Sexually Transmitted Diseases Essay Research Paper AIDS

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Essay, Research Paper

AIDS, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, just a few of the many sexually transmitted diseases that are now so very common among today s youth. Some of them are more serious than others but all of them are a growing concern. Most are curable with a few treatments and trips to the doctor but among the more serious are AIDS and herpes. As we progress in technology, and just about everything else in society we also find our teenagers progressing more rapidly and with this comes concerns that scare us all to talk about let alone deal with.

Today one in every four sexually active teens has a sexually transmitted disease. (Witmer) I am writing this paper not only because I have to in order to graduate, but also to educate people, especially people my age about sexually trans-mitted diseases and just how very serious they really are.

AIDS

By far the most serious of all sexually transmitted diseases is AIDS. Today it is found that one in every four sexually active teenagers is infected with HIV or worse yet, full blown AIDS. (Witmer)

It is nearly impossible to know you ve been infected with HIV or AIDS because the virus can lay dormant for so long without showing any symptoms. This is why it is so easy to spread. Although there are treatments to ease the suffering of AIDS patients, there is no cure. More than 600,000 cases of AIDS have been reported in the United States since 1981, and as many as 900,000 Americans have been infected with HIV. (Witmer)

The most common spread of HIV is through sexual contact with an infected partner. Because the virus is so small it can enter the body through almost any kind of sexual contact. HIV was also spread by blood transfusions given before 1985. This is now a much less likely cause though because of all the testing and screening that is done on blood used for transfusions now. Another group of people who should worry about con-tracting HIV is IV drug users that share needles. (Merge with Caution) Unborn babies are also at risk if their mothers are infected with HIV or AIDS. Also having another STD such as gonorrhea or chlamydia can make someone more susceptible to contracting HIV through sex with an infected partner. (Witmer)

Although most people don t have any symptoms when they first acquire HIV, some get a flu-like virus a month or two after contact. (Teens Talk about HIV & AIDS) More noticeable symptoms will sometimes take over 10 years to surface. This is why it is so important to get tested if you are sexually promiscuous or if you think you may be at risk for any reason. One of the more severe and physical symptoms is a painful lesion that erupts into ulcerations in the genital area. (Check, 24)

Part of the symptoms of AIDS is becoming more susceptible to other diseases and viruses; this is because AIDS breaks down your immune system, hence the name, acquired immune deficiency syndrome. (Witmer)

Since there is no vaccine for HIV the only way to prevent it is to be careful. Always look out for yourself. You can t count on anyone to be completely honest. Especially with something like a sexually transmitted disease. Even though they are horrible and very serious, many people are too embarrassed to admit that they have them, and won t tell their partners that they re infected. So next time you re watching a show about people with HIV and AIDS on TV and you start to feel sorry for the person, remind your-self that that could be you. (Witmer)

This chart illustrates groups of adolescents that are at high risk of contracting HIV. It shows how many males and females already have contracted it and how many have full-blown AIDS now. I got this chart from about.com. A website used to educate teenagers and everyone about sexually transmitted diseases. (Witmer)

Adolescent exposure category

AIDS HIV

Male Female Male Female

Men who have sex with men 680 0 817 0

Injecting drug user 125 181 93 146

Men who have sex with men and inject drugs 101 0 94 0

Hemophilia/ coagulation disor-der 734 10 104 0

Heterosexual contact: 73 673 123 983

Sex with injecting drug user 20 248 21 210

Sex with bisexual male 0 35 0 68

Sex with person with hemo-philia 1 13 2 16

Sex with transfusion recipient with HIV infection 0 2 1 4

Sex with HIV-infected person, risk not specified 52 375 99 685

Receipt of blood transfusion blood components or tissue 85 85 9 14

Other/risk not identified 220 335 523 944

(Witmer)

Herpes

What is genital herpes. Herpes is another sexually transmitted disease that is becoming more and more common especially among sexually active teenagers. The her-pes simplex virus causes herpes. There are two types of this STD that you have to worry about. (Witmer)

The first one is oral herpes; this is signified by fever blisters on the mouth and face. Yes, this means cold sores too. (Teens and HIV & other STDs) Cold sores are also a form of Type 1 herpes. (Sacks, 58) Symptoms are not always there though. Some people that are infected do have outbreaks, but because this isn t true for everyone. You must be extra careful when protecting your-self from this STD. (Witmer)

HSV-type 2 is genital herpes. This is also often inactive.

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