The fast transforming lifestyles especially with regards to an individual’s sexual way of life and the increasing use of contraceptives - particularly oral - have put in the back burner the age-old self-control among women.

REASONS FOR THE RISE OF STD CASES

The problem is compounded due to the spread of resistant clones of certain bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other agents responsible for broadcasting many ailments including the STDs.

This single factor has led to an explosion of HIV-1 (the AIDS virus) to the Americas and Europe from Africa in the late 1970s. For instance, studies have shown that there has been a global dissemination of the drug-resistant bacteria - gonococci - which resists penicillin. This fact has also thrown light on the misuse of antibiotics.

This has put up hurdles between the patients and the physicians. The former is now rather reticent in divulging even to the doctor his/her finer and private aspects of sexual topics which otherwise are important for the physician to correctly diagnose the nature of the STIs or STDs. As a consequence thereof, government funding to check STDs always comes a cropper.

STD INCIDENCE HIGH ACROSS THE WORLD

Notwithstanding the advancement in science and technology and also medical researches, the fact remains that the number of patients suffering from STDs is on the rise. In the last three decades, there have been lots of breakthroughs in therapeutic and diagnostic arena concerning STIs and STDs.

This has resulted in the discovery of medications that can halt the STIs or the STDs from spreading. Still, the viruses, protozoa, bacteria and fungi carrying the STIs have been developing immunity from the medications.

MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS: HARD FACTS

The latest World Health Organization (WHO) studies say that two million people fall prey to STI daily. More than 60 percent of these people fall in the less-than-25-year age group. What is more, among them 30 percent are in the below-20-year-age bracket. STDs occur more among the girls than the boys. This is more prominent among the people in the 14-19-age group. The girl to boy ratio in this age bracket is 2:1. The incidences equalize as the sexes attain 20 years.

COMMON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Across the world, the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among the sexually hyperactive adolescent girls are four. These are herpes simplex virus, Trichomonas vaginalis, syphilis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and chlamydia trachomatis.

Herpes simplex virus affects 15-25 percent of these adolescents; Trichomonas vaginalis attacks 10-19 percent of such adolescents; 0-5 percent of the hyperactive adolescents fall prey to syphilis; Neisseria gonorrhoeae strikes 4-20 percent of this group of people; and 15-20 percent of such young people suffer from chlamydia trachomatis.

On the other hand, the restless adolescent sexually active boys suffer from the following two STDs: N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis. They may not have any indication of urethritis, though. Approximately, four-eight percent of the adolescent boys fall prey to N. gonorrhoeae while 11-15 percent of such young men are attacked by trachomatis.

STI CAN BROADCAST SANS EJACULATION

Notably, neither ejaculation nor the sexual act in itself is responsible for STIs. However, certain sexual acts via some portions promote the passage of the bodily fluids. These portions of the human body remain moist. Such clammy regions or porous membranes are present in the eyes, throat, mouth, anus and the vagina.

The soggy environment is the perfect habitat for the viruses, fungi, protozoa, and bacteria that cause the STIs. These agents dwell and also breed in such damp places of the human body.

MUCUS MEMBRANES SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR STI TRANSMISSION

The transmission of STIs takes place through the mucus membranes of these regions. The mucus membranes are quite different form the skin, though.

These mucus membranes allow certain pathogens to pass through them. Some of these mushy do not produce any mucus.

LIPS & PENIS HEAD: SPECIAL CASES

Mention may be made of the lips of the mouth and the penis head. Therefore, the STIs can easily get broadcast when any of the aforementioned areas comes into contact with a similar portion of an affected person.

The carrier would be the mixture of the bodily fluids while the means would be the mucus membranes.

UNSHIELDED SEX: SUREST MEANS OF TRANSMITTING STI

So unshielded or unprotected oral, anal or even vaginal sex between an infected an uninfected person can transmit the STI or even the STD to the normal person.

The point to remember is that the union and friction of the mucus membranes of the moist male and the female organs during the sexual act provide an easy passage for the admixture of bodily fluids.

SECURITY FROM STI & STD

The surest and also the safest means to not contract STIs and therefore STDs is to avoid sex totally. But that may be an impossible task for many.

So the other alternative is to go for ‘shielded’ sex. The condom can be the best way of ensuring a person does not contract the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and thus keep STDs at bay. Besides, one should avoid heterosexual relationships. Above all, a sexually active person should always have regular medical check-ups insofar as the STIs are concerned.

STDs are easily transmitted. STDs are transmitted from one person to another through intimate contacts.

