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STDs, Including HIV/AIDS

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A sexually transmitted disease, or STD, is an infection or disease passed from person to person through sexual contact. You can get and pass STDs through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The United States has the highest rates of STDs in the industrialized world. In the United States alone, an estimated 19 million new cases of STDs are reported each year. The scary thing about STDs for men is that not all men get symptoms, even if they are infected.

There are steps you can take to keep from getting an STD:

• Don't have sex. The best way to prevent any STD is to practice abstinence, or not having vaginal, oral, or anal sex.

• Be faithful. Have a sexual relationship with one partner who has been tested for STDs and is not infected. Be faithful to each other, meaning that you only have sex with each other and no one else.

• Use condoms. Protect yourself with a condom EVERY time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Condoms should be used for any type of sex with every partner. For vaginal sex, use a latex male condom or a female polyurethane condom. For anal sex, use a latex male condom. For oral sex, use a dental dam. A dental dam is a rubbery material that can be placed over the anus or the vagina before sexual contact.

• Know that some methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STDs. If your partner uses one of these methods, be sure to also use a latex condom or dental dam (used for oral sex) correctly every time you have sex.

• Talk with your sex partner(s) about STDs and using condoms. It's up to you to make sure you are protected. For more information, call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (800) 232-4636.

• Talk frankly with your doctor or nurse and your sex partner(s) about any STDs you or your partner has or had. Try not to be embarrassed.

Additional Information on STDs, Including HIV/AIDS:

Publications

1.   Women and HIV/AIDS - Womenshealth.gov created the Women and HIV/AIDS web page to provide women and their loved ones with resources and information they can use to get help. This web page contains links to HIV/AIDS publications about prevention, testing, living with the disease, opportunistic infections, care, HIV/AIDS and pregnancy, legislation and rights, financial assistance, research and clinical trials, personal stories, and AIDS worldwide.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/HIV/

2.   Genital Herpes - Facts from the National Center for HIV, STD & TB Prevention - This fact sheet provides information about what genital herpes is, how common it is, and what you should know about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of genital herpes.

   http://www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/STDFact-Herpes.htm

3.   Gonorrhea - This fact sheet briefly describes gonorrhea with information on prevention, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, what can happen if it goes untreated, and complications for pregnant women and newborns.

   http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/gonorrhea/index.htm

4.   HIV/AIDS among Men Who Have Sex With Men - This publication discusses the increase of HIV among men who have sex with men, the risks, and possible prevention.

   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/msm.htm

5.   HPV and Men - CDC Fact Sheet - The information in this fact sheet represents the most current HPV science and was developed from common questions asked by men.

   http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-and-men.htm

6.   Human Papillomavirus and Genital Warts - This fact sheet briefly describes the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, possible complications, and prevention of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and genital warts.

   http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/healthscience/healthtopics/human_papillomavirus/index....

7.   Living With HIV/AIDS - This booklet is for people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is the virus that causes the disease acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). You might also want to share this booklet with your friends and family. It will help you, and them, understand more about HIV.

   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/brochure/livingwithhiv.htm

8.   Syphilis & MSM (Men Who Have Sex With Men) - CDC Fact Sheet - This publication discusses general information about syphilis and why men who have sex with men should be concerned about it.

   http://www.cdc.gov/std/Syphilis/STDFact-MSM&Syphilis.htm

9.   Syphilis Facts - This fact sheet provides information about syphilis and its transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.

   http://www.cdc.gov/std/Syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm

10.   Trichomoniasis - This publication contains information on trichomoniasis, its causes, signs and symptoms, complications, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

    http://www.cdc.gov/std/Trichomonas/STDFact-Trichomoniasis.htm

11. The Condom (Copyright © Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.) - This internet site discusses condoms, over-the-counter barrier methods of contraception. It contains information on the effectiveness, advantages, disadvantages, side effects, how to use condoms, and how to get condoms. It also contains a role play of what you can say to your partner if he/she is pressuring you not to use a condom.

    http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/condom-10187.htm

12. HIV Drug Resistance & Resistance Testing (Copyright © ACRIA) - This detailed overview addresses common questions about HIV drug resistance and the genotypic and phenotypic tests that measure resistance.

    http://www.acria.org/treatment/treatment_edu_drug_resist.html

13. Questions and Answers: Chlamydia (Copyright © ASHA) - This fact sheet provides information about the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia, specifically what it is, how common it is, who gets it and more.

    http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_chlamydia.cfm

14. Questions and Answers: Men on the Down Low - This is a frequently asked questions document about Men on the Down Low and the connection to AIDS.

    http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/qa/downlow.htm

15. Telling others about your HIV (Copyright © Project Inform) - Telling others you’re living with HIV can be scary, painful and hard. In the long run, it’s usually not as hard as the heavy burden of secrecy. While there’s no one best way, there are a few things to think about in advance that might help.

    http://www.projectinform.org/info/disclose/index.shtml

16. Understanding Your Lab Results (Copyright © ACRIA) - This on-line publication provides a complete and easy to understand explanation of different lab tests doctors use to monitor the health of patients living with AIDS, HIV diseases, and undergoing treatment.

    http://www.acria.org/treatment/treatment_edu_lab_results.html

Organizations

1.   AIDS.Gov
2.   AIDSInfo
3.   CDC National Prevention Information Network
4.   National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, CDC, OPHS, HHS
5.   National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, HHS
6. American Social Health Association

= Indicates Federal Resources

Current as of June 2007