (also known as "cum," the fluid released from the penis when a male ejaculates), vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
The virus is spread through high-risk behaviors including:
unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sexual intercourse ("unprotected" means not using a condom)
sharing needles, such as needles used to inject drugs (including needles used for injecting steroids) and those used for tattooing
People who have another sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis are at greater risk for getting HIV during sex with infected partners.
If a woman with HIV is pregnant, her newborn baby can catch the virus from her before birth, during the birthing process, or from breastfeeding. If doctors know an expectant mother has HIV, they can usually prevent the spread of the virus from mother to baby. All pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV so they can begin treatment if necessary.
How Does HIV Affect the Body?
A healthy body is equipped with CD4 helper lymphocyte cells (CD4 cells). These cells help the immune system function normally and fight off certain kinds of infections. They do this by acting as messengers to other types of immune system cells, telling them to become active and fight against an invading germ.
HIV attaches to these CD4 cells, infects them, and uses them as a place to multiply. In doing so, the virus destroys the ability of the infected cells to do their job in the immune system. The body then loses the ability to fight many infections.
Because their immune systems are weakened, people who have AIDS are unable to fight off many infections, particularly tuberculosis and other kinds of otherwise rare infections of the lung (such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia), the surface covering of the brain (meningitis), or the brain itself (encephalitis). People who have AIDS tend to keep getting sicker, especially if they are not taking antiviral medications properly.
AIDS can affect every body system. The immune defect caused by having too few CD4 cells also permits some cancers that are stimulated by viral illness to occur — some people with AIDS get forms of lymphoma and a rare tumor of blood vessels in the skin called Kaposi's sarcoma. Because AIDS is fatal, it's important that doctors detect HIV infection as early as possible so a person can take medication to delay the onset of AIDS.
How Do People Know They Have HIV?
Once a person's blood lacks the number of CD4 cells required to fight infections, or the person has signs of specific illnesses or diseases that occur in people with HIV infection, doctors make a diagnosis of AIDS.
Severe symptoms of HIV infection and AIDS may not appear for 10 years. And for years leading up to that, a person may not have symptoms of AIDS. The amount of time it takes for symptoms of AIDS to appear varies from person to person. Some people may feel and look healthy for years while they are infected with HIV. It is still possible to infect others with HIV, even if the person with the virus has absolutely no symptoms. You cannot tell simply by looking at someone whether he or she is infected.
When a person's immune system is overwhelmed by AIDS, the symptoms can include:
extreme weakness or fatigue
rapid weight loss
frequent fevers that last for several weeks with no explanation
heavy sweating at night
swollen lymph glands
minor infections that cause skin rashes and mouth, genital, and anal sores
white spots in the mouth or throat
chronic diarrhea
a cough that won't go away
trouble remembering things
Girls may also experience severe vaginal yeast infections that don't respond to usual treatment, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
How Can It Be Prevented?
One of the reasons that HIV is so dangerous is that a person can have the virus for a long time without knowing it. That person can then spread the virus to others through high-risk behaviors. HIV transmission can be prevented by:
abstaining from sex (not having oral, vaginal, or anal sex)
always using latex condoms for all types of sexual intercourse
avoiding contact with the bodily fluids through which HIV is transmitted
never sharing needles
How Do Doctors Test for and Treat HIV?
If you think that you may have HIV or AIDS or if you have had a partner who may have HIV or AIDS, see your family doctor, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist. He or she will talk with you and perform tests. The doctor may do a blood test or a swab of the inside of your cheek. Depending on what type of test is done, results may take from a few hours to several days. Let the doctor know the best way to reach you confidentially with any test results.
People can also get tested for HIV/AIDS at special AIDS clinics around the country. Clinics offer both anonymous (meaning the clinic doesn't know a person's name) and confidential (meaning they know who a person is but keep it private) testing. Most AIDS testing centers will ask you to follow up for counseling to get your results, whether the test is negative or positive.
If you're not sure how to find a doctor or get an AIDS test, you can contact the National AIDS Hotlines at (800) 342-AIDS (English) or (800) 344-7432 (Spanish). A specialist there will explain what you should do next.
There is no cure for AIDS, which makes prevention so important. Combinations of antiviral drugs and drugs that boost the immune system have allowed many people with HIV to resist infections, stay healthy, and prolong their lives, but these medications are not a cure. Right now there is no vaccine to prevent HIV and AIDS, although researchers are working on developing one.
HIV Testing Resources
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The virus gets its name because it infects and damages part of the immune system — the body's natural defense system.
Often the only way to know if someone is infected with HIV is through testing. That's because people who are HIV positive may not know that they have the virus. Most of the signs that someone has HIV don't show up until that person has developed full-blown AIDS. By that point, the person is sicker and the disease can be harder to treat.
Here are the facts on what's involved in getting tested — and who should get tested for HIV and why.
Who Is at Risk?
The only known way for HIV to be transmitted from one person to another is when it is spread through the fluids from an infected person's body. Thousands of U.S. teens become infected with HIV each year.
When teens in the United States become infected with HIV, it usually happens in one of two ways:
By sharing needles used to inject drugs or other substances (including needles used for injecting steroids, and tattooing and body art). If the person who has used the needle is infected with HIV, his or her blood on the needle can infect anyone else who uses the same needle.
Through unprotected sex including anal, vaginal, and oral sex. This can happen when body fluids such as semen (cum), vaginal fluids, or blood from an infected person get into the body of someone who is not infected. Everyone who has unprotected sex with an infected person is at risk of contracting HIV, but people who already have another sexually transmitted disease (STD) are even more at risk.
Children can be infected with HIV if an infected pregnant woman passes the virus to her unborn child. Treating the mother and child around the time the baby is delivered, delivering by cesarean section, and avoiding breastfeeding can reduce the baby's risk of infection.
Reasons to Get Tested for HIV
If you have had unprotected sex (sex without a condom) or have shared needles with someone else, you might want to consider getting tested for HIV.
Early detection is key in fighting HIV and AIDS because:
There is no cure for HIV, so early detection allows a person to get medical treatment that can slow the advancement and effects of the disease.
Someone who learns he or she is infected can take the proper steps and precautions to prevent spreading the disease.
Couples who want to get pregnant can take action to try to prevent their baby from being born with HIV.
Another reason to get tested is peace of mind: A negative test result can be a big relief for someone who is worried that he or she might be infected.
What the Tests Do
Most HIV tests don't actually look for the virus itself; they look for the antibodies that indicate HIV is present in the body.
When someone has HIV, the body's immune system makes antibodies to fight the virus. Unlike the antibodies our immune systems make that successfully fight off other infections, the antibodies to HIV have no effect on the virus. But their presence in great numbers is what appears in test results. The antibodies take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to appear in detectable quantities. So when someone has an HIV test, it is not testing for an infection that could have occurred in the last 6 months.
Types of HIV Tests
EIA or ELISA Tests. These are the most common type of HIV test. Both tests have two phases and it generally takes 1–2 weeks to get the results. The first phase is the initial screening, which tests the blood sample for HIV antibodies. If the screening results come back positive, confirming the presence of HIV antibodies, the screening is repeated on the same sample.
