Specific Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Articles

Computational responses of young adult about sexual transmitted diseases in Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) described a condition passed from one person to another through sexual contact. Depending on the specific STDs, infections may also be transmitted through sharing needles and breastfeeding example HIV. The best treatment for STDs will always be prevention. Among the new infections that occur each year, over half occur among young people (15-24 years old) meaning, more at risk for STDs than older adults. STDs create great social problems in the community among which is death toll raising especially the working population (Kimberly, & Gail, 2015). The questionnaire that was given to respondents served as the research instrument. From the result in Table 1, the study revealed that 42% fall within the age limit of 15-24, while 33% fall within age limit of 20-24, and 25% aged above 25. In table 2, 30% of the populations are men, while 70% are female. Majority of the students that filled the forms are females which support vulnerability of females to STDs. Figure 2, shows that young teenagers know about the STDs through friends mostly. 45% of them know dangers about STDs while 55 don’t know which shows that the students’ practices unprotected sex because they do not know the negative effects of STDs. A very good number of the students can identify STDs client. The study concluded that adolescents in Federal Polytechnic, Mubi are mostly aware of sexually transmitted diseases(STDs) but have deficiencies in having correct knowledge about these diseases, their basic symptoms, and modes of transmission. From the chi-square distribution table, we reject the null hypothesis (11.070), and accept the alternative hypothesis(635), hence conclude that most students are somehow ignorance of STDs danger especially Syphilis and gonorrhea in Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. Finally there shall be wider publicity to enrich the campaigns about STDs in Nigeria and world at large.

Young People Awareness of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Contraception: A Portuguese Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Adolescents and young adults are an important target concerning reducing health-risk behavior adoption, including sexual health. Studying their knowledge concerning sexuality and their main counsellors, can be an important step in targeting an updated health promotion approach. This study characterized adolescents and young adults' knowledge and attitudes about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and contraception, prospecting for their main trusted counseling sources. We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based, self-report survey of 746 individuals aged between 14 and 24 years from Paredes, Portugal. The questionnaire included many dimensions, as demographic characteristics, youth behavior, currently sexually active status, main counselors concerning health topics, awareness, and knowledge about STDs and contraception. Mean age of the participants was 18.3 years, 50.5% of them had started their sexual activity. Males present themselves as more sexually active, starting earlier, and have more sexual partners than females. Participants reported an adequate knowledge perception about STDs and contraception methods, however we found different patterns on specific STDs and contraceptive methods, according to gender, age, and sexually active status. Our results help design specific interventions to reach youth, community, and healthcare providers, pointing out the value of bringing people to the center of health policies.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Pregnant Women: 5 States, United States, 2009-2011.

Introduction Screening for specific sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during pregnancy has been a longstanding public health recommendation. Prior studies have described associations between these infections and socioeconomic factors such as race/ethnicity and education. Objectives We evaluated the prevalence of STDs and the correlation socioeconomic factors have with the presence of these infections among pregnant women in the United States. Methods We conducted an analysis using self-reported data from 12,948 recently pregnant women from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) in 5 states during 2009-2011. Responses to questions about curable STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis) diagnosed during pregnancy were utilized to calculate weighted STD prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A logistic regression was also conducted to identify maternal socioeconomic characteristics significantly associated with STDs; results are displayed as adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR). The PRAMS protocol was approved at PRAMS participating sites and by CDC's Institutional Review Board. Results Overall, 3.3% (CI 2.9-3.7) reported ≥ 1 curable STD during her most recent pregnancy. The adjusted STD prevalence was higher among women with younger age (aPR, 2.4; CI 1.8-3.4), non-Hispanic black race/ethnicity (aPR, 3.3; CI 2.4-4.1), unmarried status (aPR, 2.1; CI 1.4-3.0), no college education (aPR, 1.4; CI 1.0-1.9), annual income < $25,000 (aPR, 2.0; CI 1.3-3.2), and no pre-pregnancy health insurance (aPR, 1.4; CI 1.1-1.8). Conclusions for Practice This is the largest study of prevalence of self-reported curable STDs among U.S. pregnant women. Differences in STD prevalence highlight the association between certain socioeconomic factors and the presence of STDs.

