Sexually Transmitted Disease: what is it, how can you prevent it, and what can you do about it?

What is an STD?

• An STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease), STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) or venereal disease, is an infection that can be transmitted from one person to another through sexual contact.
• An STD can be a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection.
• Common STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

How do you prevent an STD?

• When traveling, you are far away from work or studies; you are free and happy and perhaps looking for an exotic adventure with someone of the opposite (or same) sex. You meet many new, interesting people and fall in love more easily. You might drink a little more than usual or use drugs more readily. It is easy then not to worry too much about safe sex. Remember, however, that you will have enormous regrets if you return home after your trip with an unwanted pregnancy, an STD, or HIV.
• Sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia occur all over the world. They can be transmitted through unprotected sex. It is important to know that symptoms of these diseases can sometimes be difficult to recognize in yourself and others. A condom offers protection against the sexually transmitted diseases listed above, as well as against AIDS and Hepatitis B.
• A correctly used condom provides full protection against chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and trichomonas. A condom offers only partial protection against genital warts (HPV), herpes, hepatitis B, syphilis, scabies, and pubic lice.
• It is advisable to bring condoms from home. This ensures the quality and reliability of the condoms, as the correct size is not always available abroad.
• Do not store condoms in direct sunlight, but in a cool, dark place such as in your backpack or suitcase (though not near sharp objects like scissors or a nail file). Pay attention to the expiration date and prevent the condom packaging from getting damaged. It will dry out and tear more easily. It is therefore wiser not to keep condoms loose in your pocket or wallet (unless you are going out for the evening). The pill, of course, offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

What to do about Gonorrhea?

• This condition is better known as "the clap." Infection occurs via the mucous membranes. These are located in the vagina and anus, on the penis, and in the mouth.
• In women, there are few or no symptoms. Sometimes they experience increased discharge that may have an unpleasant odor and is yellow/greenish in color. Sometimes it also causes pain when urinating. In men, symptoms include pain during urination and purulent discharge.
• If you think you have contracted Gonorrhea, go to a doctor or the hospital as soon as possible. If the condition is not treated in time, it can lead to a fallopian tube infection in women. This, in turn, can result in reduced fertility or an ectopic pregnancy.
• In men, Gonorrhea can cause epididymitis. Gonorrhea is treated with one or more injections or pills. A check-up can take place after a short time, for example one or two weeks. During treatment, it is better not to have sex. This prevents you and your partner(s) from continuing to infect each other.

What to do about Syphilis?

• This sexually transmitted disease is transmitted via the mucous membranes.
• Two to twelve weeks after infection, a sore develops on the mucous membranes. This disappears on its own. Lymph nodes in the neck and groin may swell. After a few months, a rash develops on the torso, palms, and soles of the feet. This also disappears on its own.
• However, that does not mean that the condition has disappeared. If you think you have syphilis, take action; go to a doctor or the hospital.
• If syphilis is not treated or not treated adequately, there is a risk of damage to organs and the nervous system.

What to do about Chlamydia?

• This is the most common STD. Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium that settles in the mucous membranes of the genitals. This can lead to inflammation of the urethra, the anus, and the cervix. With an infection in the anus, there are usually no symptoms.
• Sometimes there is some bloody discharge, irritation, itching, and pain during bowel movements.
• If Chlamydia is not treated, it can lead to inflammation of the fallopian tubes or the epididymis. It is therefore wise to consult a doctor if you think you have chlamydia.
• If tests show that someone has chlamydia, a course of antibiotics is usually prescribed. It is best to refrain from having sex during the first week of the course; this can lead to reinfection.

What to do about Herpes?

• Genital herpes is an STI (sexually transmitted infection) caused by a virus. The virus causes an infection of the skin and mucous membranes in and around the genitals. Infection with genital herpes can only occur through intimate sexual contact between individuals where one has herpes and the other does not.
• If you have contracted a herpes infection, you may experience the first symptoms within about a week. Often, there is itching and an irritated, burning, and/or painful sensation. Red spots appear on the skin or mucous membranes. After one to one and a half days, blisters or sores become visible. Usually on or around the penis, the labia, the entrance to the vagina, or around the anus. Sometimes these symptoms also occur inside the vagina, on the cervix, or in the anus. In these cases, the blisters and sores are not easily visible. The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person. Initial attacks may be accompanied by pain, fever, swollen glands in the groin, and sometimes vaginal discharge. Women, in particular, often experience pain when urinating.
• When the symptoms of the initial infection have disappeared, it may seem as if the herpes virus has vanished from the body. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The virus has actually retreated from the skin into a nerve ganglion. It remains present there in a dormant state. However, the virus can multiply again and cause blisters on the skin or mucous membranes once more.
• There is no cure that completely eliminates the herpes virus from the body. Therefore, the virus can resurface repeatedly. Good physical and mental health contributes to a reduction in the number of attacks. If you think you have contracted herpes, see a doctor as soon as possible. Sex is not recommended during an attack. If you do have sex, at least use a (female) condom; that offers some protection.

What to do in case of AIDS?

• The virus that causes AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus - HIV) is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact or unprotected sex. The virus occurs all over the world and among all population groups. Therefore, using a condom during sexual intercourse is always recommended. For more information on which procedures you can and cannot safely perform, go to soaaids.nl/en.
• Should you be traveling to areas where little or no medical care is available, you may consider taking a sterile kit containing needles and syringes, among other things. Any interventions would then not need to be performed using the instruments available on-site that may have been used previously and/or are not sterile.
• A few countries ban all foreign HIV-positive people from entering a country. Others have no entry restrictions for tourists but require people to be HIV negative if they apply for a work or residence permit. Read more about HIV and travel and visa restrictions on aidsmap.com