Western Blot. If the EIA or ELISA test is positive for a second time, the results are always confirmed by another test called a Western blot. If both of these tests are positive, the person is almost certainly infected with the HIV virus. In rare cases, the EIA test can produce false positives when antibodies other than the HIV antibodies respond to the tests.
Rapid Tests. Rapid tests are the speedy alternative to the EIA and ELISA tests — and they're just as accurate. While a standard blood test takes between 1–2 weeks to return results, a rapid test is ready in just 20 minutes. Rapid tests are not available in a lot of places, and they are often costly. Just like with the EIA and ELISA tests, the rapid tests need to be confirmed with the Western blot test as well.
At-Home Tests. Many at-home testing kits are available over the counter or online, but only one of them, the Home Access kit, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Home Access test is available at most local drugstores and works in much the same way a home diabetes test works. The user pricks his or her finger and puts the blood on a specially prepared card. The card is then sent into a laboratory, where it is analyzed and the results are available (by phone with an anonymous identification number) in about 3 days. There is also a Home Access Express kit, which can provide anonymous results by the next business day. The Express kit is slightly more expensive than the 3-day kit. The Home Access test accurately identifies 99.5% of HIV negative blood samples, and 100% of known positive blood samples.
Where to Get Tested
People can get tested for HIV at a variety of different places, such as doctors' offices, health departments, hospitals, and sites that specialize in HIV testing. Some places, like certain clinics or hospitals, offer tests at little or no cost.
Anonymous Test Sites. An anonymous test site will never ask for a person's name or other identifying details. Instead, anyone being tested goes by a number and he or she is the only one who knows the results of the test. Although people go by numbers at anonymous sites, they aren't treated like just another number. Many anonymous sites have counselors available to talk with the person being tested, both before and after testing. No written record of the test result is kept at anonymous test sites.
Confidential Test Sites. Confidential testing means that at a certain point in the process the person being tested will need to identify themselves. The results may appear as a written report in his or her medical file.
Every state has different laws pertaining to HIV testing, so it's always a good idea to check to see what is available in a particular area.
If Test Results Are Positive
Someone who tests positive for HIV should:
Contact a doctor immediately to discuss ways to slow the progress of the infection. Often a doctor will do more tests to evaluate the status of the virus. A person with a positive test may want to talk to a doctor who is an HIV specialist.
Stop any activity that has an adverse affect on the body's immune system. These include excessive drinking, drug use, unhealthy eating, and smoking.
Have additional tests to look for the presence of other STDs and diseases. Because HIV weakens the immune system, an HIV-positive person's body may need more help fighting off other diseases.
People who discover they are HIV positive may feel frightened, isolated, afraid to talk to friends and family, or worried that they will be discriminated against or misunderstood. Talking to a counselor or other mental health professional can help them deal with these and other feelings.
Some health clinics that specialize in HIV and AIDS offer counseling services or know of support groups for those living with HIV. These safe environments offer a chance to discuss any fears and get answers to questions from people who care and understand what someone with HIV is going through.
There is no cure for HIV, but having the virus is not the death sentence it once was. Governments and scientists are putting a lot of money and research into treating — and, hopefully, eventually curing or immunizing people against — HIV. With treatments improving rapidly, people who find out they have the disease today can look forward to living a normal life for many years to come.
Often the only way to know if someone is infected with HIV is through testing. That's because people who are HIV positive may not know that they have the virus. Most of the signs that someone has HIV don't show up until that person has developed full-blown AIDS. By that point, the person is sicker and the disease can be harder to treat.
Here are the facts on what's involved in getting tested — and who should get tested for HIV and why.
Who Is at Risk?
The only known way for HIV to be transmitted from one person to another is when it is spread through the fluids from an infected person's body. Thousands of U.S. teens become infected with HIV each year.
When teens in the United States become infected with HIV, it usually happens in one of two ways:
By sharing needles used to inject drugs or other substances (including needles used for injecting steroids, and tattooing and body art). If the person who has used the needle is infected with HIV, his or her blood on the needle can infect anyone else who uses the same needle.
Through unprotected sex including anal, vaginal, and oral sex. This can happen when body fluids such as semen (cum), vaginal fluids, or blood from an infected person get into the body of someone who is not infected. Everyone who has unprotected sex with an infected person is at risk of contracting HIV, but people who already have another sexually transmitted disease (STD) are even more at risk.
Children can be infected with HIV if an infected pregnant woman passes the virus to her unborn child. Treating the mother and child around the time the baby is delivered, delivering by cesarean section, and avoiding breastfeeding can reduce the baby's risk of infection.
Reasons to Get Tested for HIV
If you have had unprotected sex (sex without a condom) or have shared needles with someone else, you might want to consider getting tested for HIV.
Early detection is key in fighting HIV and AIDS because:
There is no cure for HIV, so early detection allows a person to get medical treatment that can slow the advancement and effects of the disease.
Someone who learns he or she is infected can take the proper steps and precautions to prevent spreading the disease.
Couples who want to get pregnant can take action to try to prevent their baby from being born with HIV.
Another reason to get tested is peace of mind: A negative test result can be a big relief for someone who is worried that he or she might be infected.
What the Tests Do
Most HIV tests don't actually look for the virus itself; they look for the antibodies that indicate HIV is present in the body.
When someone has HIV, the body's immune system makes antibodies to fight the virus. Unlike the antibodies our immune systems make that successfully fight off other infections, the antibodies to HIV have no effect on the virus. But their presence in great numbers is what appears in test results. The antibodies take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to appear in detectable quantities. So when someone has an HIV test, it is not testing for an infection that could have occurred in the last 6 months.
Types of HIV Tests
EIA or ELISA Tests. These are the most common type of HIV test. Both tests have two phases and it generally takes 1–2 weeks to get the results. The first phase is the initial screening, which tests the blood sample for HIV antibodies. If the screening results come back positive, confirming the presence of HIV antibodies, the screening is repeated on the same sample.
Western Blot. If the EIA or ELISA test is positive for a second time, the results are always confirmed by another test called a Western blot. If both of these tests are positive, the person is almost certainly infected with the HIV virus. In rare cases, the EIA test can produce false positives when antibodies other than the HIV antibodies respond to the tests.
Rapid Tests. Rapid tests are the speedy alternative to the EIA and ELISA tests — and they're just as accurate. While a standard blood test takes between 1–2 weeks to return results, a rapid test is ready in just 20 minutes. Rapid tests are not available in a lot of places, and they are often costly. Just like with the EIA and ELISA tests, the rapid tests need to be confirmed with the Western blot test as well.
At-Home Tests. Many at-home testing kits are available over the counter or online, but only one of them, the Home Access kit, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Home Access test is available at most local drugstores and works in much the same way a home diabetes test works. The user pricks his or her finger and puts the blood on a specially prepared card. The card is then sent into a laboratory, where it is analyzed and the results are available (by phone with an anonymous identification number) in about 3 days. There is also a Home Access Express kit, which can provide anonymous results by the next business day. The Express kit is slightly more expensive than the 3-day kit. The Home Access test accurately identifies 99.5% of HIV negative blood samples, and 100% of known positive blood samples.
