Std stands for sexually transmitted disease. An STD is any kind of infection that can be passed from one person to another through sex. It is a virus, bacteria or fungus that can cause no symptoms in some people but can lead to serious health problems in others.
Infections can be passed through contact with infected bodily fluids. This means that people who have sex with others without using condoms or dental dams can get infected.
There are three main types of STDs: bacterial infections, viral infections, and parasitic infections. Bacterial infections include chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, and eye infections like conjunctivitis and pink eye. Viral infections include human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). Parasitic infections include some forms of genital warts as well as trichomoniasis, giardia lamblia, amoebiasis and cryptosporidiosis.
The most common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. There are also less common STDs that require testing like genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). You can get tested for these STDs at any time by your doctor.
The most common STDs include:
- Chlamydia
- Herpes
- Hepatitis B
- HIV
- Genital Warts / Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Hepatitis A
- Gonorrhoea
- Syphilis
- Hepatitis C
- Bacterial Vaginosis
These infections can cause serious health problems if left untreated. If you think you might have an STD, talk to your doctor about what tests he or she recommends for you.
A person who has an STD may not have symptoms at first. This is called asymptomatic infection and it is common among those who do not know they are infected with the disease. Symptoms may develop weeks or months after infection when the immune system has been weakened by other factors such as cancer treatment or HIV/AIDS.
There are many STDs that can affect your health, some of which are more serious than others. Most STDs can be treated with medication or oral contraceptives, but in some cases, STDs may require surgery or even hospitalization.
If you think you have been exposed to an STD, it’s important that you get tested as soon as possible. The sooner you start treatment, the better your chances of eliminating the infection and preventing further spread of the disease.
You can check for an STD and get same day results at some speciality clinics in UK like Broadgate GP.