The Triangle

Issue date: 11/11/05 Section: Sci-Tech

Media Credit: Shyunti Das Contraceptive foams and films are a good alternative to condoms.

Sex - it cannot be denied that this topic is on the brains of most, if not all, college students. On their own for the first time with minimal limitations or parents around, it is very easy to strip away inhibitions and place oneself in high-risk situations, such as having unprotected sex with strangers. A recent study conducted by Scholly, Katz, Gascoigne and Holck on undergraduates at four diverse universities showed that 80 percent of participants had at least one sexual partner during the preceding year.

Although sexual education courses have been integrated into the health curriculums of most high schools and methods of birth control are becoming readily available to young adults, the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases on college campuses is steadily increasing. According to Health Services at Columbia University, 20-25 percent of college students across the country have either been infected with an STD or transmitted an STD to their sexual partners. Two thirds of all individuals with STDs are under the age of 25.

STDs are generally divided into two classes. Viral STDs include genital warts, herpes, hepatitis and HIV and bacterial STDs include gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Bacterial infections are generally easier to cure with a round of antibiotics but will still take their toll on the afflicted individual. Viral infections are very serious and cannot be cured, only treated. Unlike most ailments, STDs are tricky in that afflicted individuals may be asymptomatic. As such, these individuals may continue having sexual relations and unknowingly transmit the disease to others.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most commonly contracted STD in recent years has been Human Papilloma Virus, also known as genital warts. Four to six million cases of HPV are seen each year, and it has been termed as the most common STD on college campuses across the country. The American Social Health Association claims that there are over 100 different types of HPV, 30 of which cause genital warts. HPV is spread primarily though skin-infected skin contact, and it manifests itself as warts around the genitals. In rare cases, HPV has the potential to cause cervical cancer in women. Although individuals may be affected with genital warts, HPV can remain dormant, which makes it difficult to diagnose and treat.

Chlamydia is the second most prevalent STD amongst college students. It is transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex, but because it is a bacteria-derived STD, it can eventually be cured using antibiotics, such as doxycycline. The bacteria that cause chlamydia are drawn to moist regions of the body that are not covered by skin. It has a penchant for female genitalia, and it affects areas such as the vaginal lining, cervix, anus and less commonly, the throat. The CDC estimates that one in 10 adolescent females has tested positive for the STD. "Chlamydia may cause no symptoms in infected patients and can cause impaired fertility or even sterility in women," said Dr. Eric Evans of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinic System.

Another asymptomatic STD is genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is estimated that 90 percent of the estimated 45 to 60 million Americans with genital herpes are unaware of their condition. Symptoms include sores, blisters and cuts around the genitalia. Many individuals also experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever and headache. Most people, however, are quick to dismiss such symptoms as insignificant or mistake it for jock itch, razor burn and other similar scenarios. College students in particular are quick to chalk up any STD-like symptoms to being a normal part of their growing bodies. Herpes is most commonly spread through genital contact, according the American Social Health Association. Although not an uncomfortable virus, it does increase an individual's chances of contracting HIV.

Media Credit: Shyunti Das A variety of condom brands and types for sale in the family planning aisle of CVS.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS and is the most lethal STD. Because AIDS attacks the immune system, afflicted individuals cannot mount the proper response to the invading cells and become progressively weaker and eventually defenseless. According to the Health Center at George Mason University in Virginia, 25 percent of all new infections will occur in individuals under the age of 20. Those who have already contracted one or more STDs are more susceptible to contracting the disease. It is usually transmitted through the sharing of seminal or vaginal fluids, and by drug users sharing needles. If detected early enough, HIV-positive individuals can be treated and go on to live fairly normal lives.

All STDs are preventable, but only if sexually active individuals take the time to protect themselves. Abstinence, of course, ensures protection; however, college students who do not choose this option will have to resort to other methods to stay safe. Individuals in monogamous relationships are less likely to contract STDs. Condoms come in all shapes, sizes, flavors and textures, and they are readily available in health centers on most college campuses, including our own. Although there are no 100 percent guarantees, condoms are the least expensive and most effective method of preventing the transmittance of STDs. Spermicidal foam and jelly with infection-resistant properties can also be useful.

Most college students are not inclined to come forward for help with potential STDs even when symptoms are present because they are afraid that health professionals and their peers will look down upon them. If, however, you take it upon yourself to be sexually active, you also need to get tested. Annual tests will not only keep you and your partners healthy and educated, they will also allow you a greater deal of freedom. Most STD examinations are simple and may include a physical assessment of the genital area a swab of the tissue around the genital area, or blood and urine tests. Painless, quick and worth it. What is there to lose?

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