Where to Get Tested
People can get tested for HIV at a variety of different places, such as doctors' offices, health departments, hospitals, and sites that specialize in HIV testing. Some places, like certain clinics or hospitals, offer tests at little or no cost.
Anonymous Test Sites. An anonymous test site will never ask for a person's name or other identifying details. Instead, anyone being tested goes by a number and he or she is the only one who knows the results of the test. Although people go by numbers at anonymous sites, they aren't treated like just another number. Many anonymous sites have counselors available to talk with the person being tested, both before and after testing. No written record of the test result is kept at anonymous test sites.
Confidential Test Sites. Confidential testing means that at a certain point in the process the person being tested will need to identify themselves. The results may appear as a written report in his or her medical file.
Every state has different laws pertaining to HIV testing, so it's always a good idea to check to see what is available in a particular area.
If Test Results Are Positive
Someone who tests positive for HIV should:
Contact a doctor immediately to discuss ways to slow the progress of the infection. Often a doctor will do more tests to evaluate the status of the virus. A person with a positive test may want to talk to a doctor who is an HIV specialist.
Stop any activity that has an adverse affect on the body's immune system. These include excessive drinking, drug use, unhealthy eating, and smoking.
Have additional tests to look for the presence of other STDs and diseases. Because HIV weakens the immune system, an HIV-positive person's body may need more help fighting off other diseases.
People who discover they are HIV positive may feel frightened, isolated, afraid to talk to friends and family, or worried that they will be discriminated against or misunderstood. Talking to a counselor or other mental health professional can help them deal with these and other feelings.
Some health clinics that specialize in HIV and AIDS offer counseling services or know of support groups for those living with HIV. These safe environments offer a chance to discuss any fears and get answers to questions from people who care and understand what someone with HIV is going through.
There is no cure for HIV, but having the virus is not the death sentence it once was. Governments and scientists are putting a lot of money and research into treating — and, hopefully, eventually curing or immunizing people against — HIV. With treatments improving rapidly, people who find out they have the disease today can look forward to living a normal life for many years to come.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Pelvic inflammatory disease, sometimes called PID, is a progressive (meaning it becomes worse over time) infection of the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, or ovaries. Most girls develop PID as a result of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as chlamydia or gonorrhea.
In the United States, each year more than a million women will develop PID, with the highest infection rate amongst teenagers. Teen girls with multiple partners and those who don't use condoms are most likely to get STDs and are at risk for PID. If PID goes untreated, it can lead to internal scarring that can result in chronic pelvic pain, infertility, or a tubal pregnancy.
What Are the Symptoms of PID?
PID can cause severe symptoms or very mild to no symptoms. Teens who do have symptoms however, may experience:
pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
large amounts of foul-smelling or abnormally colored discharge
pain during sexual intercourse
heavier than normal periods
more painful periods with more cramps than usual
spotting between periods
chills, fever, and vomiting
increased tiredness
loss of appetite
backache and perhaps even difficulty walking
painful or more frequent urination
What Can Happen if You Get PID?
Any teen girl with symptoms of an STD should get medical care as soon as possible. An untreated STD has a greater chance of becoming PID.
If it is not treated or goes unrecognized, the PID can continue to spread through a girl's reproductive organs and may lead to long-term reproductive problems:
PID can cause scarring in a girl's ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus, and widespread scarring may lead to infertility (the inability to have a baby). A teen girl or woman who has had PID three times (or more) has an almost 50% chance of being infertile.
If someone who has had PID does get pregnant, scarring of the fallopian tubes may cause the fertilized egg to implant in one of the fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. The fetus would then begin to develop in the tube, where there is no room for it to keep growing. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. An untreated ectopic pregnancy could cause the fallopian tube to burst suddenly, which might lead to life-threatening bleeding in a pregnant woman.
Untreated PID also puts a woman at risk for a tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). A TOA is a collection of bacteria, pus, and fluid that occurs in the fallopian tube. It is most often seen in teens. A TOA is also more likely to occur in teens or adult women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs) as birth control. A teen girl with a TOA often looks sick and has a fever and pain that makes it difficult to walk. The abscess will be treated in the hospital with antibiotics, and surgery may be needed to remove it.
In the United States, each year more than a million women will develop PID, with the highest infection rate amongst teenagers. Teen girls with multiple partners and those who don't use condoms are most likely to get STDs and are at risk for PID. If PID goes untreated, it can lead to internal scarring that can result in chronic pelvic pain, infertility, or a tubal pregnancy.
What Are the Symptoms of PID?
PID can cause severe symptoms or very mild to no symptoms. Teens who do have symptoms however, may experience:
pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen
large amounts of foul-smelling or abnormally colored discharge
pain during sexual intercourse
heavier than normal periods
more painful periods with more cramps than usual
spotting between periods
chills, fever, and vomiting
increased tiredness
loss of appetite
backache and perhaps even difficulty walking
painful or more frequent urination
What Can Happen if You Get PID?
Any teen girl with symptoms of an STD should get medical care as soon as possible. An untreated STD has a greater chance of becoming PID.
If it is not treated or goes unrecognized, the PID can continue to spread through a girl's reproductive organs and may lead to long-term reproductive problems:
PID can cause scarring in a girl's ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus, and widespread scarring may lead to infertility (the inability to have a baby). A teen girl or woman who has had PID three times (or more) has an almost 50% chance of being infertile.
If someone who has had PID does get pregnant, scarring of the fallopian tubes may cause the fertilized egg to implant in one of the fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. The fetus would then begin to develop in the tube, where there is no room for it to keep growing. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. An untreated ectopic pregnancy could cause the fallopian tube to burst suddenly, which might lead to life-threatening bleeding in a pregnant woman.
Untreated PID also puts a woman at risk for a tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). A TOA is a collection of bacteria, pus, and fluid that occurs in the fallopian tube. It is most often seen in teens. A TOA is also more likely to occur in teens or adult women who use intrauterine devices (IUDs) as birth control. A teen girl with a TOA often looks sick and has a fever and pain that makes it difficult to walk. The abscess will be treated in the hospital with antibiotics, and surgery may be needed to remove it.
Genital Warts (HPV)
What Are They?
Genital warts are warts that are located near or in the genital areas. In a female, that means on or near the vulva (the outside genital area), vagina, cervix, or anus. In a male, that means near or on the penis, scrotum, or anus.
Warts appear as bumps or growths. They can be flat or raised, single or many, small or large. They tend to be whitish or flesh colored. They are not always easy to see with the naked eye, and many times a person with genital warts doesn't know that they are there.
Genital warts are caused by a group of viruses called HPV (short for human papillomavirus). There are more than 100 types of HPV. Some of them cause the regular kind of warts you see on people's hands and feet — these common warts usually are caused by types of viruses that are different from those that cause genital warts.
