Thank You - Grand Rounds 4.27

Thank you to Jeffrey at Monash Medical Student for hosting Grand Rounds 4.27 this week and including my post about ineffective products to "cure STDs" for sale on the Internet.

This week was really interesting and I enjoyed the surgical focus, music, and reminder that my daily reality is truly blessed.

Photo Credit: web_guy94301

Labels: Grand Rounds, Healthline, STD, Teen Health

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FDA Warning About Products That May be Harmful to Teens Health

Teens Beware! There are products sold on the Internet and on EBay to treat herpes and AIDS and to prevent sexually transmitted diseases that do not work and may harm you! The FDA says there are no natural products proven to treat oral or genital herpes, genital warts, HPV or HIV.

A word of advice, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And if in doubt, if it sounds shady or suspicious, ask your doctor, or a trained health care professional that you trust.

The following products have all been removed from the market by the FDA:

• Safe Lips by Tetrasol
• Aviralex topical solution
• Oxi-MED cream
• Imulux Lamps Device
• Beta-mannum
• Micronutrient
• Qina Device
• SlicPlus Lubricant

If you are sexually active, there is no better way to avoid sexually transmitted infections than to use condoms and avoid exchanging body fluids. If you think you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection, see your doctor or a clinician at Planned Parenthood to be tested and treated, as needed. In most states this visit will be confidential - meaning your parents will not be told.

Photo credit: jurvetson

Labels: Health Fact, Healthline, STD

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1-in-4 Sexually Active Teen Girls May Have An STI

Oh my! I hope everyone has heard about the announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week that 1-in-4 teen girls is likely to have at least one sexually transmitted disease. HPV is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls (18%), but chlamydia was prominent (4%), as was trichomoniasis (2.5%) and herpes (2%). - nearly half of the African American girls and 20% of white and Mexican American girls were infected. Left undiagnosed and untreated these infections are likely to to cause cervical cancer and infertility in these young women.

What seems to missing in all the hoopla about this fact this week is the question - how? How is it that teenage girls are getting infected with sexually transmitted infections? Why is it that no one is pointing out the fact that these girls are very likely having unprotected sex with adult men, who have had multiple sexual partners.

Have you vaccinated your daughters against HPV yet? The CDC recommends vaccinating all 11-12 year-olds, and it is time we all accept that our daughters are at risk - talk to them about using barrier methods if they are having any sexual contact and please make sure they understand that adults who show sexual interest in them are breaking the law and are not concerned about what is in their best interest.

Photo credit: ND. The Wonder Boy

Labels: Chlamydia, Healthline, Sexuality Education, STD

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HPV Vaccine - For Boys?

The sexually transmitted human papillomavirus is not only linked to cervical cancer in women, but more recently it has been linked to oral cancer in men. The vaccine Gardasil is being given to young women and girls, but Merck plans to ask for permission to offer the shot to boys, as well.

There are several reasons to vaccinate boys:

• If boys are vaccinated, they are less likely to transmit the virus to women;
• HPV can cause genital warts, as well as penile and anal cancer in males;
• HPV has been linked to cancer in the tonsils, lower tongue, and upper throat in both genders; and
• The rates for those cancers are increasing.

Parents may want to start thinking about the conversations now - how to convince your teenage son that he is willing to get three shots during a year to prevent a disease spread mostly by oral sex will take some thought!

Photo credit: cambodia4kids.org

Labels: Healthline, HPV, STD

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United States #1: In Chlamydia Cases

Every year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases a report on three sexually transmitted diseases caused by different bacteria - chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, which are reportable - and therefore countable. The last report was not good news! More than one million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States last year - the highest number ever reported! The rates of gonorrhea also are getting higher, especially one "superbug" version resistant to common antibiotics. Congenital syphilis, which can deform or kill babies, is also rising for the first time in years.

Last year's number of chlamydia cases beat the 1978 record number of gonorrhea cases, which might not be a bad thing if it means more people are being tested, and therefore treated. Since 1993 the CDC has recommended annual screening for all sexually active women ages 15 to 25, which is the group most likely to be infected. If, on the other hand, it just reflects more unprotected sex, the news cannot be good.