A cross-national study to compare the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of sexually transmitted diseases and the sexual risk behaviors of Latino adolescents

Adolescents are at high risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). However, little is known about differences in knowledge and risk behaviors across nationalities. The objective of this study was to assess and compare the knowledge and perceptions of STDs and the sexual risk behaviors in Latino adolescents in the United States (US) and the Dominican Republic (DR). A survey was administered to 364 high school students after obtaining parental consent. The questionnaire asked about demographics, sources of STD information, risk behaviors, and knowledge of syphilis, gonorrhea, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Mean percentage scores were calculated to compare correct responses by nationality, gender, and sexual activity. Predictors of self-reported high risk sexual behavior were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. In all, 242 (66%) US and 122 (34%) DR students were interviewed. Of these, 52% were males. Median age was 15 years (range, 13-18). Sexual activity was reported by 40% of the participants and did not differ by gender (p=0.43) or national origin (p=0.53), although it was greater for adolescents older than 15 years of age (60% vs. 35%, p<0.001). US students identified abstinence as an effective STD prevention method more often than their counterparts (p=<0.001). Knowledge of specific STDs was higher in girls (p=0.002) and Dominicans (p=0.003). Predictors of high risk behavior were male gender (OR<uni-003D;2.50, 95% CI 1.35-4.63) and being sexually active (OR<uni-003D;3.09, 95% CI 1.71-5.59). Sexual activity at an early age was prevalent, and knowledge of STDs low in these two groups of high school students. Males and sexually active individuals were more likely to engage in high risk behaviors. Girls and Dominican students exhibited greater knowledge of specific STDs.

STDs help line and prevention

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are a public health problem worldwide, each year about 340 million people, aged between 15 and 49, who contract an STDs (WHO). The Research Unit psycho-socio-behavioral, Communication, Training – U.O. RCF (Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitic and Immunomediated – National Institute of Health in Italy ) initiated in 2010 under a project funded by the Ministry of Health, a specific STDs prevention activities through the intervention of telephone counseling. This action is already used by researchers at the U.O. RCF since 1987 for the prevention of HIV infection and AIDS.

Interactions of HIV, Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Genital Tract Inflammation Facilitating Local Pathogen Transmission and Acquisition

Despite several decades of clinical trials assessing the impact of etiological treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to decrease HIV acquisition and transmission, almost all of these trials have not proven to be efficacious. Increasing evidence suggests that specific STD treatment alone may not be sufficient to alter the genital tract inflammatory milieu that is created by STDs. This paper examines the associations between STDs and HIV susceptibility and infectiousness, and considers the role of chronic and refractory inflammation to create an environment that potentiates HIV and STD transmission and acquisition by reviewing biological, observational, and clinical trial data.

Cost-effectiveness of HIV screening of patients attending clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in Amsterdam.

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of universal HIV screening of patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in Amsterdam. Cost effectiveness analysis. A Bernoulli model for the secondary transmission of HIV was linked with epidemiological data on infection with HIV and other STD in patients attending a STD clinic in Amsterdam from 1991 to 1997. This gave estimates of the number of secondary HIV infections caused by attenders of the STD clinic. Combined with data on the health and monetary benefits of averting HIV infection and costs of HIV screening, we assessed the cost-effectiveness of HIV-screening of attenders of the STD clinic. Increased risk for HIV infection was found in STD clinic attendees infected with other STD. (odds ratio, 2.07). The risk differed for specific STD: the highest odds ratios were found for syphilis and gonorrhoea. Screening of all attendees was estimated at net costs of 82,552 Euro per secondary infection averted. The cost-effectiveness ranges between 680 Euro and 9335 Euro per life-year gained, depending on the value of key parameters used in the model. Compared to other interventions in infectious diseases control in the Netherlands, screening of STD clinic attendees for HIV has an acceptable cost-effectiveness.

From epidemiological synergy to public health policy and practice: the contribution of other sexually transmitted diseases to sexual transmission of HIV infection.

OBJECTIVES: To review the scientific data on the role of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in sexual transmission of HIV infection and discuss the implications of these findings for HIV and...