More than 30 types of HPV cause genital warts. Genital warts can be passed from person to person through intimate sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). In some rare cases, genital warts are transmitted from a mother to her baby during childbirth. You cannot catch genital warts from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
HPV infections are common in teens and young adults. As many as 1 in 2 people can have them. The more sexual partners someone has, the more likely it is that the person will get an HPV infection.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Most HPV infections have no signs or symptoms. So someone can be infected and pass the disease on to another person without knowing. However, some people do get visible warts.
People often don't have any symptoms from genital warts — the warts usually do not hurt or itch, which is one reason why people may not know they have them. Doctors can diagnose warts by examining the skin closely (sometimes with a magnifying glass) and using a special solution to make them easier to see. A Pap smear (a test that is performed during a gynecologic exam) and other tests can help diagnose an HPV infection.
Experts believe that when a wart is present, the virus is active and more likely to be contagious. When the wart disappears, the virus is still there but may be less likely to spread.
How Long Until You See the Symptoms?
A person who has been exposed to genital warts may have warts appear any time from several weeks to several months after exposure. Sometimes warts can take even longer to appear; the virus can live in the body for a very long time without causing any symptoms. Because many people who are infected with HPV don't show any symptoms, it's important for anyone who is having sex to get regular medical checkups.
What Can Happen?
Sometimes, if left untreated, genital warts may grow bigger and multiply. Often, they go away on their own without treatment — but this doesn't mean people can ignore genital warts. Some types of genital warts are especially worrisome for girls because HPV can cause problems with the cervix (the opening to the uterus that is located at the top of the vagina) that may lead to cervical cancer.
Since HPV can have such serious consequences, girls who have had sex should see a gynecologist, who can test for HPV with a Pap smear.
How Are Genital Warts Prevented?
The only surefire way to prevent genital warts is abstinence (the decision not to have sex). Teens who do have sex can get some protection by properly using a latex condom every time they have any form of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Condoms may not give complete protection because the virus can spread from the areas of the genitals not covered by the condom. Condoms also reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted infections as well as pregnancy.
The U.S. government recently approved a vaccine that protects against some of the strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.
How Are They Treated?
There is no cure that will get rid of the HPV virus completely. But treatments can reduce the number of warts — or help them go away faster. When the warts disappear, the HPV virus is still there, though it may not spread as easily. If you are having sex, think you may have genital warts, or if you have had a partner who may have genital warts, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist. If the warts are not obviously visible, doctors can detect the presence of HPV in girls through a Pap smear. Doctors can examine a guy to see if he has warts.
Your doctor will do an examination, make a diagnosis, and then provide treatment, if necessary. There are a number of different treatments. Depending on where the warts are located, how big they are, and how many there are, your doctor can treat them in several ways. Some genital warts can be treated by putting special medications on them. If warts are large, the doctor may carefully "freeze" them off by using a chemical or laser treatment to remove them.
Because HPV lives in the skin, warts can come back. So you may need to visit the doctor again. Anyone with whom you've had sex also should be checked for genital warts.
Not all bumps on a person's genitals are warts. Some can be pimples, some can be other types of infections or growths. An exam by a doctor can help determine what a bump is.
Almost everyone who gets a genital wart gets upset, and it's normal to be worried. Talk to your doctor or nurse about what it means to have HPV and what you can do.
Genital warts are warts that are located near or in the genital areas. In a female, that means on or near the vulva (the outside genital area), vagina, cervix, or anus. In a male, that means near or on the penis, scrotum, or anus.
Warts appear as bumps or growths. They can be flat or raised, single or many, small or large. They tend to be whitish or flesh colored. They are not always easy to see with the naked eye, and many times a person with genital warts doesn't know that they are there.
Genital warts are caused by a group of viruses called HPV (short for human papillomavirus). There are more than 100 types of HPV. Some of them cause the regular kind of warts you see on people's hands and feet — these common warts usually are caused by types of viruses that are different from those that cause genital warts.
More than 30 types of HPV cause genital warts. Genital warts can be passed from person to person through intimate sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). In some rare cases, genital warts are transmitted from a mother to her baby during childbirth. You cannot catch genital warts from a towel, doorknob, or toilet seat.
HPV infections are common in teens and young adults. As many as 1 in 2 people can have them. The more sexual partners someone has, the more likely it is that the person will get an HPV infection.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms?
Most HPV infections have no signs or symptoms. So someone can be infected and pass the disease on to another person without knowing. However, some people do get visible warts.
People often don't have any symptoms from genital warts — the warts usually do not hurt or itch, which is one reason why people may not know they have them. Doctors can diagnose warts by examining the skin closely (sometimes with a magnifying glass) and using a special solution to make them easier to see. A Pap smear (a test that is performed during a gynecologic exam) and other tests can help diagnose an HPV infection.
Experts believe that when a wart is present, the virus is active and more likely to be contagious. When the wart disappears, the virus is still there but may be less likely to spread.
How Long Until You See the Symptoms?
A person who has been exposed to genital warts may have warts appear any time from several weeks to several months after exposure. Sometimes warts can take even longer to appear; the virus can live in the body for a very long time without causing any symptoms. Because many people who are infected with HPV don't show any symptoms, it's important for anyone who is having sex to get regular medical checkups.
What Can Happen?
Sometimes, if left untreated, genital warts may grow bigger and multiply. Often, they go away on their own without treatment — but this doesn't mean people can ignore genital warts. Some types of genital warts are especially worrisome for girls because HPV can cause problems with the cervix (the opening to the uterus that is located at the top of the vagina) that may lead to cervical cancer.
Since HPV can have such serious consequences, girls who have had sex should see a gynecologist, who can test for HPV with a Pap smear.
How Are Genital Warts Prevented?
The only surefire way to prevent genital warts is abstinence (the decision not to have sex). Teens who do have sex can get some protection by properly using a latex condom every time they have any form of sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral, or anal sex). Condoms may not give complete protection because the virus can spread from the areas of the genitals not covered by the condom. Condoms also reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted infections as well as pregnancy.
The U.S. government recently approved a vaccine that protects against some of the strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.
How Are They Treated?
There is no cure that will get rid of the HPV virus completely. But treatments can reduce the number of warts — or help them go away faster. When the warts disappear, the HPV virus is still there, though it may not spread as easily. If you are having sex, think you may have genital warts, or if you have had a partner who may have genital warts, you need to see your doctor or gynecologist. If the warts are not obviously visible, doctors can detect the presence of HPV in girls through a Pap smear. Doctors can examine a guy to see if he has warts.
Your doctor will do an examination, make a diagnosis, and then provide treatment, if necessary. There are a number of different treatments. Depending on where the warts are located, how big they are, and how many there are, your doctor can treat them in several ways. Some genital warts can be treated by putting special medications on them. If warts are large, the doctor may carefully "freeze" them off by using a chemical or laser treatment to remove them.
Because HPV lives in the skin, warts can come back. So you may need to visit the doctor again. Anyone with whom you've had sex also should be checked for genital warts.
Not all bumps on a person's genitals are warts. Some can be pimples, some can be other types of infections or growths. An exam by a doctor can help determine what a bump is.