But, STDs are not transmitted only through sex. Notably, sexual activities by themselves are not at all responsible for broadcasting STDs. But, the bodily fluids of an infected person can easily transmit the STIs, and therefore the STDs to a normal person.

The bodily fluids emanate from, and are stored in the eyes, mouth, anus, throat, and vagina. These fluids transform those areas of the body into moist regions. The agents - viruses, protozoa, bacteria and fungi - responsible for the STIs (sexually transmitted infections) breed in these places.

Researches have shown that most of the STIs are easily transmitted via the vulva, penis, anus and also the mouth. It is through the mucus membrane that the transmission takes place. The mucus membrane is different from the skin in the sense that the former allows some pathogens to pass into the body. The mucus membrane may not produce any mucus. Apt examples are the penis head and the mouth lips which are covered by mucus membranes.
MEANS TO CONTROL STD

One of the safest and surest ways of decreasing or controlling STD is ‘Safer Sex’. The most reliable means is the condom. The use of this laboratory tested rubber shield by the male serves two purposes. First, the bodily fluids fail to penetrate the condom and affect the body. Thus, any possibility of affection is obviated. Last but not the least, the pleasure of sex or lovemaking is not at all diminished. However, condoms are not the surest or the only means of checking STIs. In other words, safer sex with condoms does not guarantee absolute security from STIs. The condom may sometimes get punctured; and the ejaculated fluids may get mixed. Once the bodily fluids enter the body, the damage is done.

There are other ways of transmitting bodily fluids. The bodily fluids can be also broadcast through the following means. These media has exposed the drug users, haemophiliacs, and also the doctors to the risk of STIs.

* Child birth
* Needle-stick wound (if the nurse accidentally jab with needles while carrying out medical testing);
* Blood transfusions;
* Sharing of injections;
* Use of one needle by several person (including an infected person) while tattooing.

• The sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are not broadcast through mere physical contacts.
• The STDs are not caused by the causative agents identified as bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi.
• If an uninfected person has sex with a partner who is also not infected, then one cannot have STD

SEX NOT THE ONLY MEANS THAT TRANSMIT STDS

Then how are the STDs transmitted?

• The STDs do get broadcast from one affected person to another through the body fluids. The body fluids that transport the agents that cause the infection during sexual contact are present in the vagina, anus, and even the eyes, mouth and throat. All these regions of the human body remain moist. In fact, the viruses, protozoa, bacteria and fungi which cause the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) breed in such moist areas.
• In other words, STD can be passed on from one infected person to another even if there is no sex between them. What matters is the body fluid.
• When body fluids of an infected person mix with that of another, STIs can take place. The newly infected partner remains unaware of the STD symptoms which reveal only after the infections have taken roots.

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS & DISEASES ARE SILENT INVADERS

• More often than not, even after the person notices or experiences any of the symptoms that are associated with STD the patient mistakes these signs to be that of other common diseases. This is because at the initial stages, the symptoms of STD resemble those of other common ailments. This dithering allows the infections to spread.
• In fact, the patient must consult the physician the moment any of the symptoms become evident. This helps to keep the infections from spreading further. If they are detected at their early stages the infections can be also cured.
• The most important thing about the treatment is that the patient must take and complete the medications prescribed by the doctor. This goes a long way in neutralizing the infections.
• However, the medications cannot cure any permanent damage that may have been already done by the infections.
• Besides, the infections can return with a vengeance if the treated person again has intimate contacts with an infected person. Simple mixture of body fluids, for instance while kissing, is enough to again infect the treated person.
• The reappearance of the infections is dangerous as the viruses, fungi, bacteria or protozoa develop immunity against the earlier medications. Moreover, the symptoms will conceal themselves for a longer period. By the time the signs reappear, the infections will be already striking at the immunity system of the patient. With time, the STDs will develop.

The most important aspect about the STDs is that they need to be diagnosed at the initial stages. If detected at advanced stages, the different STDs take deep root. Then, it becomes rather difficult to treat them.

Many potent medications have also been evolved to check the STD from spreading within the patients’ bodies. Still, there has been However, in many cases, the symptoms or signs

THE THIRD STAGE OF STI IS STD

The sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) appear at the third stage of a syndrome. First, the patient gets infected. It primarily happens through sexual contacts with partners who are already infected.

Second, inadequate and improper health care cause the infections to spread. The infections are silent invaders. The typical symptoms or signs associated with the infections appear very late. As a result, the person concerned fails to treat the infections at a later stage.

Studies have shown that just 10 percent of the patients actually seek medical advice. The majority of the sufferers do not know of the infections at their initial stages. A few make the folly of not informing their physicians or even their partners about the symptoms. Such an attitude ultimately has dangerous ramifications as the partner gets infected too. The infections target a person’s immunity system. The blood lifeline gets polluted. It is at this stage that many suffer from HIV positive signs.

