A certain young man named Joe walks towards you. He is dressed in baggy Jeans dropped way down below his waistline behind, and in front, he is grabbing his groin area as if his balls would fall off if he let go as he bounces left and right in a swagger that is peculiar to the hip hop culture. Joe has Gonorrhea but you don’t know it. As he reaches your position he shakes your hand in a friendly gesture. You later hold your penis as you urinate later in the day. Now, you have a urethral discharge, is it from Joe’s handshake?
Anita has a foul-smelling vaginal discharge. Could it have come from the public toilet she used two weeks ago when she was hard pressed at the shopping mall?
Sexually transmitted infections are what they are—-sexually transmitted and if not promptly treated may lead to serious complications.
Sexually Transmitted Infections are not contracted by handshakes or via toilet seats.
Risk Factors include:
- Sex with multiple partners
- Sex with no barrier methods – Condoms (birth control pills, injections, IUDs don’t count)
- Low socioeconomic status people are at more risk. Also, the screening of all sexually active women, including those who are pregnant, is recommended for those at increased risk for infection
Symptoms may include:
- Painful urination
- Lower abdominal pain
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Vaginal or Penile discharge
Patients with these symptoms are required to stop having sex until all their symptoms are gone and their sexual partners treated. It would also be reasonable to have HIV counseling and screening done.
Please see your doctor to be screened and treated.
