AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) & HIV (Humam immunodeficiency virus)

• Result from a virus called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).  HIV falls into a category of viruses called Retroviruses, because they reverse the usual order of reproduction within the cells they infect. HIV invades and destroys the ability of the immune system to fight disease.
• Transmission - primarily through sexual contact, needle sharing among injection drug users, or less commonly through administration of contaminated blood products. HIV is found in semen, blood, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. 
• Symptoms - may include fevers, muscle aches, skin rashes, loss of appetite, and swollen lymph glands. These are initial reactions, which represent the body's defenses at work and they tend to fade rapidly. Other symptoms that may develop as the virus continues to deplete the immune system are repeating fevers, night sweats, weight loss, chronic fatigue, persistent diarrhea or bloody stools, easy bruising, persistent headaches, a chronic dry cough, and oral yeast infections. Many of these physical manifestations also may indicate common, everyday ailments that are by no means life threatening. However, observing that you have one or more of these symptoms that are persistent can alert you to seek a medical diagnosis of your ailment.

Chancroid

• An infection caused by a bacteria affecting the genital area.  It is the most common causes of genital ulcers.
• Transmission - usually through sexual interaction
• Symptoms - small bumps or papules, usually in the region of the genitals, perineum, or anus.  These bumps usually show up after 4 - 5 days after contact with an infected person.  The bumps eventually rupture and form painful, soft, crater like ulcers that emit a foul-smelling discharge. 

Chlamydia

• A virus like organism that grows within the bodies cells.  It's also involved in a number of infections of newborns and is a common cause of preventable blindness.
• Transmission - primarily through sexual contact.  It may also be spread by fingers from on body site to another, such as from the genitals to the eyes.
• Symptoms for Women - mild irritation or itching of the genital area, burning during urination, and slight vaginal discharge.
• Symptoms for Men - heaviness in the infected testicle, inflammation of the scrotal skin, the formation of a small area of hard, painful swelling at the bottom of the testicle, discharge, and burning during urination.

Gonorrhea (Clap)

• A bacteria that infects the warm tissues of the genitals, anus, and throat.
• Transmission - through sexual contact - penile to vaginal, oral to genital, or genital to anal.
• Symptoms for Women - may be a presence of a yellow-green discharge, but because this is rarely heavy it may go unnoticed.
• Symptoms for Men - bad-smelling, cloudy discharge from the penis, burning sensation during urination, and possibly swollen and tender lymph glands in the groin.

Nongonococcal Arthritis (GNU)

• Any inflammation of the urethra that is not caused by gonorrhea.
• Transmission - generally through sex, oral sex is strongly associated, but may also result from other infectious agents, allergic reactions to vaginal secretions, or irritation by soaps, vaginal contraceptives, or deodorant sprays.
• Symptoms for Women - Usually show no symptoms, although there may be some itching, burning during urination, and a mild discharge of puss from the vagina.
• Symptoms for Men - discharge from the penis and a mild burning sensation during urination.

Syphilis

• A thin, corkscrew like bacteria infects the genital area, but in later stages my spread to other parts of the body.  There are four phases of syphilis (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary).
• Transmission - Almost exclusively from open lesions of infected individuals to the mucous membranes or skin abrasions of a sexual partners through penile to vaginal, oral to genital, or genital to anal contacts.
• Symptoms of the Four Stages