The final stage of the syndrome is STD. If the patient ignores the symptoms or does not have regular tests then the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) positive stage transforms into a disease. The common STDs are primarily syphilis (pox), gonorrhea (the clap).

All around the globe, approximately more than 50 million people are affected with HIV. It is caused by what is popularly known as the ‘Social disease’ (SD). They are primarily called the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD).

EASY MEANS TO AVOID STI

So, how can one obviate the possibility of not contracting the infections? The simplest, easiest and time-tested means is to just stay away from sex! But, this is impossible.

Then, what we do?
Be contented with a partner who is not infected. Avoid heterosexual relationships.

Don’t be too adventurous! Stay away from anal and mouth sex. The body fluids present in these moist areas are usually the habitat of the agents – bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses — that cause the infections.

Above all, practice insulated sex. In other words, use the condom. It shields the male sexual organ – the penis – from absorbing the fluid present in the vulva, anus or at times the mouth of the partner.

Such patients should be tendered proper medical treatment at the initial stage. Else HIV can degenerate into the life-threatening final stage called ‘Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome’ (AIDS).

All of these STDs commence with STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) which get transmitted from affected persons during sexual intercourses. The STIs take place through the body fluid. Mentionably, even without ejaculation, the STIs can happen.

This is due to the reason that the infections are caused by bacteria. For instance, gonorrhea (the clap) and syphilis (pox/ the great imitator) are caused respectively by the following bacteria: Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum. These bacteria thrive in the moist areas of the human body like the eyes, mouth, throat, anal passage, and also the urinal canal (urethra).

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FACE BRUNT OF HIV INFECTION

The developing countries are facing the brunt of the rising incidences of HIV-infected diseases. Particularly so are some areas of the sub-Saharan region where out of every four adult persons one is infected with HIV. What is more, such cases are increasing in the Third World countries.

However, the cases of HIV infected people are decreasing in the developed countries. This is mainly due to the increased awareness, literacy and the government as well as the role of the NGOs in sensitizing the public on various aspects concerning safe sex, STI, HIV and STD.

HIV & STI

HIV infections have been identified to be primarily sexually by nature. The main conduits of the HIV are the genital fluids. The infections that take root mainly due to sexual contract are called STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections). The agents that cause the infections or STI are viruses, protozoa, fungi or bacteria.

STI: A TWO-WAY TRAFFIC

It is important to note that not all sexual activities cause the STIs leading to STDs. On the other hand, the STIs are caused mainly through HIV infected body fluids that are transmitted during sexual acts from one infected person to another.

HIV can be transmitted from an infected mother to the fetus. A baby can also get infected by certain STDs like HIV during breastfeeding.

However, if the ailment is diagnosed at the later stages or in the final stage, it becomes quite difficult to cure the disease.

Clinically, the term ‘AIDS’ refers to the final stage after the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infects a person. Once HIV attacks, the patient gets infected with a particular disease transmitted sexually. This stage is called STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). Therefore, ‘AIDS’ is used by physicians to mean those cases when the patient reaches the life-threatening phase of HIV after he/she suffers STI.

However, the STI symptoms may even take 10 years to actually surface. Hence the infected person fails to know of the symptoms until the disease actually takes deep roots in his/her body. By that time, the disease assumes the final and life-threatening ramifications.

CAUTION NOTE ON HIV

It is important to note that simply because a person is suffering from HIV it does not necessarily mean that the patient is having AIDS. But then there is all the possibility of the patient falling victim to AIDS.

The fact is that the symptoms of those illnesses that are clinically associated with full-blown cases of AIDS appear gradually. It may even take as many as 10 years for the symptoms or the ailments to surface.

MORE THAN 50 MILLION PEOPLE ARE INFECTED WITH HIV

Across the globe, more than 50 million people are infected with HIV. What is more, 99 per cent of these cases ultimately assume the full-blown AIDS stage. Researches have shown that 70 per cent of such cases are from the Third World countries. The incidences of HIV cases are on the decline in the advanced or developed world.

The reasons for such discrepancies are many. The primary ones are low rate of illiteracy, poor response of government, lack of infrastructure and above all, cultural and mental blocks. Mentionably, the sub-Saharan African region is particularly vulnerable to HIV infections.

GENITAL FLUIDS MAIN CONDUIT

Genital fluids are secretions from the genital or sexual organs. The reason is simple. The mucous membranes of the male and female sexual organs - penis and the vagina respectively - allow the virus to penetrate the body of the person concerned. The virus - HIV - finds the semen (male genital secretion) and the vaginal secretions ideal transmission networks.

