1. GONORRHEA: (Bacteria)

¨ Spread through direct intimate contact (ejaculation not required).

¨ 2 to 7 days after contact symptoms may appear. They are a burning sensation when urinating and a whit-yellow-green or bloody discharge from of the penis or vagina.

¨ Asymptomatic in 80% of females and 20% of males.

¨ Urinary tract infections; pelvic inflammatory disease.

¨ Not carried in the bloodstream.

¨ May cause sterility in adults and blindness/meningitis in babies (Silver Nitrate or antibiotic in eyes at birth)

¨ Cure: Antibiotics

2. SYPHILIS: (Bacteria)

¨ Stage One: Hard painless ulcer (chancre) at point of infection develops in 1 to 5 weeks. Goes away by itself and is highly infectious.

¨ Stage Two: Symptoms appear in 2 to 4 months after infection. Symptoms last several weeks and can often reoccur in the following two years. Symptoms include: skin rashes, sores, mimics many diseases. Highly infectious.

¨ Stage Three: Latent stage lasts rest of life. Internal damage with out outward symptoms.

¨ Can travel in blood.

¨ Fetus can be infected through the placenta. Blindness, deformity or death.

¨ Cure: Antibiotics.

3. HERPES SIMPLEX TYPE II: (Virus)

¨ Symptoms develop from 2 to 20 days after infection.

¨ Multiple blisters that soon rupture and leave painful ulcers. These ulcers heal themselves after 10 to 14 days. This cycle continues for the rest of the victim’s life.

¨ When blisters and ulcers are present; highly infectious.

¨ Can be passed to the baby at birth and can be fatal.

¨ Not carried in the bloodstream.

¨ Cesarean delivery if mother is infectious to prevent spread to baby.

¨ Cure: None.

4. ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS): (Virus)

¨ Kills body’s defensive system cells. Death from ?

¨ Transmission from exchange of body fluids (Semen, Vaginal Secretions, Blood)

¨ Prolonged symptomatic decline often resulting in death

¨ Cure: None

5. CHLAMYDIA: (Bacteria)

¨ Most common STD. Many symptoms unrecognized by doctors.

¨ Pelvic inflammatory disease in women.

¨ Cure: Antibiotics

6. Rankings

¨ Most to least common: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, Syphilis, AIDS

¨ Most to least severe: AIDS, Herpes/Syphilis, Gonorrhea/Chlamydia