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.
In a male, chlamydia can develop in the urethra, rectum, or throat. Some call chlamydia a “silent” infection because people are often unaware that they have it. The majority of these infections in males cause no symptoms.
Similar to chlamydia, gonorrhea is most common in sexually active women under 25 and the majority will never experience symptoms. While the two are different infections, chlamydia and gonorrhea are commonly diagnosed together.
HPV (Human papillomavirus), the most common STD in the United States, is also a concern for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Some types of HPV can cause genital and anal warts and some can lead to the development of anal and oral cancers.
Some refer to chlamydia as a “silent” infection. This is because most people with the infection have no symptoms or abnormal physical exam findings.
You might think that if you had a sexually transmitted infection you would know, but the fact is that some STIs are usually asymptomatic in women. Two of these silent STIs are chlamydia and gonorrhea. Depending on your age and risk factors, your gynecologist may screen you for both of these STIs at your annual checkup.
3 The only way to tell which one you have—or if you have an STI at all—is to go visit your local healthcare provider or a free clinic and get tested. There is no way for someone to self-diagnose what STI is causing a discharge without having a laboratory test done.
The signs that usually alert men to an infection—bumps or rashes on the genitals, discharge, discomfort or itching in the penis or testicles, or pain while urinating or ejaculating—can be mild and easily mistaken for other conditions. Unfortunately, a lack of symptoms doesn't mean you don't have an STD.
Signs and symptoms that might indicate an STI include: Sores or bumps on the genitals or in the oral or rectal area. Painful or burning urination. Discharge from the penis.
A person with primary syphilis generally has a sore or sores at the original site of infection. These sores usually occur on or around the genitals, around the anus or in the rectum, or in or around the mouth. These sores are usually (but not always) firm, round, and painless.
People get STDs by having sex with someone who has an STD. Once you are infected, you can infect someone else. Both gonorrhea and chlamydia often have no symptoms. Sometimes only one partner will have symptoms, even though both have the disease.
The majority of chlamydial infections in men do not cause any symptoms. You can get chlamydia in the urethra (inside the penis), rectum, or throat. You may not notice any symptoms.
Women are also biologically more vulnerable to STDs than are men. Women are more susceptible to STDs during sexual intercourse because the vaginal surface is larger and more vulnerable to sexual secretions than the primarily skin-covered penis.
The most dangerous viral STD is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which leads to AIDS. Other incurable viral STDs include human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis B and genital herpes.
Syphilis, like HIV, is a potentially fatal disease. Syphilis differs from HIV in two distinct ways, though. First, syphilis typically takes a long time to seriously threaten someone's health. A person might have the disease for thirty years before they begin to face issues like internal bleeding or paralysis.
Herpes is easy to catch. All it takes is skin-to-skin contact, including areas that a condom doesn't cover. You're most contagious when you have blisters, but you don't need them to pass the virus along. Because herpes is a virus, you can't cure it.
What is late-stage chlamydia? Late-stage chlamydia refers to an infection that has spread to other parts of the body. For example, it may have spread to the cervix (cervicitis), testicular tubes (epididymitis), eyes (conjunctivitis), or throat (pharyngitis), causing inflammation and pain.
Every STD has a different incubation period—in other words, they vary in the amount of time it takes for symptoms to show. While the incubation period for some STDs is as short as a few days or weeks, other STDs can lie dormant for years.
Consistent and correct use of latex condoms reduces the risk of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. However, condom use cannot provide absolute protection against any STD.
A woman's anatomy is more exposed and vulnerable to STDs than male anatomy, as her vagina is thinner and more delicate, making it easier for bacteria and viruses to penetrate.
Some STDs that can irritate the skin and cause itching are genital herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection [8]: