Chlamydia

Transmission: Vaginal, anal, or oral sex

Possible symptoms: Abnormal discharges from vagina / penis, burning sensation when urinating, (most people never have symptoms however)

Complications: Can damage women’s reproductive systems, can cause sterility in men (rarely)

Treatment: can be cured with antibiotics

Frequency: Estimated 2.8 million Americans infected each year

At BGSU: Of the 2015 students tested for chlamydia (at the health center) in the 2003-2004 school year 86 students tested positive

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Gonorrhea

Transmission: Vaginal, anal, or oral sex

Possible symptoms: Abnormal discharges from vagina / penis, burning sensation when urinating, (most people never have symptoms however)

Complications: If untreated, can damage women’s reproductive systems and can cause sterility in men

Treatment: Can be cured with antibiotics, however drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are becoming more prevalent

Frequency: Estimated 700,000 Americans infected each year

At BGSU: Of the 1398 students tested for gonorrhea (at the health center) in the 2003-2004 school year 4 students tested positive

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HPV

(Human papillomavirus)

Transmission: Genital contact

Possible symptoms: Genital warts; pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, anus or penis (most people never have symptoms however)

Complications: Can cause abnormal results in Pap tests for women and can lead to cervical cancer, can lead to other genital cancers (rarely)

Treatment: Cannot be cured, but treatments are available for warts and cervical problems

Frequency: Approximately 20 million Americans currently infected, at least 50% of sexually active men and women will acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives, 6.2 million new infections each year

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Genital Herpes

Transmission: oral to genital, or genital to genital contact

Possible symptoms: blisters and sores in the genital area (most people have mild or no symptoms)

Complications: recurrent, painful outbreaks

Treatment: cannot be cured, but antiviral medications can shorten and prevent outbreaks

Frequency: approximately 45 million Americans or 1 out of 5 adolescents and adults have had a genital herpes infection

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Trichomoniasis

Transmission: penis-to-vagina intercourse or vulva-to-vulva contact

Possible symptoms: abnormal vaginal discharge with a strong odor (most men have no symptoms)

Complications: can increase susceptibility to HIV infection if exposed

Treatment: can be cured with an antibiotic

Frequency: estimated 7.4 million new cases each year

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