The test for the bacteria that causes chlamydia can easily be done with urine or a swab, on both males and females. More than three quarters of women with chlamydia have no symptoms, making the screening extremely important. Left untreated in women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) as well as infertility later in life. Sadly, the CDC believes that chlamydia is actually underreported and the actual number of cases may be closer to 2.8 million annually.

The CDC also recommends that doctors send information and medication for the sexual partner home with the person diagnosed as sexual partners can be hesitant to seek treatment if they do not experience any symptoms. A "test for cure" three months after the first diagnosis is also suggested, to make sure the treatment was successful.

The story with gonorrhea is a little bit different. In 2004 the rates of gonorrhea infection were at the lowest level they had been since 1941, when the government started tracking the number of infections. However, in 2005 the rates went up and in 2006 there was another 5.5% increase. There are also research reports that suggest between 7% and 14% of the cases are the infections resistant to common antibiotics.

There are actually about 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States and genital herpes, HPV and trichomonas infections are the most common, but not reportable. For teens, this means that safer sex is a necessity - every act of vaginal intercourse should be protected with a reliable method of birth control, as well as a condom to protect against disease. Oral sex should include the use of a condom to avoid the exchange of semen. This is not rocket science - all three of these diseases can be 100% avoided by not exchanging body fluids during sexual contact - which is easily accomplished with proper use of a male or female condom.

Photo credit: bribriTO

Labels: Chlamydia, STD

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Birth Control in Middle School?

The Portland (Maine) school board and Division of Public Health are allowing King Middle School students to get sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, as well as birth control without notifying parents. The goal, of this controversial act, is to provide students who are participating in risky behavior access to needed health services.

Research has shown repeatedly that having the services will not encourage the students who do not participate in risky behavior to go out and look for trouble - the services will only help those who need them. It is not right, and it is sad, but there are middle school students participating in sexual behavior. Which would we as a society prefer - a 14-year old pregnant girl, or one on birth control?

It amazes me that the same society that sexualizes young girls, sells every product known to humankind with sexuality, and encourages young girls to fixate on their appearance and sex appeal, finds providing the healthcare required by the consequences of those activities inappropriate and a violation of parental rights.

I'll tell you what is a violation of my rights as a parent - that I cannot protect my children from exposure to sexuality, drugs, alcohol, and smoking without limiting their freedom. All I can do as a parent is talk to them, and mitigate the perception that "everyone" is doing it, and that participation in those risky activities is the way to become popular, successful, and strong.

Photo Credit: blmurch

Labels: Parenting, School, STD

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Mycoplasma Genitallium: An Emerging Sexually Transmitted Infection

Great! Just what we need another sexually transmitted infection to worry about. A report entitled "Mycoplasma genitalium among young adults in the United Stated: An emerging sexually transmitted infection," was recently published in the American Journal of Public Health (2007; 97(6): 1118-1125). The article reports research from the University of Washington that tested 1,714 women and 1,218 men ages 18 to 27 who took part in the Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. They found mycoplasma genitalium in 1 percent of the participants, gonorrhea in 0.3 percent, and chlamydia in 4.2 percent.

Mycoplasma genitalium can cause inflammation of the urethra in men and inflammation of the cervix and uterine lining in women, possibly leading to infertility. Most cases are asymptomatic and none of the infected participants had any unusual discharge. There are no commercial tests to test for this infection, in spite of the fact that it was first identified in the 1980's.

Photo Credit: zakwitnij

Labels: STD

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Telling Someone They May Have an STD

Here is a novel idea - tell someone they may have gotten a sexually transmitted infection from you by sending an anonymous e-card. The cards are available from the Internet Sexuality Information Services and are like a birthday card except that they encourage the recipient to get tested, instead of sharing blessings. The cards are available free nationwide, but the site requires the sender to click on a geographic region before sending the card so that location-specific information about where the recipient get tested can be provided.

As odd as this sounds, this is an important service given that most sexually transmitted infections produce no symptoms and untreated, they can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and infertility. Teens have very high rates of sexually transmitted infections

Photo Credit: Monkey[20after4]

Labels: STD

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