FAQ on STD
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STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease and it denotes those diseases that are transmitted
from one person to another by sexual contact. Also, known asVenereal Disease (VD) or Sexually
Transmitted Infection (STI).
Commonly used synonymously, STI is the presence of infective organism in the body while
STD is the development of the disease. As not all infections result into symptomatic
diseases, "STI" is the broader term used by the medical fraternity. However, they imply the
same conditions.
The most widely prevalent sexually transmitted diseases include
HIV (AIDS), Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, Human Papilloma Virus and Herpes Simplex.
The Government of India estimates that about 2.40 million Indians are living with HIV
(1.93 ?3.04 million) with an adult prevalence of 0.31% (2009).
Children (<15 yrs) account for 3.5% of all infections, while 83% are the in age group 15-49 years.
Data source: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/07/10/hiv-aids-india
Children (<15 yrs) account for 3.5% of all infections, while 83% are the in age group 15-49 years.
Data source: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/07/10/hiv-aids-india
They can be transmitted by:
- Having unprotected sex with an infected individual,
- Having oral or anal sex,
- Ruptured condom during sex,
- Sex with multiple partners or sexual worker,
- Sharing infected needles for drugs, piercing, tattooing or razors for shaving,
- Skin contact with the infected discharges and to the baby through an infected mother.
As they can stay silent for a long time, they can develop to fiercely high levels before
producing any symptom leading to widespread damage and even death. The infection may spread
from the genitals to the other organ systems of the body resulting in organ damage, infertility,
pregnancy complication, cancer etc. Timely and regular screening and testing for these diseases
is highly essential to curb the infection at its initial stage.
- If you are sexually active and had unprotected/oral/anal sex with a person of unknown infective status, STD testing is recommended for you.
- Also, in case of piercing/tattooing/blood transfusions/drugs where sterilised needles were not used, testing should be done.
- Exposure to any of the modes of transmission mentioned above calls for STD testing.
The common symptoms include:
- Pain during intercourse,
- Abnormal vaginal/penile discharge,
- Genital warts or blisters,
- Bleeding from penis/vagina,
- Pain or burning during urination,
- Abdominal pain,
- Enlarged lymph nodes etc.
- However, most cases may not produce any symptom at all.
A simple blood test can detect most of the sexually transmitted diseases growing in your
blood stream. However, a more disease-specific confirmatory test may be done in some doubtful cases.
We have over 6000+ nationwide testing locations that provide fast, confidential STD tests.
Call +91-9013 161616 or order online
The window period i.e. the time taken by the respective antibodies to reach detectable level in the blood
stream varies from one disease to another. On an average, most of the infections can be diagnosed after
about 3-4 weeks of exposure.
As mentioned earlier, the disease-causing organism can stay silent in the body
for a long time. Hence, an initial negative test does not confirm "STD-free" status.
Repeat tests at 3 months and 6 months are done to validate the final status.
A positive test should be followed by a more advanced confirmatory test for STD to reach a final diagnosis.
A visit to the doctor is mandatory for prescription of relevant drugs and other necessary preventive and remedial actions. Do not panic as proper care and treatment can help tackle the infection in time. DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE.
- Avoiding unprotected sex especially with sex workers or unknown individuals,
- Oral/anal sex, sex with multiple partners,
- Sharing needles/razors etc. are some of the basic precautions one should practice religiously.
