Curable Conditions

Gonorrhea is a bacterium that can infect the genitals, rectum, and throat. It’s common, with about 1.6 million diagnoses in the United States each year. Gonorrhea is curable with antibiotics. Gonorrhea can often be asymptomatic, particularly in the throat, making oral sex an effective transmission route.¹

Chlamydia, like gonorrhea, is also a bacterium that infects the genitals, rectum, and throat. It’s also common, with about 4 million infections per year in the United States. The CDC estimates that about 1 out of 20 sexually active young women between the ages of 18 and 24 have chlamydia. It’s also curable with antibiotics. Chlamydia is often asymptomatic.²

Syphilis is a bacterium that can also infect the genitals, rectum, and throat. It’s much less common than gonorrhea and chlamydia, with 133,945 cases reported in the United States in 2020. Syphilis can be asymptomatic.³

Trichomoniasis is a parasite that infects the urinary tract of both men and women. Trichomoniasis is extremely common, with about 8 million cases in the United States annually. In men, it’s often asymptomatic. ⁴

Mycoplasma Genitalium

If you’re tuning into the world of sexual health, you might have come across the term Mycoplasma genitalium. While it’s not as commonly discussed as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), understanding it is crucial for maintaining sexual health.

What is it?

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is a type of bacteria that causes sexually transmitted infections. Discovered in the early 1980s, MG has gradually gained attention due to its role in various urogenital infections.

Symptoms

MG can be tricky because it often shows no symptoms, especially in women. When symptoms do appear, they might include:

• Men:
• Urethritis (inflammation of the urethra)
• Discharge from the penis
• Pain during urination
• Women:
• Cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix)
• Pelvic pain
• Vaginal discharge
• Pain during intercourse

These symptoms can easily be confused with those of other STIs, making accurate diagnosis crucial.

Prevalence of Mycoplasma Genitalium

You might be wondering how common MG is. Studies show that about 1 to 2% of the general population has Mycoplasma genitalium.

Treatable Conditions

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that weakens a person’s immune system. HIV spreads mostly by blood-to-blood contact. If left untreated, HIV can become acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is not a different disease but rather an advanced stage of HIV. HIV is usually symptomatic for the first week or two and then becomes asymptomatic for a lengthy period.⁵ Herpes simplex virus, often just called herpes, is caused by two types of viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes simplex virus type 2. Either can infect the genitals or the mouth. Both varieties of herpes can be asymptomatic.⁶ Hepatitis (hep) means inflammation of the liver. It is a virus. There are many types of hepatitis, but we will discuss in this document: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. You can have any of these types of hep without obvious symptoms. Hep A can be spread by sex as well as by eating infected food or drinking infected water. A vaccine can prevent hep A, and you should talk with your physician about becoming vaccinated. There are about 37,700 acute hep A infections in the United States. Most people with hep A do not have a long-lasting illness.⁷ Hep B spread requires blood, semen, or other body fluids transmission. Hep B is also preventable by vaccine, and you should talk with your physician about becoming vaccinated. About 2-6% of adults infected with hep B develop chronic infections. There are about 21,600 acute infections in the United States.⁸ Hep C is of the most concern sexually because it is not vaccine-preventable, and it is also the most common, with 57,500 infections in the United States in 2019. Hep C spreads through blood-to-blood contact. Most people respond well to treatment, and the virus can usually be cured if caught early.⁹ Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. There are about 43 million cases of HPV in the United States. HPV has over 100 strains, but fortunately, not all are dangerous. Also fortunately, vaccines can prevent the most dangerous strains that cause cancer and warts. HPV is unavoidable. It’s described as the “common cold” of the sex world. If you are female and sexually active, you will likely test positive for HPV during your next pap smear.¹⁰ Ideally, people are vaccinated against the most harmful strains of HPV while young, but, getting vaccinated late is better than never. Even if you’ve been nonmonogamous for a while, it’s still crucial that you get vaccinated for HPV.