Where Do People Go for Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

Major public health resources are devoted to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) through public STD clinics. However, little is known about where people actually receive treatment for STDs. As part of the National Health and Social Life Survey, household interviews were performed from February to September 1992 with 3,432 persons aged 18-59. Weighted population estimates and multinomial response methods were used to describe the prevalence of self-reported STDs and patterns of treatment utilization by persons who ever had a bacterial or viral STD. An estimated two million STDs were self-reported in the previous year, and 22 million 18-59-year-olds self-reported lifetime STDs. Bacterial STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, nongonococcal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and syphilis) were more common than viral STDs (genital herpes, genital warts, hepatitis and HIV). Genital warts were the most commonly reported STD in the past year, while gonorrhea was the most common ever-reported STD. Almost half of all respondents who had ever had an STD had gone to a private practice for treatment (49%); in comparison, only 5% of respondents had sought treatment at an STD clinic. Respondents with a bacterial STD were seven times more likely to report going to an STD clinic than were respondents with a viral STD--except for chlamydia, which was more likely to be treated at family planning clinics. Men were significantly more likely than women to go to an STD clinic. Young, poor or black respondents were all more likely to use a family planning clinic for STD treatment than older, relatively wealthy or white respondents. Age, sexual history and geographic location did not predict particular types of treatment-seeking. The health care utilization patterns for STD treatment in the United States are complex. Specific disease diagnosis, gender, race and income status all affect where people will seek treatment. These factors need to be taken into account when STD prevention strategies are being developed.

Gynecological Infections and Sexual Practices of Massachusetts Lesbian and Bisexual Women

Objective: The assumption that self-identified lesbians are at low risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and other gynecological infections may be premised upon infrequent screening, ignorance of lesbian sexual practices, and the discomfort that lesbians may feel concerning the disclosure of their sexual identity and behavior. We hypothesize that transmission between women may occur, and actual risk may depend upon the sexual behaviors as well as the number and gender of partners. Methods: In 1994, the Family Planning Council of Western Massachusetts developed a Lesbian Health Needs Assessment Survey. The Fenway Community Health Center (FCHC) supplemented the survey with a one-page STD questionnaire aimed at evaluating STD testing, diagnoses, and sexual practices among self-identified lesbian and bisexual women. Circulated only in eastern Massachusetts, 421 of the 1523 surveys, including the one-page STD supplement, that were distributed were returned. The prevalence of specific STDs among women with and without recent male sexual partners was compared and analyzed in relation to self-reported sexual behavior. Results: Among lesbians who denied having prior male sexual partners, the following gynecological infections were reported: trichomoniasis, anogenital warts, and abnormal Pap smears. The most commonly reported sexual practices were digital–vaginal penetration, oral–oral, oral–genital, and genital–genital contact. Conclusions: Probable woman-to-woman transmission of STDs and vaginitis was frequently reported. Although the true incidence of specific infections among lesbians is unknown, routine screening should be offered to sexually active lesbians.

Hepatitis C virus infection in a male homosexual cohort: risk factor analysis.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of morbidity throughout the world. Parenteral exposure to infected blood accounts for the majority of cases. Sexual transmission is suggested by the higher prevalence of infection in sex workers and homosexual men. Sexual practices which contribute to HCV infection need to be identified. The social and medical history, and HCV serostatus of 1058 homosexual men in the Pittsburgh arm of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were analysed. Multivariate analysis was used to determine risk factors for HCV seropositivity. 31 men were HCV seropositive by enzyme immunoassay and recombinant immunoblot assay (2.9%). They were more likely to be HIV seropositive (39%) than the HCV seronegative men (19%). Needle sharing and illegal drug use were the most important risk factors for HCV seropositivity. Statistically significant sexual factors (p < 0.05) included a history of syphilis, rectal gonorrhea, anal insertive intercourse with ejaculation, and douche or enema use before anal receptive intercourse. The number of sexual partners was not a significant risk factor. HCV infection is associated with specific sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexual practices in the male homosexual population. The evidence of high risk behavior should be incorporated into ongoing educational efforts to decrease the incidence of STDs.

Testing AIDS Interventions: When Is the Price Too High?

In an effort to prevent the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in Africa Maria Wawer of Columbia University in New York and Nelson Sewankambo of the University of Makerere in Kampala have designed a trial that treats everyone between the ages of 15 and 58 years in approximately 30 Rakai villages in Uganda for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The trial which is funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation will evaluate an expensive combination of oral antibiotics in treating gonorrhea chlamydia trichomoniasis syphilis bacterial vaginosis and chancroid. The drugs will be given every six months regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. Two of the antibiotics azithromycin and ciprofloxacin are too expensive for the average Ugandan; if the therapy proves efficacious it may be too expensive to implement anywhere in the developing world. The trial was approved by scientific and ethical review committees at the AIDS Research Subcommittee of the Medical Research Council of Uganda Columbia University NIH and Johns Hopkins University because it promises to identify which STDs provide the greatest risk of HIV infection; cost-effective programs targeting specific STDs could then be developed.

