Pink Prescriptions - February 2018
The Unspoken Truth - STDs: New and Old Players
Sexually transmitted diseases, or more appropriately renamed sexually transmitted infections (STI) are bacteria and viruses transmitted through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. The most common are chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma genitalium, genital herpes (HSV), genital warts (HPV), hepatitis B/C, syphilis, trichomoniasis and HIV.
Human papilloma virus (HPV) has been around for a while but rarely discussed until recently. HPV has gained a lot of attention since vaccines have been developed to target the most high-risk types, which can cause cervical cancer. The vaccine is available to both males and females from ages 9-26. The reason to vaccinate is so when a child does become sexually active in the future, the immune system will be ready—the same idea behind most vaccines given to infants. Studies have shown that after a college female’s first sexual experience there is a 29 percent chance she will acquire some type of HPV and after three years about 50 percent will be infected.