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HIV/AIDS in Indiana > Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

STD News:

Providers can email aallen1@isdh.in.gov for copies of the STD treatment guidelines

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Sexually Transmitted Disease Program

The mission of this program is to intervene in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and reduce the complications of these diseases.  The program provides technical and financial assistance to local STD programs for surveillance, case detection through screening, ensuring treatment of known cases, case follow-up, and education.  Efforts are coordinated among health care providers screening for syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia.  Other important aspects of this program provide education and prevention counseling of persons impacted by STDs.

Basic Information

The following information will provide a general understanding of STDs.  Listed below are the signs to watch for, how they are contracted, and what hapens if you don't get treatment.

What are STDs?  STDs are diseases/germs that are passed mainly during sex.  These germs are passed in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and through breaks in the skin.  STDs are sometimes painful, and they can cause serious health problems.  Some can infect your sexual and reproductive organs, while others cause general body infections.  ALL IT TAKES IS ONE TIME WITH AN INFECTED PERSON TO GET AN STD.

 

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

CHLAMYDIA

for additional
information

English

Spanish

  • Symptoms appear 7-21 days after having sex

  • Most women and some men do not have symptoms

  • Men: Watery, white or yellow drip from the penis; Burning or pain when urinating

  • Women: Vaginal discharge, or bleeding between periods

  • Burning or pain when urinating; Abdominal pain, at times fever/nausea

  • During vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone who is infected

  • You can pass the disease to your sex partner(s)

  • It can cause more serious infection

  • You may become infertile; It can be passed during childbirth

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

GENITAL WARTS

  • Appearing within 1-8 months after contact with the virus that causes genital warts

  • Itching or burning around the sexual organs

  • Small, bumpy warts on the sexual organs and anus, which can go away and reappear while you, still have the virus

  • During vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone who has genital warts

  • You can pass genital warts to your sex partner(s) whether or not you can see them

  • Pass them to baby during childbirth

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

GONORRHEA

for additional
information

English

Spanish

  • Symptoms appear 2-21 days after having sex, although you may have none

  • Men:  Thick yellow or white drip from the penis

  • Burning or pain when urinating or during bowel movements

  • Urinate frequently

  • Women:  Thick yellow or white discharge from the vagina

  • Burning or pain when urinating or during bowel movements

  • Abnormal periods or bleeding between periods, cramps, and lower abdominal pain

  • During vaginal, anal, and oral sex with someone who has gonorrhea

  • Pass the disease to your sex partner(s)

  • Can lead to more serious infections

  • May cause either sex to become infertile

  • Can pass it to baby during childbirth

  • Can cause heart trouble, skin disease, arthritis, and blindness

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

HIV/AIDS

English

Spanish

  • Symptoms may show up several months to several years after contact with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS

  • Night Sweats

  • Unexplained weight loss or tiredness

  • Swollen lymph nodes

  • White spots in mouth

  • Pneumonia

  • Women:  yeast infections that don't go away

  • During vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has HIV

  • Sharing needles or 'works' to inject drugs, or any other reason

  • Spread by contact with infected blood

  • Breast milk

  • You can give HIV to your sex partner(s) or someone you share a needle with

  • HIV cannot be cured

  • A mother with HIV can give it to her baby in the womb, during birth, or while breastfeeding

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

HEPATITIS B

English

  • May show up 1-9 months after contact with the disease

  • Mild or NO symptoms for many people

  • Flu-like feelings that don't go away

  • Tiredness

  • Jaundice (yellow skin)

  • Dark urine, light-colored bowel movements

  • During vaginal, anal, and oral sex with someone who has the disease

  • By sharing needles to inject drugs or any other reason

  • Contact with infected blood

  • Pass it to your sex partner(s) or anyone you share a needle with

  • You may recover completely or you may not be cured; Symptoms go away, but you can still give the disease to others

  • Can cause permanent liver damage

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

HERPES

English

  • Symptoms appear 1-30 days after having sex

  • Some people have NO symptoms.

  • Flu-like feelings

  • Small, painful blisters on the sex organs or mouth that last 1-3 weeks

  • Itching or burning before the blisters appear

  • Blisters may go away while you still have the disease but can come back later

  • During vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone who has this disease

  • You can give herpes to your sex partner(s)

  • Cannot be cured

  • Can pass it to baby during childbirth

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

SYPHILIS

English

Spanish

  • 1st Stage: Symptoms appear 3-12 weeks after sex

  • Painless, reddish-brown sore or sores on the mouth, sex organs, breast or fingers, lasting 1-5 weeks; some will go away, but you still have the disease

  • 2nd Stage: Symptoms show up 1 week to 6 months after the first sore heals

  • Rash anywhere on the body

  • Flu-like feelings

  • Rash/flu-like feelings may go away, but you still have the disease

  • Spread during vaginal, anal, and oral sex with someone who has the disease

  • You can give syphilis to your sex partner(s)

  • Can pass it to baby during pregnancy or you could have a miscarriage or stillbirth

  • Can cause heart disease, brain damage, blindness, and death

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

SYMPTOMS TO
WATCH FOR

HOW YOU
GET THIS STD

IF YOU DON'T
GET TREATMENT

VAGINITIS

English

  • Some women have NO symptoms

  • Itching, burning, or pain in the vagina

  • More discharge from the vagina than normal

  • Discharge smells and/or looks different

  • Spread during vaginal, anal, and oral sex

  • Men can carry Vaginitis infections without symptoms

  • You can give Vaginitis infections to your sex
    partner(s)

  • Uncomfortable symptoms will continue

  • Men can get infections in the penis, prostate gland, or urethra

If you think you might have a STD:

  • See your health care professional
  • Contact your county health department for the nearest STD clinic, or
  • Call you neighborhood family planning clinic

Simple tests can show if you have a STD. DON'T WAIT!

If you think it will go away, think again! IT WON'T!

Most STDs can be treated with antibiotics; follow your doctor's direction and be sure to use all of your medicine.

Above all, your sex partner(s) must be told they have been exposed to an infection.  If they are not treated, they can spread the disease, and you may get it again!

DON'T HAVE SEX UNTIL YOU HAVE A CHECKUP.

For additional information, call:

STI Resource Center Hotline
1-800-227-8922
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST (Monday - Friday)

OR

National Hotline at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 24 hours/day; both English and Spanish:

1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
1-888-232-6348 TTY Service for the Deaf

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