Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are nothing to joke around with. Younger people today, ages ranging from 19-22, are most at risk for contracting a STD. This is alarming since this includes all undergraduate students in college. Many individuals today are naive believing there’s no way they would get a sexual disease. All of their friends are safe, right? The harsh truth is not necessarily. Not even condoms are 100% protective against sexually transmitted diseases since lesions on the genitalia may not be covered by a condom. The only answer to completely be safe is to practice abstinence. However, younger people especially are having sex, so it’s best to practice safe sex than scold your child on remaining a virgin forever. It is safe to have one partner, knowing they have been tested negative for any sexual diseases. The use of condoms helps protect against STDs and pregnancy. Making logical decisions will help anyone when it comes to sex.

STDs have been rising throughout the years. Gonorrhea is one of the more commonly reported sexually transmitted infections. It has become a greater threat due to it’s increasing ability to become resistant to antimicrobial medications. Gonorrhea grows in the cervix, fallopian tubes, and other parts of the genital tract leading to pain and inflammation. Gonorrhea has increased 126% from 2007 to 2018, behind Chlamydia which increased 149%. These numbers are very disturbing and should raise alarm in anyone how is sexually active. There was also a shift towards males, seen more drastically with gonorrhea. This shift starting to occur around 2013. Due to the increasing threat of this disease, combination therapy must be administered. Prevention depends on the individual, whether they are abstinent, have monogamous relationships, and use condoms correctly. There is no current vaccine to help prevent the disease.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is another common sexually transmitted infection. Some strains are known to cause warts of both the external and internal genitalia while others may cause lesions. Lesions of mucosal surfaces along the cervix are a major cause leading to cervical cancer. There is a vaccine, Gardasil 9, available to help protect against HPV 16 and 18, responsible for around 70% of cancers according to my microbiology textbook. A single dose of the HPV vaccine has been shown to work as well as the multiple doses to protect teen girls. The risk of preinvasive cervical disease was 36% lower in individuals given one dose, 28% lower given two dose, and 34% lower after being given three doses. Parents need to educate themselves on this disease, along with many others, to see how high of a need their is for them to vaccinate their children. Getting the HPV vaccine, even one dose, will have an impact on a child and provide long-term protection against cervical cancer. If there is a vaccination available there should be no reason to not give them to your child, providing any type of protection.