An analysis of false positive reactions occurring with the Captia Syph G EIA.

The Captia Syph G enzyme immuno assay (EAI) offers the potential for the rapid automated detection of syphilis antibodies. This study was designed to assess the role of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in producing false positive reactions in the Captia Syph G EIA. The role of rheumatoid factor (RF) as a potential source of false positives was also analysed. Patients who attended a genitourinary medicine (GUM) department and gave a false positive reaction with the EIA between 1988 and 1990 were compared with women undergoing antenatal testing and with the control clinic population (EIA negative) over the same time period. The incidence of sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the clinic population and the false positive reactors was measured in relation to gonorrhoea, chlamydia, genital warts, candidiasis, "other conditions not requiring treatment" and "other conditions requiring treatment." Male: female sex ratios were also compared. Ninety two RF positive sera were analysed with the EIA. The rate of false positive reactions did not differ with respect to the diagnosis within the GUM clinic population. The antenatal group of women, however, had a lower incidence of false positive reactions than the GUM clinic group. No RF positive sera were positive on Captia Syph G EIA testing. There is no cross reaction between Captia Syph G EIA and any specific STD or with RF positive sera. The lower incidence of false positive reactions in antenatal women is unexplained but may be related to physiological changes associated with pregnancy.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tubal Pregnancy

The risk of tubal pregnancy associated with seropositivity to Chlamydia trachomatis or following a diagnosis of gonorrhea, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, genital warts, or nonspecific vaginal infection was evaluated in a study of this condition among women who were members of a prepaid health plan. A total of 264 women who had a tubal pregnancy between 1981 and 1986 were interviewed about their history of these sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Their responses were compared to those of 715 women who were matched by age and county of residence but were otherwise randomly selected from the enrollment files of the health plan. Chlamydia antibody status was known in a sample of 135 cases and 192 controls. Although more cases reported a history of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and non-specific vaginal infections than did controls, only a modestly elevated risk for trichomoniasis remained after logistic regression was used to adjust for the effects of age, reference year, race, presence of contraception at reference date, seropositivity to Chlamydia trachomatis, and a history of other STDs. By contrast, among women for whom Chlamydia trachomatis antibody status was assessed, presence of antibody was associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of tubal pregnancy after adjusting for the effects of the previously enumerated variables. These findings confirm the relevance of Chlamydia trachomatis as a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy, and they also underscore the importance of adjustment for the influence of other STDs when evaluating the association between a specific STD and the occurrence of tubal pregnancy.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Changes in Risk Reduction Behaviors Among Young Adults

Increasing attention has focused on the medical risk to young, unmarried, sexually active adults of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in general and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in particular. Yet little is known empirically about the extent to which this group perceives themselves to be at risk for contracting specific STDs or is changing their behaviors to reduce their risk. In the current study, the authors report findings from two matched samples of unmarried young adults, 182 assessed in the winter of 1986 and 182 in the fall of 1987. Results demonstrated greater worry and concerns about all STDs, including AIDS, in the second sample assessed than in the first. Some behavioral changes also were noted in the second group, including increased use of condoms. Nevertheless, 44% of sexually experienced participants in the fall of 1987 reported that they had not changed their behavior in any way to reduce their risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Maternal Gonococcal Infection as a Preventable Risk Factor for Low Birth Weight

With the objective of determining if specific sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are associated with prematurity (birth weight less than or equal to 2500 g and gestational age less than or equal to 36 weeks), a case-control study was conducted to evaluate women for serologic evidence of syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus infection and microbiologic evidence of cervical infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Haemophilus species and vaginal infection with genital mycoplasma, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Enterobacteriaceae. Gram stains of vaginal secretions were evaluated for bacterial vaginosis. Among 166 cases and 175 controls, infection with N. gonorrhoeae was associated with preterm birth. Four percent of controls and 11% of cases were infected with N. gonorrhoeae (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.2-7.2). This association was independent of age, rupture of membranes, and hypertension. Other STDs were not associated with preterm birth. The attributable risk of gonococcal infection was 14%. Gonococcal infection appears to be responsible for a substantial proportion of premature births and is theoretically preventable by antenatal case detection and treatment.