Sexually transmitted diseases are actually becoming more prevalent among more various demographics of people. Most, especially the young, are under the impression that they are immune or at least so far away from an infected person that this could never happen to them. Meanwhile the rate of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases is on the rise.
One demographic in particular that suffers from sexually transmitted infections is women. In fact, women are three times more likely to get a positive diagnosis on Chlamydia than men. This fact and others have raised the issue of sexually transmitted diseases in regard to women’s to a high level indeed.
Although there are many different types of sexually transmitted disease that affect women more drastically than men, there are three that are particularly dangerous to women. And these three are Syphilis, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and, of course, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Men are susceptible to these viruses as well as women. There aren’t any outstanding facts that separate the effects of Syphilis and HIV in women from the ocurrances of the same infections in men. However, these are extremely dangerous. On the other hand, the Human Papillomavirus can cause damages to women exclusively.
First, a sexually transmitted disease is a disease that is contagious through the exchange of the bodily fluids passed through the body during sexual intercourse. And those fluids are: blood, semen, vaginal fluid and saliva. Any of these liquids can carry a syphilis worm, the HIV strains that weaken and destroy the immune system. These diseases are not transmitted by handshake or sharing the same clothes; but sitting on an infected public toilet could be risky (accept in the case of HIV and Human PapillomaVirus). Viruses are not exclusively passed from body to body but by fluid or as air-born invaders. During unprotected sex viruses and other disease components will travel from one individual to the other. Most Sexually transmitted diseases are avoidable and treatable if contracted. However, there are a few that can cause infertility, permanent wart, and in the worst (and not so uncommon), death.
Syphilis has been around for quite some time. The first official recordings and recognition of it took place in the late 1400s; yes, well over 600 years ago. This took place in Europe. While Syphilis is treatable it is very deadly. During its first recorded outbreak it said to have become a continent-wide epidemic. With these early recordings one can get an idea of what happened to someone with Syphilis fully set on. They would be covered with boils, the skin would then flake and peel and the individual would eventually die within a few months. Five million deaths were reported in Europe over time. Effective treatments weren’t developed for it until the 1900s. There was no cure for Syphilis until WWII and the widespread use of penicillin. Syphilis can also be one of the more rare causes of dementia. It sets on in the late stages of infection.
Syphilis is in essence a germ passed from one person to another during sex. Today, Syphilis is treatable in the early stages. However, even today, if Syphilis is left unchecked it can cause serious illness, damage to several organs and death. During the early stages it shows up as a sore or chancre. It is painless, lasts for two weeks and disappears. It appears on the area in which it entered the body i.e. lips (mouth), genital areas and etc. Here is where gets lethal for women; as it appears on men it is visible (excepting anal infections) on mouth or genitals but on women it can show up in places that are not easily detected: within the vaginal walls or on the cervix and etc. The disease can be undetected and passed to another in this stage. These little hiding places can cause the disease to go unnoticed and thus not treated and progress to the second stage. Keep in mind that this is the most treatable stage. After this the disease becomes more complicated to treat.
In the second stage non-itching rashes will appear. Other symptoms in this stage sores on the throat, fever, swollen glands, sore throats, loss of hair, headaches and muscle-aches, irregular weight loss and fatigue. The disease can be passed to another in this stage.
The next stage is the latent stage. The disease hides itself but cannot be passed to another. Second stage symptoms can resurface (at which point it is again contagious). The latent stage can last for years before passing on to the final stages. In this stage the disease can hurt vital organs: eyes, brain, heart, blood vessels and even the liver. Ultimately an untreated infection of Syphilis can be the cause of death. Get treated. As a woman you want to be checked if you are not taking proper precautions during intercourse.
There are ways that you have to protect yourself. The most ideal way to protect yourself is to stay abstinent and choose one lifetime partner and live a healthy and growing sexual relationship with that individual. Alternative way is to perform sexual intercourse using a contraceptive.
Human Papillomavirus Virus cropped up under the microscope in the early 1930s. It was first discovered on rabbits. It was finally discovered in humans under a more powerful microscope in 1949. It appears as various forms of warts on the skin. The discoveries involving HPV were not as fast as those with Syphilis. It wasn’t until the 1970s that doctors discovered that there was a venereal disease that was causing cervical cancer. They noticed that whatever the disease was it was also accompanied with genital warts. So they shifted blame to Herpes.
