Some STDs are easily treated and some STDs stay with you for life.  There are four serious health consequences of some STDs which include:

• Blockage of the fallopian tubes which can lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancy;
• Pregnancy loss and increased newborn deaths caused by transmission of the infection to the infant during pregnancy and childbirth;
• Genital cancers; and
• Enhanced transmission of HIV.

Often, there are no symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.  Many symptoms can appear weeks or months after becoming infected with an STD.

• For females:  symptoms may include burning or itching around the vulva or vagina, vaginal discharge, bleeding from the vagina other than during the regular menstrual cycle, pain in the pelvic area or pain during intercourse.

• For males:  a drip or discharge from the penis or pain or burning while urinating.

• For both males and females:  swelling in the groin, sores, bumps or warts in or near sex organs or mouth, and burning or pain when urinating or during a bowel movement.

Sex or drug-sharing partners of people who have an STD are likely to get that STD.  To prevent more disease the partner needs to be told that he/she may have an STD and be offered services to prevent, cure or manage the infection.  People can contact and inform their partners by themselves or they can use a free service called Partner Referral (PR). Specially trained staff will locate, interview and counsel people while protecting all information about the referring partner.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is a communicable disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV damages the body's immune system, the system that fights infections.  Without the immune system's protection the body is defenseless against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases that can lead to the development of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the later stage of HIV infection.

The Division of Public Health Services funds STD/HIV Counseling and Testing Clinics around the state.  Though a small fee is requested, no one is turned away due to inability to pay.

• Men who have unprotected (without a condom) sex with other men.
• Persons who share needles or piercing equipment.
• Persons who had several sex partners.
• Persons who had any sexually transmitted disease (STD).
• Persons who had unprotected sex with any person described above.
• Persons who had unprotected sex with a person infected with HIV.
• All pregnant women as well as infants born to HIV-infected mothers.
• Persons who were significantly exposed to another person's blood or bodily fluids (for example: someone's blood coming in contact with open wounds or lesions of another person.)

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.  AIDS is the full-blown disease.  A count of the number of a specific type of white blood cells in every milliliter of individual's blood determines whether the diagnosis is HIV or AIDS. The HIV virus slowly attacks the body's CD-4 cells (white blood cells that make up part of the body's immune system).  An individual with an uncompromised immune system has a CD-4 count between 800 to 1000 copies per milliliter of blood.  When the CD-4 count drops below 200 in a person with HIV infection, an AIDS diagnosis is given. 

The only sure way to avoid becoming infected or infecting others with HIV is to not have sex and to not share needles.  If you choose to have sex or use injection drugs, the following actions may reduce the risk of HIV infection.

• Persons who are sexually active can:

1. Limit the number of partners and avoid sex with people whose sexual history is unknown.
2. Use condoms properly from start to finish when having sex (anal, vaginal, and/or oral).

• Persons who inject drugs can:
  1. Not share needles or works with others.
  2. Use only clean needles and works.
  3. Purchase new sterile needles from pharmacies.

• Pregnant women who are infected with HIV can greatly reduce the risk of passing on HIV to their unborn child if they take specific HIV medications.