STDs in College: Your Questions Answered - part 1 - women campus

One in four people under the age of 21 in the United States is infected with an STD.

45 million people age 12 and over in the U.S. are infected with genital herpes.

And more than 65 million are living with an incurable sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.

We've all heard about how common STDs actually are. Personally, the second I hear "STD" muttered, I imagine those horrific slideshows of genital warts we used to have to sit through in health class. But the truth is, not all STDs have noticeable side effects. Sometimes the STDs that you can't see at all are actually worse than the ones you can. That's why it's important to be informed and aware of these infections so the next time you're considering getting a little frisky, you might think twice.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), there are two main ways that STDs are transmitted. Some diseases are transmitted when infected urethral or vaginal secretions contact mucosal surfaces. In contrast, genital ulcer diseases are primarily transmitted through contact with infected skin or mucosal surfaces.

Translated, STDs can infect you through skin-on-skin contact or through the joining of bodily fluids. By not using a condom, when vaginal secretion joins saliva, or even when semen enters an open wound, you could get infected. Either way, you're at risk every time you choose to have sex, especially if you choose not to use protection (we're not talking about birth control here—in this case it's all about the condoms, condoms, condoms.)

Some STDs are curable and others aren't. For example, symptoms of a curable STD can be treated, usually with antibiotics, and will go away. Symptoms of an incurable STD can be treated, but will recur, and the STD will never go away.

Since you've probably been given hundreds of STD information pamphlets over the course of high school and college, we'll try to keep it simple. Here are some common questions about STDs that HC can answer! 
 

What are the most common STDs to look out for on college campuses?

Recently, the CDCP found that the top three most common STDs reported on college campuses are human papillomavirus (HPV), Chlamydia and gonorrhea.

First and foremost, you should know about the symptoms of and cures for these infections. We interviewed Annabeth Elliott, a Registered Nurse and the Idaho STD Program Coordinator, to get her expert advice on these STDs. Here are some important facts to know about each:

HPV – human papillomavirus

Shockingly, the most commonly contracted STD in recent years has been HPV, also known as Genital Warts. Four to six million cases of HPV are seen each year, and it has been termed the most common STD on college campuses across the country, as reported by the CDCP.

Symptoms:

Most people who have a genital HPV infection don't show symptoms, but if symptoms do occur, they can include:

• Genital warts (warts can be found anywhere from the genitals, to your hands and feet, even your throat)
• Changes to the cells of the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis (these are asymptomatic but can lead to various cancers)
• Several warts close together that take on a cauliflower shape

Cures:

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this virus, but don't worry, there are treatments out there! Genital warts can be treated topically and changes to the cells of the cervix can be detected via pap smears and removed by a physician. If abnormal HPV cells are not removed they can lead to cervical, oral and anal cancer.

Gardasil, a vaccination recommended by the CDCP, can be used to prevent certain types of HPV. Check out HC's article "The HPV Vaccine: Everything You Need to Know About Gardasil" for an in-depth look at how the vaccination works.