In the 1980s the blame was finally put in the proper place. Human Papillomavirus is one of the most commonly sexually transmitted infections. It is a virus. This means that it is incurable. It comes in quite a few strains that are classified into two strains: low-risk and high-risk. Low-risk strains will not cause cervical cancer. Males and females may manifest warts but not develop cancer. High-risk strains which cause cancer are not as frequent. Some strains of Human Papillomavirus can cause eye infections beside warts.
While Human Papillomavirus is incurable, it can leave the body if the individual takes care of him or herself. Human papillomavirus is not to be taken lightly especially as it pertains to women. Cervical cancer is a real risk. Immunity vaccines are available to those who have not contracted the disease. Women again are more at risk than men because of the cervical cancer risk.
One scary fact in regard to women is that a vast majority of women under 30 have contracted human papillomavirus. The offset of the scare is that most strains do not lead to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer set on by human papillomavirus is twenty times more likely to occur then penile cancer in men set on by human papillomavirus.
Human papillomavirus is also transferrable to babies at birth. This is when eye problems occur. The dangers to babies are can be alarming but most occurances of this are easily treated. The virus can also cause juvenile respiratory problems in children. Some recent testing has revealed HPV links to lung cancer, skin and even throat cancer.
In the United States the largest carrying demographic is the age group 20-24 years. The best thing to do if you think you might be at risk may be to get tested. Go to a gynecologist and get a cervical pap in the least and see what they come up with.
Finally, the sexually transmitted disease with the biggest risk association is Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is not accompanied by chancres, warts or problems with eyes in its beginning stages. It has no outward symptoms or other signs or indicative factors that may lead to suspicion of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Neither the carrier nor the sexual partner will be aware of the risks associated with the virus. It can be slowed down with various vaccines on the market; but ultimately, it ends in death.
Signs of the disease (if undetected early on) don’t manifest until the immune system begins to break down and the body can no longer fight off ailments that are normally fought off very easily i.e. the common cold. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the prerequisite to AIDS (Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is the failure and breakdown of the entire immune systems. AIDS victims will die from any number of maladies and ailments as their bodies become unable to produce enough white blood cells. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) will attack its host (a human) by destroying the immune system (white blood cells). As the immune system is broken down it is rendered incapable of rejuvenating itself and thus becomes inoperable. Disease comes in and has its day without a viable challenge from the body. In fact, in the later stages all of the body’s defenses come from without it (medications, machines and etc). Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can also make someone available to stomach cancers.
The scariest thing about Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the disease that causes AIDS, is that it can be carried by its host for close to 20 years without being detected. It is contagious at all stages and women are vulnerable as well as men. Because of lack of education and access to effective healthcare Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the disease that causes AIDS will spread more rapidly among the impoverished. Women constitute a disproportionate percentage of impoverished people all over the world and thus find themselves more at risk (even in America).
Protecting yourself against AIDS, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the disease that causes AIDS, is to practice abstinence. If one is socially stationed in a lower societal class that individual should take into account that they are more at risk than others. This, again, is because of lack of sufficient health care and healthy habits. If unable to remove oneself from high-risk communities more drastic and serious measures need to be taken.
Women in these communities are more at risk than the women of other communities because their male partners will be more sexually promiscuous and irresponsibly sexually risky. Although there are overarching issues of systemic injustice personal protection from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the disease that causes AIDS, is personal.
Women will have adverse risks to sexually transmitted diseases as they will tend to have less pay benefits on the job or be left without health care for their children or themselves. Some strains of viruses such as HPV leave women at risk for cancer. Verify these findings with the sources provided and help to reduce the risk of transmitting an sexually transmitted disease to a loved one or contracting one yourself.
The issue as to whether or not this is a justice issue for women is irrelevant. The most important aspect of sexually transmitted disease for women is that of safety. Women of all demographics are vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases. They all contract them and can suffer the same devastating consequences of contracting them. The case of the small child being raped and served an sexually transmitted disease just for being a child is a justice issue. All consenting adults cannot make this claim because of their ability to abstain from intercourse until they have done due diligence in ensuring that “the cost is clear” for intercourse. Using prophylactics is a good measure of responsibility.
Statistics are available online and in scholarly libraries. Find these statistics and do some observations of your own. Observe the effects of deviant sexual behavior, rape, coercion on women and try to tally it in with the rise and increase of sexually transmitted disease amongst women. The findings may astound you.
References
Healthy People 2020 Retrieved from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=37
WebMD Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/default.htm
CDC Website Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
CDC Website Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/stdfact-syphilis.htm