Hence, the oft repeated advice that condoms should be used during sexual contacts so that the genital fluids do not penetrate the bodies of the partners concerned. Mucous membranes are of two types. One allows the fluid and the virus to penetrate while the other does not allow such transmission.

For instance, the mucous membranes present in the mouth as well as on the penis do not transmit such virus. These are the lips and the covering on the penis head.

It is for this reason that kissing or deep kissing does not transmit STI. However, mouth to genital sex and genital sex to mouth are the easiest means of transmission of STI. This is because of the presence of the genital fluid. Similarly, though saliva in itself is not a conduit of STI yet saliva used as a lubricant during anal sex by gays facilitates transmission of the virus, and hence infection.

50 MILLION PEOPLE ARE HIV INFECTED

Across the world, more than 50 million people are infected with HIV. Incidences of HIV infections have declined in the developed countries. This is the result of the rise in awareness among the public regarding the disease and also intensive medical researches on the ailment. HIV infections are on the rise in the Third World countries. For instance, one out of every four adults in the sub-Saharan countries carries HIV.

Mentionably, just because a person is a carrier of HIV does not necessarily mean that the person is going to suffer from AIDS. However, many of the AIDS patients have been found to be infected with HIV.

STI as the term suggests gets transmitted through sexual contacts. Such contacts can be vaginal intercourse, anal sex or oral sex. The main agent transmitting the infection is the genital fluid.

Mere physical touch or even deep kissing cannot cause such infection. Nonetheless, the infection strikes silently. But once it takes effect, it assumes dangerous proportions.

If detected early, the infection can be cured. But the fact remains that the symptoms appear only at an advanced stage. In most of the cases, the infection becomes evident only after a significant period of time. So the patient or the kith and kin of the person concerned also fail to initiate the medical steps necessary for the patient. Studies have shown that the infection symptoms emanate after 10 years.

DIFFERENT STAGES OF AIDS

One should know the different stages of AIDS. Actually, a person knows of the symptoms quite late. But, the problem is that a person comes to know that she/he is infected during a sexual act only after the disease has taken full control of the person concerned. That means the STI (sexually transmitted infection) works silently and over a period of time.

Studies have shown that the first instance of a person suffering from STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) is caused by the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The symptoms of the infection also surface generally after 10 plus years. By that time, the ailment is full blown. Moreover, the disease reaches a dangerous stage. It is the final stage. It is also life-threatening. This STD (sexually transmitted disease) stage is called by physicians AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

However, all HIV cases do not blow into AIDS. But the majority of the AIDS cases have their origin in HIV.
Researches on STD have been carried on since olden times.

HIV & AIDS

In simple words, HIV precedes many cases of AIDS. If the HIV patient is tendered proper medical care, the case may not turn into a full-blown AIDS case. So, the patient should be given the initial medical attention to check HIV.

Across the world more than 50 million people are affected by HIV. The number is more among the Africans. One out of every four African suffers from HIV.

The final stage of such a disease is clinically called AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). This is life-threatening and final as well.

HOW STI GETS TRANSMITTED

STI gets transmitted primarily through genital fluids. The genital fluids penetrate the mucous membranes. The main way of STI is through sexual acts among animals including human beings.

The primary forms of STI transmission are vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. Such infections rarely pass from one mouth to another, even in cases of deep kissing. But STI can happen from mouth to genital organs or from the genital organs to the mouth.

STI can also get transferred through sharing of needles, particularly if one of the persons is infected. This is the common cause for the rise in HIV infected cases among the drug pushers. Most of them use a common needle.

Infection can also get transmitted through blood transfusion. The reason for increase of HIV infection among gays is due to saliva they use as lubricant during anal sex.

It has also been found that such infection can pass on to babies due to breastfeeding from mothers suffering from STI.

At times in extreme cases, the fetus can also get infected within the mother’s womb. Another way in which STI can easily get transmitted is through the use of common razors or alum especially in the hair-cutting saloons. The blade if not sterilized may contain the mucous or blood of an infected person. The mucous or blood sticks on the blade from shaving or other acts of trimming hair on the face and also from various parts of the crown. The alum, of course, cannot be sterilized. So, it’s always advisable not to use the alum of saloons.

STI CONDUITS

STI passes through the mucous membranes. There are two types of mucous membranes. One set of membranes allows the infection to pass through it while the others are conduits of infection.

HOW STI DOES NOT GET TRANSMITTED

STI, or for that matter HIV which finally takes the life-threatening form of STD doesn’t get transmitted through skin contact.