STIs are diseases that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. These include chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and HIV. Many of these STIs do not show symptoms for a long time. Even without symptoms, they can still be harmful and passed on during sex. STIs are common, especially among young people. There were 26 million new sexually transmitted infections in 2018 in the United States. About half of these infections are in people between the ages of 15 and 24. Young people are at greater risk of getting an STI for several reasons:
  • Young women’s bodies are biologically more prone to STIs.
  • Some young people do not get the recommended STI tests.
  • Many young people are hesitant to talk openly and honestly with a doctor or nurse about their sex lives.
  • Not having insurance or transportation can make it more difficult for young people to access STI testing.
  • Some young people have more than one sex partner.
Source: Center for Disease Control
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Recognizing Signs of STIs
Many STIs have no signs or symptoms (asymptomatic). Even with no symptoms, however, you can pass the infection to your sex partners. Learn about the signs and symptoms of the most common STIs below:
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a bacterial infection of your genital tract. Chlamydia may be difficult to detect because early-stage infections often cause few or no signs and symptoms. When they do occur, symptoms usually start one to three weeks after you've been exposed to chlamydia and may be mild and pass quickly.
Signs and symptoms may include:
  • Painful urination
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Vaginal discharge in women
  • Discharge from the penis in men
  • Pain during sexual intercourse in women
  • Bleeding between periods in women
  • Testicular pain in men
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection of your genital tract. The bacteria can also grow in your mouth, throat, eyes and anus. The first gonorrhea symptoms generally appear within 10 days after exposure. However, some people may be infected for months before signs or symptoms occur.
Signs and symptoms of gonorrhea may include:
  • Thick, cloudy or bloody discharge from the penis or vagina
  • Pain or burning sensation when urinating
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods
  • Painful, swollen testicles
  • Painful bowel movements
  • Anal itching
Tricomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a common STI caused by a microscopic, one-celled parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. This organism spreads during sexual intercourse with someone who already has the infection.
The organism usually infects the urinary tract in men, but often causes no symptoms. Trichomoniasis typically infects the vagina in women. When trichomoniasis causes symptoms, they may appear within five to 28 days of exposure and range from mild irritation to severe inflammation.
Signs and symptoms may include:
  • Clear, white, greenish or yellowish vaginal discharge
  • Discharge from the penis
  • Strong vaginal odor
  • Vaginal itching or irritation
  • Itching or irritation inside the penis
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Painful urination
Genital herpes
Genital herpes is a highly contagious STI caused by a type of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) that enters your body through small breaks in your skin or mucous membranes. Most people with HSV never know they have it, because they have no signs or symptoms or the signs and symptoms are so mild they go unnoticed.
When signs and symptoms are noticeable, the first episode is generally the worst. Some people never have a second episode. Others, however, can have recurrent episodes for decades.
When present, genital herpes signs and symptoms may include:
  • Small red bumps, blisters (vesicles) or open sores (ulcers) in the genital and anal areas and areas nearby
  • Pain or itching around the genital area, buttocks and inner thighs
Ulcers can make urination painful. You may also have pain and tenderness in your genital area until the infection clears. During an initial episode, you may have flu-like signs and symptoms, such as a headache, muscle aches and fever, as well as swollen lymph nodes in your groin.
In some cases, the infection can be active and contagious even when sores aren't present.
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV infection is one of the most common types of STIs. Some forms of HPV put women at high risk of cervical cancer. Other forms cause genital warts. HPV usually has no signs or symptoms. The signs and symptoms of genital warts include:
  • Small, flesh-colored or gray swellings in your genital area
  • Several warts close together that take on a cauliflower shape
  • Itching or discomfort in your genital area
  • Bleeding with intercourse
Often, however, genital warts cause no symptoms. Genital warts may be as small as 1 millimeter in diameter or may multiply into large clusters. Warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has had oral sex with an infected person.
hepatitis 
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C are all contagious viral infections that affect your liver. Hepatitis B and C are the most serious of the three, but each can cause your liver to become inflamed.
Some people never develop signs or symptoms. But for those who do, signs and symptoms may occur several weeks after exposure and may include:
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially in the area of your liver on your right side beneath your lower ribs
  • Loss of appetite
  • Fever
  • Dark urine
  • Muscle or joint pain
  • Itching
  • Yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection. The disease affects your genitals, skin and mucous membranes, but it can also involve many other parts of your body, including your brain and your heart.
The signs and symptoms of syphilis may occur in three stages — primary, secondary, and tertiary. Some people also experience latent syphilis, in which blood tests are positive for the bacteria but no symptoms are present.
At first, only a small, painless sore (chancre) may be present at the site of infection, usually the genitals, rectum, tongue or lips. As the disease worsens, symptoms may include:
  • Rash marked by red or reddish-brown, penny-sized sores over any area of your body, including your palms and soles
  • Fever
  • Enlarged lymph nodes
  • Fatigue and a vague feeling of discomfort
  • Soreness and aching
Without treatment, syphilis bacteria may spread, leading to serious internal organ damage and death years after the original infection.
Some of the signs and symptoms of late-stage syphilis include:
  • Lack of coordination
  • Numbness
  • Paralysis
  • Blindness
  • Dementia
Learn More About Youth and STIs
Source: Mayo  Clinic
Preventing STIs
Abstinence from all forms of sex including vaginal and anal intercourse as well as oral sex is the only 100 percent effective way to prevent an STI. However, for sexually active teens, there are other ways to practice having safe sex for STI prevention.
  • Limit the number of partners you have sex with. This may lessen the risk of having sex with someone who may have an STI.
  • Try to choose partners who also haven’t had many sexual partners. Remember the phrase: “Every time you have sex with someone, you are essentially having sex with every other person they have had sex with too.”
  • Do not have sex with people who have injected drugs. Since STIs pass through bodily fluids, this is another possible way STIs can be transferred.
  • Don’t have sex with anyone who has shown signs of STI symptoms. However, keep in mind that many STIs don’t show symptoms in the beginning stages of the infection. So, just because your partner does not exhibit STI symptoms, does not mean they are free and clear from sexually transmitted infection (STI) or sexually transmitted disease (STD).
  • Use some sort of latex condom, dental dam or female condom every time you have any form of sex including vaginal, anal and mouth to genital. Because many types of STDs can be transferred just as easily through saliva. Mouth-to-mouth kissing with someone who has herpes can also spread the disease whether the person is experiencing an outbreak or not. Also, do not use oil or fat-based lubricants. These only weaken the condom increasing your chances of it breaking during sex.
  • Avoid using alcohol or drugs. These can inebriate you, which may cause you to participate in risky teen behavior.
  • Don’t practicing vaginal douching. This can cause germs to travel further up in your vagina.
  • Do your best to prevent the transference of any bodily fluids like semen and blood. Also, avoid direct mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-genital contact to help prevent the spreading of these fluids.
  • Engage in STD testing frequently if you are a female who has multiple sexual partners or if you are a male having sex with other men. Remember, there are many types of STI testing available. Discuss your concerns with a parent or trusted adult including a doctor or physician at your local health care clinic or hospital.
Source: TeenHelp.com
Helpful Links
Talking with Your Teens about Sex: Going Beyond "the Talk" (cdc.gov)

University of Rochester Medical Center

​SafeTeens: Your Guide To Sex Ed and Healthy Relationships.

​Talking to Your Kids About STDs (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

​What Are STDs? | Sexually Transmitted Diseases Information (plannedparenthood.org)

​Resources for parents (shiftnc.org)

Parents (ashasexualhealth.org)

New York State Department of Health

Allegany County Department of Health