Almost everyone who gets a genital wart gets upset, and it's normal to be worried. Talk to your doctor or nurse about what it means to have HPV and what you can do.
How Do People Get AIDS?
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease that makes it difficult for the body to fight off infectious diseases. The human immunodeficiency virus known as HIV causes AIDS by infecting and damaging part of the body's defenses against infection, namely the white blood cells known as CD4 helper lymphocytes (pronounced: lim-fuh-sites).
The only known way for HIV to be transmitted from one person to another is when it is spread from the inside of an infected person's body to the inside of another person's body. This can happen when infected fluids - such as semen (also known as "cum," the fluid released from the penis when a male ejaculates), vaginal fluids, or blood - are passed from one person to another. A person can become infected even if only tiny amounts of these fluids are spread.
How does someone become infected? HIV can be spread through sexual intercourse if one of the partners has the virus. The virus can be spread through an infected person's blood, semen, and secretions from the cervix (part of a female's uterus) or vagina. HIV can travel to another person through cuts and sores on the penis, rectum (the last part of the intestine that connects to the anus), vagina, or skin around the genitals and probably the mouth and other mucous membranes. These cuts or sores are often so small that a person isn't even aware of them. Girls and guys who have a discharge (an abnormal fluid coming from the vagina or penis) or genital sores because they have a sexually transmitted disease are at increased risk for infection. HIV can be spread sexually from a man to a woman, a woman to a man, a man to a man, and a woman to a woman.
People who inject themselves with drugs also risk infecting themselves with HIV. Many people who use needles to take intravenous drugs or steroids share the needles with others. If a person with HIV shares a needle, he or she also shares the virus, which lives in the tiny amounts of blood attached to the needle. Sharing needles can also pass hepatitis and other serious infections to another person.
Also, a newborn baby is at risk of getting the HIV virus from his or her mother if she is infected. This can happen before the baby is born, during birth, or through breastfeeding. Pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV because infected women who receive treatment for HIV are much less likely to spread the virus to their babies. Babies born to mothers infected with HIV are also given special medicines to try to prevent HIV infection.
If you have never had sex and you don't inject drugs, you don't need to worry about whether you have HIV. But if you have had sex or are planning to in the future, HIV is definitely something you should be prepared to prevent. If you do have sex, using latex condoms properly every time can help protect you. Condoms work by providing a barrier to the body fluids that can be shared during sexual activity (including oral sex). Always follow the directions exactly and never use the same condom twice.
Asking people if they have HIV is not a reliable way of finding out whether they are infected. People may not answer truthfully. They may be embarrassed to tell you or may not want you to know. Or they may not even know they have the virus because it can take many years for symptoms to develop. An infected person will look healthy for many years and can still spread the virus. The most certain way of preventing HIV infection is by not having sex (abstinence) and by not sharing needles to do drugs.
There are many places you can get more information about HIV and AIDS, personal counseling, and, when appropriate, testing. Talk with your doctor about any concerns you might have.
Updated and reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: March 2005Originally reviewed by: Joseph Masci, MD
The only known way for HIV to be transmitted from one person to another is when it is spread from the inside of an infected person's body to the inside of another person's body. This can happen when infected fluids - such as semen (also known as "cum," the fluid released from the penis when a male ejaculates), vaginal fluids, or blood - are passed from one person to another. A person can become infected even if only tiny amounts of these fluids are spread.
How does someone become infected? HIV can be spread through sexual intercourse if one of the partners has the virus. The virus can be spread through an infected person's blood, semen, and secretions from the cervix (part of a female's uterus) or vagina. HIV can travel to another person through cuts and sores on the penis, rectum (the last part of the intestine that connects to the anus), vagina, or skin around the genitals and probably the mouth and other mucous membranes. These cuts or sores are often so small that a person isn't even aware of them. Girls and guys who have a discharge (an abnormal fluid coming from the vagina or penis) or genital sores because they have a sexually transmitted disease are at increased risk for infection. HIV can be spread sexually from a man to a woman, a woman to a man, a man to a man, and a woman to a woman.
People who inject themselves with drugs also risk infecting themselves with HIV. Many people who use needles to take intravenous drugs or steroids share the needles with others. If a person with HIV shares a needle, he or she also shares the virus, which lives in the tiny amounts of blood attached to the needle. Sharing needles can also pass hepatitis and other serious infections to another person.
Also, a newborn baby is at risk of getting the HIV virus from his or her mother if she is infected. This can happen before the baby is born, during birth, or through breastfeeding. Pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV because infected women who receive treatment for HIV are much less likely to spread the virus to their babies. Babies born to mothers infected with HIV are also given special medicines to try to prevent HIV infection.
If you have never had sex and you don't inject drugs, you don't need to worry about whether you have HIV. But if you have had sex or are planning to in the future, HIV is definitely something you should be prepared to prevent. If you do have sex, using latex condoms properly every time can help protect you. Condoms work by providing a barrier to the body fluids that can be shared during sexual activity (including oral sex). Always follow the directions exactly and never use the same condom twice.
Asking people if they have HIV is not a reliable way of finding out whether they are infected. People may not answer truthfully. They may be embarrassed to tell you or may not want you to know. Or they may not even know they have the virus because it can take many years for symptoms to develop. An infected person will look healthy for many years and can still spread the virus. The most certain way of preventing HIV infection is by not having sex (abstinence) and by not sharing needles to do drugs.
There are many places you can get more information about HIV and AIDS, personal counseling, and, when appropriate, testing. Talk with your doctor about any concerns you might have.
Updated and reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: March 2005Originally reviewed by: Joseph Masci, MD
Vaginal Yeast Infections
When Juanita was diagnosed with strep throat, her doctor prescribed an antibiotic to treat the infection. Juanita started to feel better soon after she took the medication — the pain in her throat subsided and her temperature returned to normal. But then she noticed an unusual discharge in her underwear. To make things worse, her vaginal area felt very itchy.
Juanita told her mom what was going on, and her mom took her back to the doctor's office. There, Juanita found out she had a yeast infection. Although she'd had been nervous about seeing a doctor for such a personal reason, she was relieved to find out that diagnosing and treating a yeast infection is simple and painless.
What Is a Yeast Infection?
A yeast infection, also known as candidiasis (pronounced: can-dih-die-uh-sis), is the name for a common infection caused by a type of yeast-like fungus called candida.
Yeast infections usually occur in warm, moist parts of the body, such as the mouth and moist areas of skin. When they cause an infection in the vagina, it is known as vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Candida can overgrow for many reasons. Stress, pregnancy, and illnesses that affect the immune system may allow yeast to multiply, as can certain medicines. These include some birth control pills and steroids. Or if you're taking antibiotics, such as for strep throat, the antibiotics can kill "good" bacteria that also live in the body and normally keep the growth of candida in the vagina in check. Yeast also can flourish if a girl's blood sugar is high. Girls who have diabetes that isn't controlled are at a higher risk for yeast infections.
