What do you know about STDS? (Teen health issue: infectious diseases * microbes).QUIZ Think you know the facts about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)? Test yourself with this true-or-false quiz. Then read the answers, right. 1. Most sexually active teens say they aren't worried about getting an STD. True -- False -- 2. STDs mostly infect adult men and women. True -- False -- 3. People who use birth control can't catch STDs. True -- False -- 4. Most people who have STDs don't know it because they look and feel perfectly healthy. True -- False -- 5. Nothing can cure STDs. True -- False -- Around 15 million people in the U.S. catch sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted diseases Infections that are acquired and transmitted by sexual contact. Although virtually any infection may be transmitted during intimate contact, the term sexually transmitted disease is restricted to conditions that are largely (STDs) each year. How many of these people are teens? About 3.75 million. Take the self-quiz, left, before you read the answers. 1. False Surveys show two-thirds of sexually active teens are worried about catching STDs. No wonder: "One in four sexually active teens will get STDs this year," says Dr. Stuart Berman, an STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialing) Long distance dialing outside of the U.S. that does not require operator intervention. STD prefix codes are required and billing is based on call units, which are a fixed amount of money in the currency of that country. expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. (CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation ). "But most teens think, `I won't be the one.' They're probably wrong." STDs are equal-opportunity infectors. "Who gets STDs? The majority of people who are sexually active and have multiple partners are going to get STDs," says Berman. 2. False Although any sexually active person can catch an STD, teen girls are most vulnerable. "When you're a girl, the cells on the surface of your cervix cervix /cer·vix/ (ser´viks) pl. cer´vices [L.] 1. neck. 2. the front portion of the neck. 3. cervix uteri. [opening at bottom of uterus] change over time," Berman says. "The cells most susceptible to STDs are more exposed when you're young." Also, during sex, fluids that harbor viruses and bacteria linger inside the female genital tract genital tract n. The genital passages of the urogenital system. Genital tract The organs involved in reproduction. . That makes infection more likely--particularly with highly infectious bacteria (single-celled organisms) like chlamydia chlamydia (kləmĭd`ēə), genus of microorganisms that cause a variety of diseases in humans and other animals. Psittacosis, or parrot fever, caused by the species Chlamydia psittaci, and gonorrhea gonorrhea (gŏnərē`ə), common infectious disease caused by a bacterium (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), involving chiefly the mucous membranes of the genitourinary tract. (diseases that infect genital tissue). Chlamydia, by far the most. common STD, can leave its victims infertile in·fer·tile adj. Not capable of initiating, sustaining, or supporting reproduction. infertile, adj unable to produce offspring. to (unable to bear children). Often girls and women don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. they have chlamydia because they show no symptoms--yet the infection can spread within the body. If they don't seek antibiotic (bacteria-killing medicine) treatment, the bacteria invade the uterus and fallopian tubes Fallopian tubes The narrow ducts leading from a woman's ovaries to the uterus. After an egg is released from the ovary during ovulation, fertilization (the union of sperm and egg) normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. , two spaghetti-like branches that connect the uterus to the egg-producing ovaries Ovaries The female sex organs that make eggs and female hormones. Mentioned in: Choriocarcinoma ovaries (ō´v . The dire result: pelvic inflammatory disease pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), infection of the female reproductive organs, usually resulting from infection with the bacteria that cause chlamydia or gonorrhea. (PID (1) (Process IDentifier) A temporary number assigned by the operating system to a process or service. (2) (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) The most common control methodology in process control. ), a painful condition that scars the fallopian tubes for life. 3. False Abstinence (not having sex) is the only foolproof protection against STDs. Only one form of birth control--latex condoms--can help reduce the spread of STDs. Latex condoms prevent body fluids that carry STD-causing bacteria and viruses from passing between people during sex. "But condoms are not a guarantee at all," says Dr. Robert Johnson Robert Johnson may refer to:
