HIV
HIV is a potentially fatal virus that attacks immune cells. It can be passed on through blood transfusion of contaminated blood or through sexual intercourse and contact with blood. Likewise, a child can get it from their mother, during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.
AIDS
AIDS is a life-threatening condition caused by HIV. This condition is also known as a late-stage HIV infection.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that starts as a painless sore, which typically starts in the rectum, mouth, or genitals. It spreads via skin or mucous membrane contact with the sores.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. Women can get it in the cervix, rectum, or throat. Men can get it in the urethra, rectum, or throat. A woman can also pass chlamydia to her baby during childbirth.
Trichomoniasis
This is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite. Women who have trichomoniasis may experience pinful urination, genital itching, and found-smelling vaginal discharge. Men don’t often develop symptoms.
Genital Herpes and HSV
Herpes involves small blisters that are painful found in the genital area. These blisters pop and leave sores that bleed or ooze with pus. This is normally accompanied by fever or headache. This can be managed but it is not curable.
Herpes Simplex Virus is an infection that causes herpes and appears in various parts of the body, mostly the genitals or mouth. There are two types of this virus: HV-1, which can be transmitted in the genitals through oral sexand, and HSV-2 which causes genital herpes.
Genital Warts and HPV
These are the most uncomfortable of the STDs, but they are also the most harmless and treatable. They are normally found on the entrance of the anus and genitals.
Though usually harmless and goes away by itself, the human papillomavirus or HPV can cause genital warts or lead to cancer at times.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is an infection that causes a burning sensation when urinating. This is accompanied by a white or yellow discharge from your genitals. This is a serious complication but it can be treated with the right medicine.
Hepatitis B
This is an infection of the liver that spreads when people come in contact with the blood, body fluids, or open sores of someone who has the hepatitis B virus. This is treatable and goes away if you get it as an adult.
Sexually transmitted diseases are some of the most contagious diseases. It is a serious illness that requires treatment though some of them, such as HIV, is not yet curable and can be deadly. Knowing more about the disease can help you learn how you can protect yourself better.
STDS can be transmitted through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. However, trichomoniasis may be spread through contact with damp or moist objects. Toilet seats, wet clothing, and towels are some of the most common possibilities, though sexual contact remains the most common reason.
Who is Most at Risk for STDs?
Those who are more prone to contracting sexually transmitted diseases are those who forego using a condom during oral, vaginal, or anal sex.
The risk of contracting STDs also increases when a person has more than one sexual partner or if their sexual partner is regularly intimate with other partners as well. Sex workers or if those who share needles when using recreational drugs intravenously are also considered at high risk of getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases.
In the Philippines, syphilis, human papillomavirus also known as HPV, herpes simplex virus, and HIV infections are some of the most commonly sexually transmitted diseases in the Philippines.
The State of Sexual Health in the Philippines
From 2011 to 2018, there have been a total of 665 syphilis patients, 2,053 HPV, and 977 herpes. For HIV, the number has already reached 58,181 from January 1984 to August 2018.
With the improvements being done about the state of sexual health in the Philippines, we should be able to address, monitor, and overcome step by step these diseases.
Though sexual health in the Philippines still has a long way to go, it is slowly becoming at par with the world standards. City health workers are educating the masses and informing women everywhere of their rights.
LGBTQ+ people are also no longer being discriminated against and have equal access to information and health care. Slowly but surely, we will be able to achieve the true definition of sexual health in the Philippines.
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