Many girls find that yeast infections tend to show up right before they get their periods because of the hormonal changes that come with the menstrual cycle. Clothing (especially underwear) that is too tight or made of materials like nylon that trap heat and moisture might lead to yeast infections because yeast can thrive in this type of environment. And douching and using scented sanitary products can upset the healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina and make yeast infections more likely.
Yeast infections can happen to any girl, and they're not related to having sex — although they occasionally can be spread from one sexual partner to the other. This is quite rare, though, and the partner of someone who has a yeast infection does not automatically have to be treated. Yeast infections that are spread through sex are not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD). A doctor won't be able to tell how you got a yeast infection, but will be able to tell you if you really have one, and if so, how to treat it.
What Are the Symptoms of a Yeast Infection?
Common signs and symptoms of yeast infections include:
itching and irritation in the vagina
redness, swelling, or itching of the vulva (the folds of skin outside the vagina)
a thick, white discharge that can look like cottage cheese and is usually odorless, although it might smell like bread or yeast
pain or burning when urinating or during sex
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor or gynecologist. It's easy to confuse the symptoms of a yeast infection with those of some STDs and other vaginal infections. Your doctor can give you the right diagnosis.
Do Guys Get Yeast Infections?
Obviously, guys don't get vaginal yeast infections. But balanitis (pronounced: bal-uh-nie-tis), an infection of the head of the penis, can be caused by the same candida that causes infections in girls. Guys who have diabetes are more prone to this infection. A guy who gets balanitis may not have any symptoms or the tip of the penis may become red and sore or itchy. Some guys might have a slight discharge as well.
Guys who are not circumcised need to take extra care to clean properly beneath their foreskins. The warm, moist folds of the foreskin are the perfect environment for yeast infections to thrive. Keeping the area clean and dry may help prevent an infection, but if symptoms do show up, a trip to the doctor will solve the problem.
How Can I Prevent Yeast Infections?
What you wear — or don't wear — can help you avoid a yeast infection. Yeast grows best in a warm, moist environment: think wet bathing suits, tight jeans, and stretchy exercise gear. Nylon underwear, pantyhose, and other synthetic materials that trap moisture also make yeast infections more likely.
Some girls may react to certain dyes or perfumes in soaps, bath gels or lotions, sanitary products, and laundry detergents. When the reaction causes irritation, that can set the stage for a yeast infection. Your best bet is to steer clear of perfumed products and to use mild and fragrance-free products when possible.
To help keep your vaginal area dry, try switching to all-cotton underwear and make sure you carefully dry off after you shower. If you can, wear cotton underwear to bed or don't wear any, and always wash and thoroughly dry your underwear before wearing them. Don't lounge around in a wet bathing suit and avoid jeans or pantyhose that are too tight.
Don't take leftover antibiotics or someone else's antibiotics if you think you have an infection. Only take antibiotics when and how they're prescribed for you. And if you have diabetes, make sure you keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Do I Need to See a Doctor?
Treating a yeast infection is simple. But it's still important to visit your doctor for the right diagnosis, since other infections can cause similar symptoms but require different treatments. Your doctor might take a urine sample — to rule out a urinary tract infection — and some discharge from your vagina to examine under a microscope.
If you do have a yeast infection, your doctor will probably prescribe a pill to swallow or a vaginal cream or suppository. When you get home, follow all the directions on the package carefully. A suppository will come with an applicator to help you place the medicine inside your vagina, where it can begin to work.
All of these types of medication can clear up your symptoms in a couple of days and cure the infection within a week. It's important that you take the medicine for the whole time that your doctor prescribes. If you stop taking it too soon, the infection could come back.
The doctor may also prescribe a cream you can apply around the vagina to relieve itching. Some of these creams are available without a prescription in your local drugstore, but you shouldn't just buy a cream if you think you have a yeast infection. It's important to see a doctor for your diagnosis, because if you actually have another type of infection the problem could get worse if it is not properly treated. Also, over-the-counter medicine should not be used by anyone who is under 12 or pregnant.
Yeast infections can be annoying, especially if they happen regularly. To help avoid them, follow your doctor's advice, wear cotton underwear, and try to wear loose-fitting clothes. Your body will thank you.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: August 2006Originally reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Juanita told her mom what was going on, and her mom took her back to the doctor's office. There, Juanita found out she had a yeast infection. Although she'd had been nervous about seeing a doctor for such a personal reason, she was relieved to find out that diagnosing and treating a yeast infection is simple and painless.
What Is a Yeast Infection?
A yeast infection, also known as candidiasis (pronounced: can-dih-die-uh-sis), is the name for a common infection caused by a type of yeast-like fungus called candida.
Yeast infections usually occur in warm, moist parts of the body, such as the mouth and moist areas of skin. When they cause an infection in the vagina, it is known as vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Candida can overgrow for many reasons. Stress, pregnancy, and illnesses that affect the immune system may allow yeast to multiply, as can certain medicines. These include some birth control pills and steroids. Or if you're taking antibiotics, such as for strep throat, the antibiotics can kill "good" bacteria that also live in the body and normally keep the growth of candida in the vagina in check. Yeast also can flourish if a girl's blood sugar is high. Girls who have diabetes that isn't controlled are at a higher risk for yeast infections.
Many girls find that yeast infections tend to show up right before they get their periods because of the hormonal changes that come with the menstrual cycle. Clothing (especially underwear) that is too tight or made of materials like nylon that trap heat and moisture might lead to yeast infections because yeast can thrive in this type of environment. And douching and using scented sanitary products can upset the healthy balance of bacteria in the vagina and make yeast infections more likely.
Yeast infections can happen to any girl, and they're not related to having sex — although they occasionally can be spread from one sexual partner to the other. This is quite rare, though, and the partner of someone who has a yeast infection does not automatically have to be treated. Yeast infections that are spread through sex are not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD). A doctor won't be able to tell how you got a yeast infection, but will be able to tell you if you really have one, and if so, how to treat it.
What Are the Symptoms of a Yeast Infection?
Common signs and symptoms of yeast infections include:
itching and irritation in the vagina
redness, swelling, or itching of the vulva (the folds of skin outside the vagina)
a thick, white discharge that can look like cottage cheese and is usually odorless, although it might smell like bread or yeast
pain or burning when urinating or during sex
If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor or gynecologist. It's easy to confuse the symptoms of a yeast infection with those of some STDs and other vaginal infections. Your doctor can give you the right diagnosis.
Do Guys Get Yeast Infections?
Obviously, guys don't get vaginal yeast infections. But balanitis (pronounced: bal-uh-nie-tis), an infection of the head of the penis, can be caused by the same candida that causes infections in girls. Guys who have diabetes are more prone to this infection. A guy who gets balanitis may not have any symptoms or the tip of the penis may become red and sore or itchy. Some guys might have a slight discharge as well.
Guys who are not circumcised need to take extra care to clean properly beneath their foreskins. The warm, moist folds of the foreskin are the perfect environment for yeast infections to thrive. Keeping the area clean and dry may help prevent an infection, but if symptoms do show up, a trip to the doctor will solve the problem.
How Can I Prevent Yeast Infections?