4. True Many STDs have no noticeable symptoms "Most people who have one, don't know it's there," says Berman. "That's why they spread to so many people." How to tell if you have an STD? Get tested! "Anyone who's sexually active should be tested on a regular basis: every six months or once a year," Johnson says. Telltale symptoms include discharge or bleeding from the penis or vagina, painful urination urination Process of excreting urine from the bladder (see urinary system). Nerve centres in the spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebral cortex control it through involuntary and voluntary muscles. The need to void is felt when the bladder holds 3. , lower abdominal pain Abdominal pain can be one of the symptoms associated with transient disorders or serious disease. Making a definitive diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain can be difficult, because many diseases can result in this symptom. Abdominal pain is a common problem. , or rashes, blisters, sores, or itching in the genital area or mouth. 5. False There's no known cure for viral infections like HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. (the human immunodeficiency virus human immunodeficiency virus n. HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) A transmissible retrovirus that causes AIDS in humans. that causes AIDS), HPV HPV human papillomavirus. HPV abbr. human papilloma virus Human papilloma virus (HPV) (the human papilloma virus human papilloma virus n. Abbr. HPV A DNA virus of the genus Papillomavirus, certain types of which cause cutaneous and genital warts in humans, including condyloma acuminatum. that causes genital warts genital warts: see human papillomavirus. ), or herpes. But doctors can prescribe medicines that help reduce uncomfortable symptoms. Bacterial STDs like chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotic treatment. But just because an STD can be cured doesn't mean it's okay to let your guard down. "The more times you catch an STD, the more likely it is to do something bad--like damaging reproductive organs Reproductive organs The group of organs (including the testes, ovaries, and uterus) whose purpose is to produce a new individual and continue the species. Mentioned in: Choriocarcinoma ," Berman says. "So prevent getting it the first time." [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES IT DO?
Chlamydia Sexually active teens
face a 45 percent chance
Chlamydia of being exposed to
trachomatis chlamydia. The bacteria
is a parasitic infect the layer of
bacterium that epithelial cells that line
lives off host the male and female
cells. urethra (canal carrying
urine from bladder to
outside) and the female
cervix (uterine opening).
Gonorrhea It spreads via sexual
contact and thrives in
Caused by the moist, warm body areas.
bacterium Infection inflames the
Neisseria lining of the genital tract
gonorrhoeae, it's and urethra. Burning
also called urination and genital
"the clap." discharge may appear
in 2 to 10 days. But
women often show
no symptoms.
Herpes Both are easy to catch
and have similar symp-
Caused by two toms. Herpes can spread
viruses--herpes merely by rubbing against
simplex 1 and 2 an infected person, with
(HSV-1, HSV-2). or without a condom. It
causes recurring blisters
on the genitals or mouth.
Human HIV attacks the immune
Immunodeficiency system. As other
Virus (HIV) infections take over the
body, AIDS results. It can
Spreads when take 10 years for HIV to
HIV-infected produce AIDS symptoms.
body fluids enter
the bloodstream.
Human The virus causes flesh-
Papilloma-Virus colored cauliflower-like
(HPV) bumps on the genitals or
mouth: They're soft to
There are 30 the touch, may itch, and
strains of HPV; may cluster in masses.
it causes warts
on the feet,
hands, and
genitals.
WHAT IS IT? STATS TREATMENT
Chlamydia Nearly 650,000 cases Treated with
were reported to antibiotics--
Chlamydia the CDC in 1999. usually
trachomatis But every year, tetracycline
is a parasitic millions of cases or doxycycline--
bacterium that go unreported and the infection
lives off host untreated. Three out is easily cured.
cells. of four cases strike But once you've
people under 25. had it, you're
Teen girls have the prone to
highest infection re-infection.
rates.
Gonorrhea An estimated With adequate
650,000 cases occur doses of anti-
Caused by the each year in the biotics like
bacterium U.S.--nearly 75 per- penicillin, the
Neisseria cent in people aged cure rate
gonorrhoeae, it's 15 to 29. Highest is over
also called rates of infection: 90
"the clap." 15- to 19-year-old per-
women and 20- to cent.