Primary Syphilis - manifested in the form of painless sore called chancre, which appears about three weeks after initial infection.
• Women - the chancre's appear most commonly on the inner vaginal walls or cervix. It may also appear on the external genitals, particularly the labia.
• Men - the chancre's appear on the glands of the penis, but may also show up on the penile shaft or on the scrotum.
• Both - although 95% of chancre's are genital, they may also appear in the mouth, rectum, on the anus, the lips,  or breast.
Secondary Syphilis - a skin rash appearing on the body, often on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.  The rash may vary from barely noticeable to severe.  The rash may look terrible but usually does not itch or hurt.  A person may also experience flu like symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph glands, fatigue, weight loss, and joint or bone pain.
Latent Syphilis - the latent stage can last for several years, during which time there may be no observable symptoms.  However, the infection may continue to multiply.  After one year in the latent stage, the infected person is no longer contagious to sexual partners.  Although, a pregnant woman with syphilis in any stage can pass the infection to her unborn child. 
Tertiary Syphilis - the final stage of syphilis can be severe, often resulting in death if not treated in the first three stages.   They occur anywhere from 3 - 40 years after initial infection and may include conditions such as heart failure, blindness, ruptured blood vessels, paralysis, skin ulcers, liver damage, and sever mental disturbance. 

Genital Herpes

• Typically known as Herpes Simplex Type 2 that appears as lesions on the genital area. Even though genital and oral herpes are  generally associated with different herpes viruses, oral to genital transmission is possible.  Type 1 may affect the genital area and type 2 may affect the mouth area.
• Transmission - primarily through penile to vaginal, oral to genital, genital to anal, or oral to anal contact.  When any herpes soars are present the infected person is highly contagious and can transmit infection through touching, kissing, as well as sexual interaction. 
• Symptoms - lesions on the penis or vagina that  resemble a cold soar found in the mouth. Other symptoms may occur such as swollen lymph nodes in the groin, fever, muscle aches, and headaches.  In addition there may be a burning sensation during urination and women may have an increased vaginal discharge. 

Genital Warts

• Genital Warts are caused by a virus called human papillomaviurs (HPV). There have been about 100 types of HPV identified, and several of those cause genital infections.  in moist areas, such as the vaginal opening and under the foreskin, genital warts are pink or red and soft, with a cauliflower like appearance.  On dry skin areas they are generally hard and yellow-gray in color.  Genital Warts appear from 3 weeks to 8 months after contact with an infected person. 
• Transmission - HPV is usually transmitted through vaginal, anal, or oral to genital sexual interaction.  HPV is most commonly transmitted from individuals without current symptoms.
• Symptoms for Women - genital warts most commonly appear on the bottom part of the vaginal opening.  They may also occur on the perineum, the labia, the inner walls of the vagina, and the cervix.
• Symptoms for Men - genital warts most commonly appear on the glands, foreskin, or the shaft of the penis.

Pubic Lice (Crabs)

• A parasitic insects that are a yellowish-gray in color and under magnification resemble a crab.  A pubic lice generally grips a pubic hair with it's claws and sticks its head into the skin, where it feeds on blood. 
• Transmission - often transmitted during sexual contact when two people bring their pubic areas together.  Crabs may live away from the body for as long as one day.  Eggs may survive for several days.  Making it possible to get pubic lice by sleeping in someone else's bed or by wearing clothing of someone who is infected.  Furthermore, a successfully treated person may be reinfected by being exposed to his or her own unwashed sheets or underclothing.
• Symptoms - most people experience an itching sensation that brings no relief when scratched.  Although, tiny adult lice are visible to the eye.

Scabies

• A tortoise shaped parasitic mite with four stubby legs.  Unlike pubic lice, mites are too tiny to be seen by the naked eye. Scabies infestations are initiated by the female mite.  After mating she burrows beneath the skin to lay her eggs.  Each hatched egg becomes a full-grown adult within 10 - 20 days.
• Transmission - by close physical contact between people, both sexual and nonsexual.  The mites may also be transferred on clothing or bedding.  Mites can live off the human body for up to 48 hours.
• Symptoms - small vesicles or pimple like bumps occur in the area where the female mite tunnels into the skin.  A red rash around the primary lesion indicates the area where hatched adult mites are feeding.  Area of infestation itch intensely, especially at night.  Common sites of infestation include the webs and sides of fingers, wrists, abdomen, genitals, buttocks, and female breasts.