What you wear — or don't wear — can help you avoid a yeast infection. Yeast grows best in a warm, moist environment: think wet bathing suits, tight jeans, and stretchy exercise gear. Nylon underwear, pantyhose, and other synthetic materials that trap moisture also make yeast infections more likely.
Some girls may react to certain dyes or perfumes in soaps, bath gels or lotions, sanitary products, and laundry detergents. When the reaction causes irritation, that can set the stage for a yeast infection. Your best bet is to steer clear of perfumed products and to use mild and fragrance-free products when possible.
To help keep your vaginal area dry, try switching to all-cotton underwear and make sure you carefully dry off after you shower. If you can, wear cotton underwear to bed or don't wear any, and always wash and thoroughly dry your underwear before wearing them. Don't lounge around in a wet bathing suit and avoid jeans or pantyhose that are too tight.
Don't take leftover antibiotics or someone else's antibiotics if you think you have an infection. Only take antibiotics when and how they're prescribed for you. And if you have diabetes, make sure you keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Do I Need to See a Doctor?
Treating a yeast infection is simple. But it's still important to visit your doctor for the right diagnosis, since other infections can cause similar symptoms but require different treatments. Your doctor might take a urine sample — to rule out a urinary tract infection — and some discharge from your vagina to examine under a microscope.
If you do have a yeast infection, your doctor will probably prescribe a pill to swallow or a vaginal cream or suppository. When you get home, follow all the directions on the package carefully. A suppository will come with an applicator to help you place the medicine inside your vagina, where it can begin to work.
All of these types of medication can clear up your symptoms in a couple of days and cure the infection within a week. It's important that you take the medicine for the whole time that your doctor prescribes. If you stop taking it too soon, the infection could come back.
The doctor may also prescribe a cream you can apply around the vagina to relieve itching. Some of these creams are available without a prescription in your local drugstore, but you shouldn't just buy a cream if you think you have a yeast infection. It's important to see a doctor for your diagnosis, because if you actually have another type of infection the problem could get worse if it is not properly treated. Also, over-the-counter medicine should not be used by anyone who is under 12 or pregnant.
Yeast infections can be annoying, especially if they happen regularly. To help avoid them, follow your doctor's advice, wear cotton underwear, and try to wear loose-fitting clothes. Your body will thank you.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: August 2006Originally reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
About Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Sexually transmitted diseases (also known as STDs and once called venereal diseases or VD) are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact. STDs can affect guys and girls of all ages and backgrounds who are having sex — it doesn't matter if they're rich or poor.
Unfortunately, STDs have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it's important to learn what you can do to protect yourself.
STDs are more than just an embarrassment. They're a serious health problem. If untreated, some STDs can cause permanent damage, such as infertility (the inability to have a baby) and even death (in the case of HIV/AIDS).
How STDs Spread
One reason STDs spread is because people think they need to have sexual intercourse to become infected. That's wrong. A person can get some STDs, like herpes or genital warts, through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area or sore. Another myth about STDs is that you can't get them if you have oral or anal sex. That's also wrong because the viruses or bacteria that cause STDs can enter the body through tiny cuts or tears in the mouth and anus, as well as the genitals.
STDs also spread easily because you can't tell whether someone has an infection. In fact, some people with STDs don't even know that they have them. These people are in danger of passing an infection on to their sex partners without even realizing it.
Some of the things that increase a person's chances of getting an STD are:
Sexual activity at a young age. The younger a person starts having sex, the greater his or her chances of becoming infected with an STD.
Lots of sex partners. People who have sexual contact — not just intercourse, but any form of intimate activity — with many different partners are more at risk than those who stay with the same partner.
Unprotected sex. Latex condoms are the only form of birth control that reduce your risk of getting an STD. Spermicides, diaphragms, and other birth control methods may help prevent pregnancy, but they don't protect a person against STDs.
Preventing and Treating STDs
As with many other diseases, prevention is key. It's much easier to prevent STDs than to treat them. The only way to completely prevent STDs is to abstain from all types of sexual contact. If someone is going to have sex, the best way to reduce the chance of getting an STD is by using a condom.
People who are considering having sex should get regular gynecological or male genital examinations. There are two reasons for this. First, these exams give doctors a chance to teach people about STDs and protecting themselves. And second, regular exams give doctors more opportunities to check for STDs while they're still in their earliest, most treatable stage.
In order for these exams and visits to the doctor to be helpful, people need to tell their doctors if they are thinking about having sex or if they have already started having sex. This is true for all types of sex — oral, vaginal, and anal.
Don't let embarrassment at the thought of having an STD keep you from seeking medical attention. Waiting to see a doctor may allow a disease to progress and cause more damage. If you think you may have an STD, or if you have had a partner who may have an STD, you should see a doctor right away.
If you don't have a doctor or prefer not to see your family doctor, you may be able to find a local clinic in your area where you can get an exam confidentially. Some national and local organizations operate STD hotlines staffed by trained specialists who can answer your questions and provide referrals. Calls to these hotlines are confidential. One hotline you can call for information is the National STD Hotline at 1-800-227-8922.
Not all infections in the genitals are caused by STDs. Sometimes people can get symptoms that seem very like those of STDs, even though they've never had sex. For girls, a yeast infection can easily be confused with an STD. Guys may worry about bumps on the penis that turn out to be pimples or irritated hair follicles. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you ever have questions about your sexual health.
For more information about the signs, symptoms, and treatments of some common STDs, click on the links below.
Chlamydia
Genital Herpes (HSV-2)
Genital Warts
Gonorrhea
Hepatitis B (HBV)
HIV and AIDS
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: March 2007
Unfortunately, STDs have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it's important to learn what you can do to protect yourself.
STDs are more than just an embarrassment. They're a serious health problem. If untreated, some STDs can cause permanent damage, such as infertility (the inability to have a baby) and even death (in the case of HIV/AIDS).
How STDs Spread
One reason STDs spread is because people think they need to have sexual intercourse to become infected. That's wrong. A person can get some STDs, like herpes or genital warts, through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area or sore. Another myth about STDs is that you can't get them if you have oral or anal sex. That's also wrong because the viruses or bacteria that cause STDs can enter the body through tiny cuts or tears in the mouth and anus, as well as the genitals.
STDs also spread easily because you can't tell whether someone has an infection. In fact, some people with STDs don't even know that they have them. These people are in danger of passing an infection on to their sex partners without even realizing it.
Some of the things that increase a person's chances of getting an STD are:
Sexual activity at a young age. The younger a person starts having sex, the greater his or her chances of becoming infected with an STD.
Lots of sex partners. People who have sexual contact — not just intercourse, but any form of intimate activity — with many different partners are more at risk than those who stay with the same partner.
Unprotected sex. Latex condoms are the only form of birth control that reduce your risk of getting an STD. Spermicides, diaphragms, and other birth control methods may help prevent pregnancy, but they don't protect a person against STDs.
Preventing and Treating STDs
As with many other diseases, prevention is key. It's much easier to prevent STDs than to treat them. The only way to completely prevent STDs is to abstain from all types of sexual contact. If someone is going to have sex, the best way to reduce the chance of getting an STD is by using a condom.
