Sexual Illness

This disease has bothered humans for thousands of years, but it seems to come and go in unexplainable cycles. Scabies used to be very rare in America, but now it is coming back again.

Pubic lice is also called “crabs.” It’s caused by very tiny insects that live in pubic hair and feed on human blood. Pubic lice are often spread through sexual contact, though genital contact or sexual intercourse is not necessary for transmission. I

“Pelvic inflammatory disease” is shorthand for any serious bacterial infection of the reproductive organs that are housed in the pelvis: the uterus, uterine lining, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. These infections usually start in the vagina and, when left untreated, can progressively infect other reproductive organs. 20% of PID cases are found in teens, who often are afraid or unable to get reproductive health care. PID can result in permanent infertility and chronic pain.

As many as one in four Americans have HPV.

In the United States, approximately 75% of all reported gonorrhea is found in people age 15 to 29.

One member of a group of herpes-type viruses, CMV is transmitted through body fluids, sexually and nonsexually, and from mother to infant during birth. CMV is also incredibly dangerous for people who are immunocompromised or people with HIV.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common cause of vaginitis symptoms among people with vaginas of childbearing age (15-45). However, half have no symptoms!

I started to grasp that AIDS hit very diverse people from lots of different backgrounds, but AIDS had no face for me. No real face, I mean. Only a face hidden in a shadow, or behind glasses, with a wig or a base cap and a weird, computerized voice, without a name. But it did get a name for me. And a face.

A vaccine is available to help prevent the spread of some types of HPV for people of all genders. Have a click to find out more about it.

Need to check out what your sexually transmitted disease or infection risk might be in a jiffy?