24-year-old men.
Herpes About 45 million No
Americans have cure. Your
Caused by two herpes, and 500,000 doctor may
viruses--herpes contract it each prescribe
simplex 1 and 2 year. Once you drugs to
(HSV-1, HSV-2). contract the herpes reduce the pain
virus, you have it and frequency
for life. of outbreaks.
Human 5,580 American No cure, but
Immunodeficiency teens (13-19 years drugs slow
Virus (HIV) old) have HIV, and the progress
4,061 have AIDS. of HIV.
Spreads when More than 450,000
HIV-infected Americans now live
body fluids enter with HIV or AIDS.
the bloodstream.
Human Up to one-third of No cure, but the
Papilloma-Virus all sexually active warts can heal
(HPV) American teens by themselves.
have genital HPV Doctors freeze,
There are 30 infections. Nearly burn, cut, or
strains of HPV; 5.5 million Americans laser them off. In
it causes warts catch genital HPV one of three
on the feet, each year. cases, the warts
hands, and regrow.
genitals.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Planned
Parenthood
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lesson Plans [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Did You Know? * Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD, but genital warts (HPV: human papilloma virus) is probably more widespread. * Condoms do not provide complete protection against HPV and herpes because the viruses "shed" beyond the condom-covered area. * Infection rates for syphilis, a bacterial STD, are at an all-time low, creating a unique but narrow window of opportunity to eliminate the disease in the U.S. Cross-Curricular Connection History: At one time, syphilis was a notorious and deadly STD. Research the history of the disease and discover the famous historical figures who suffered from it. National Science Education Standards The National Science Education Standards (NSES) are a set of guidelines for the science education in primary and secondary schools in the United States, as established by the National Research Council in 1996. Grades 5-8: risks and benefits * personal health * reproduction and heredity heredity, transmission from generation to generation through the process of reproduction in plants and animals of factors which cause the offspring to resemble their parents. That like begets like has been a maxim since ancient times. * structure and function in living systems Grades 9-12: natural and human-induced hazards * the cell * personal and community health Resources On the Teen Scene: Preventing STDs www.fda.gov/opacom/catalog/ots_stds.html "Microbes That Maim: A teenager's stomachache stom·ach·ache n. Pain in the stomach or abdomen. stomachache Vox populi Gastralgia proves a diagnostic puzzle--and a cautionary tale A cautionary tale is a traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. ," Sheri Fink, Discover, February 2001. CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING Name: -- Directions: Read the article on STDs and study the charts and tables. Then answer the following page 14 What Do You Know About STDs? Directions: Read the article on STDs and study the charts and tables. Then answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. If a person tests positive for one STD, what can be done to cure it? 2. Which STDs should sexually active teen girls ask to be tested for? Which STDs are teen girls more likely to contract? Why? 3. How many STDs on the chart are caused by viruses? Which ones are they? Based on the data provided, which is contracted by the most people per year? 4. What symptoms would suggest herpes? What is the treatment for the infection? ANSWERS What Do You Know About STDs? 1. Chlamydia and gonorrhea can be cured because they're both bacterial infections, which can be wiped out by bacteria-destroying antibiotic drugs. Herpes, HPV, and H1V cannot be cured, but doctors can prescribe medicines to ease the symptoms. 2. They should have their doctors test them for all STDs. Teen girls have tile highest infection rates in the U.S. population for both chlamydia and gonhorrea; one reason: the cells of teen girl's immature cervixes are especially vulnerable to the bacteria that cause the diseases. 3. Three viral STDs are listed: Herpes, HIV, and HPV. Based on the data, HPV is caught by the most people: 5.5 million Americans per year. 4. Recurring painful blisters around the mouth or genitals are symptoms of herpes. Once you catch the virus you have it for life, but certain medicines can relieve the symptoms. |
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