People who are considering having sex should get regular gynecological or male genital examinations. There are two reasons for this. First, these exams give doctors a chance to teach people about STDs and protecting themselves. And second, regular exams give doctors more opportunities to check for STDs while they're still in their earliest, most treatable stage.
In order for these exams and visits to the doctor to be helpful, people need to tell their doctors if they are thinking about having sex or if they have already started having sex. This is true for all types of sex — oral, vaginal, and anal.
Don't let embarrassment at the thought of having an STD keep you from seeking medical attention. Waiting to see a doctor may allow a disease to progress and cause more damage. If you think you may have an STD, or if you have had a partner who may have an STD, you should see a doctor right away.
If you don't have a doctor or prefer not to see your family doctor, you may be able to find a local clinic in your area where you can get an exam confidentially. Some national and local organizations operate STD hotlines staffed by trained specialists who can answer your questions and provide referrals. Calls to these hotlines are confidential. One hotline you can call for information is the National STD Hotline at 1-800-227-8922.
Not all infections in the genitals are caused by STDs. Sometimes people can get symptoms that seem very like those of STDs, even though they've never had sex. For girls, a yeast infection can easily be confused with an STD. Guys may worry about bumps on the penis that turn out to be pimples or irritated hair follicles. That's why it's important to see a doctor if you ever have questions about your sexual health.
For more information about the signs, symptoms, and treatments of some common STDs, click on the links below.
Chlamydia
Genital Herpes (HSV-2)
Genital Warts
Gonorrhea
Hepatitis B (HBV)
HIV and AIDS
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Pubic Lice (Crabs)
Syphilis
Trichomoniasis
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MDDate reviewed: March 2007
I'm a Guy . . . So How Come I'm Developing Breasts?
Ah, puberty. It can be a very interesting time in a guy's life, what with all the changes going on. In fact, it seems like every day something on your body grows bigger or hair begins sprouting somewhere. Each day brings a new change or two, and it can sometimes feel like it's hard to keep up.
It doesn't happen to every guy, but one of these changes can be the development of breast tissue. It's called gynecomastia (pronounced: guy-nuh-ko-mas-tee-uh) and it's completely normal — and almost always temporary. So how exactly does a guy happen to develop breast tissue?
What Is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a condition in which breast tissue forms in guys, usually due to normal hormonal changes during puberty. Hormones are chemicals produced by your body's glands. In a guy, hormones produced in the testicles are responsible for the physical changes that begin to take place during puberty — facial hair, muscle development, a deepening of the voice, and the lengthening of the penis, for example. Guys and girls produce both androgens (hormones that help develop and maintain male characteristics) and estrogen (a hormone that is responsible for most female characteristics).
Guys have mostly androgens in their systems, but they also have small amounts of estrogen. In girls, breast growth is caused by high levels of estrogen. Normally, when going through puberty, a guy's production of androgens increases significantly, whereas estrogen production remains low.
However, sometimes guys produce enough estrogen during puberty that some breast tissue develops. Breast tissue growth in guys can appear on one or both sides of the chest, and the breast area can feel tender. This doesn't mean you're turning into a girl or anything. It's just a minor change in your hormones as you begin to grow into adulthood.
It's estimated that about half of all males going through puberty experience some degree of gynecomastia in one or both breasts. Gynecomastia is almost always a temporary condition, and it's very unusual for the breasts to stay developed — they will eventually flatten out completely within a few months to a couple of years. It usually goes away on its own and no medical treatment or surgery is needed.
Even though it's just a temporary change for most teens, some guys with gynecomastia feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their appearance. Many guys find that wearing loose-fitting shirts helps make the condition less noticeable until the breast tissue shrinks over time. Surgical removal of the breast tissue is an option in some cases. If a guy finds his gynecomastia is bothering him, he can talk to a doctor about it.
Although the most common cause of gynecomastia is puberty, it can sometimes be caused by certain diseases or side effects of some medications. Using illegal drugs such as anabolic steroids, marijuana, or heroin can also disrupt hormonal balance and lead to gynecomastia.
There's also something called pseudogynecomastia (or false gynecomastia). This has nothing to do with puberty or hormones. It's just simply due to the fact that some guys have extra fat in the chest area, making it look like they have breasts. A doctor's exam can tell whether a guy has gynecomastia or pseudogynecomastia.
If you're concerned or have any questions about gynecomastia, talk to your doctor. Keep in mind that temporary breast tissue growth in guys is a common part of puberty that will usually go away on its own.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: January 2007
It doesn't happen to every guy, but one of these changes can be the development of breast tissue. It's called gynecomastia (pronounced: guy-nuh-ko-mas-tee-uh) and it's completely normal — and almost always temporary. So how exactly does a guy happen to develop breast tissue?
What Is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a condition in which breast tissue forms in guys, usually due to normal hormonal changes during puberty. Hormones are chemicals produced by your body's glands. In a guy, hormones produced in the testicles are responsible for the physical changes that begin to take place during puberty — facial hair, muscle development, a deepening of the voice, and the lengthening of the penis, for example. Guys and girls produce both androgens (hormones that help develop and maintain male characteristics) and estrogen (a hormone that is responsible for most female characteristics).
Guys have mostly androgens in their systems, but they also have small amounts of estrogen. In girls, breast growth is caused by high levels of estrogen. Normally, when going through puberty, a guy's production of androgens increases significantly, whereas estrogen production remains low.
However, sometimes guys produce enough estrogen during puberty that some breast tissue develops. Breast tissue growth in guys can appear on one or both sides of the chest, and the breast area can feel tender. This doesn't mean you're turning into a girl or anything. It's just a minor change in your hormones as you begin to grow into adulthood.
It's estimated that about half of all males going through puberty experience some degree of gynecomastia in one or both breasts. Gynecomastia is almost always a temporary condition, and it's very unusual for the breasts to stay developed — they will eventually flatten out completely within a few months to a couple of years. It usually goes away on its own and no medical treatment or surgery is needed.
Even though it's just a temporary change for most teens, some guys with gynecomastia feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their appearance. Many guys find that wearing loose-fitting shirts helps make the condition less noticeable until the breast tissue shrinks over time. Surgical removal of the breast tissue is an option in some cases. If a guy finds his gynecomastia is bothering him, he can talk to a doctor about it.
Although the most common cause of gynecomastia is puberty, it can sometimes be caused by certain diseases or side effects of some medications. Using illegal drugs such as anabolic steroids, marijuana, or heroin can also disrupt hormonal balance and lead to gynecomastia.
There's also something called pseudogynecomastia (or false gynecomastia). This has nothing to do with puberty or hormones. It's just simply due to the fact that some guys have extra fat in the chest area, making it look like they have breasts. A doctor's exam can tell whether a guy has gynecomastia or pseudogynecomastia.
If you're concerned or have any questions about gynecomastia, talk to your doctor. Keep in mind that temporary breast tissue growth in guys is a common part of puberty that will usually go away on its own.
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: January 2007
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