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Sexually Transmitted Infections: Know the Facts
Student Health offers very reasonably priced sexually transmitted infection testing. Call 335-8394 for an appointment to be tested.
SHS also carries emergency contraception (morning after pill). Plan B emergency contraception is now available without a prescription. You may purchase this at the Westlawn Pharmacy at Student Health. You need to bring an ID with proof that verifies you are 18 or older. Students who are under 18 must make an appointment with a provider to obtain a written prescription. You can read more about emergency contraception here.
Information on sexually transmitted infections (STI) rapidly changes so check with your health care provider to be sure you have the most current information.
How to protect yourself
ABSTINENCE: is the best prevention of STIs and 100% effective 
GET TESTED: Student Health Service provides testing for UI students. Many of the tests are fee of charge.
GET TREATED: Most bacterial STIs like Gonorrhea or Chlamydia are relatively easy to cure with antibiotics; while viral STIs like genital warts or herpes can be cleared or controlled with treatment. If infected, treatment is free at Student Health.
Most common STIs on College Campuses
Most STI are caused by bacteria (usually easier to treat and curable) or viruses (harder to treat, often incurable).
Chlamydia/Gonorrhea: bacterial STIs which generally have no symptoms in 50-75% of infected individuals. Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STI.
- Transmission: Contact with bodily fluids with an infected person. The most common exposure is through vaginal or anal sex. Casual contact is considered safe.
- Symptoms: Usually none in women. If symptoms are present they may include abnormal vaginal, abdominal pain, burning sensation when urinating. In men, penile discharge, pain in the testicles, or pain with urination may occur.
- Treatment: Oral antibiotics are prescribed for both the patient and the partner(s).
- Why Treatment is Important: Because there are often no symptoms, chlamydia can be passed on to partners without either person knowing of the infection. If left untreated, women may develop PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) and men can develop epididymitis; both of which can lead to sterility.
Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus, Types I and II): a viral STI that produces painful blisters in, on, or near the genitals. Because it is viral, once herpes is in your system, it never goes away. Many people infected with Herpes are immune.
- Transmission: Contact, touching an infected person's lesions. Can be transmitted through non-penetrative sexual contact. Transmission commonly occurs in the absence of lesions.
- Symptoms: May include headaches, fever, burning and tingling sensations. Attacks may become less frequent and less severe over time. The virus is highly transmissible during outbreaks and pregnant women can rarely pass it to infants during childbirth.
- Treatment: Symptoms can be managed but the virus is forever. A health care provider can prescribe medication to manage the frequency & severity of outbreaks, as well as decrease spread to an uninfected partner. Self care including a healthy diet, exercise, rest, pain relievers, and cool baths can also help. You should not have sexual relations from the time of initial symptoms (burning, tingling sensations) through the complete clearing up of blisters.
- Why Treatment is Important: Treatment often helps lessen the frequency and severity of outbreaks. Infected women are at higher risk for HIV and cervical cancer so regular Pap smear should be performed. Infected men are at higher risk for HIV.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)/Genital Warts: A family of over 100 viruses including those causing: 1) genital warts, and 2) precancerous cell changes on genital organs (especially in women). This is the most common STI.
- Transmission: Contact, touching, can be transmitted through non-penetrative sexual contact.
- Symptoms: Genital warts (condyloma) are small lesions often invisible to the naked eye. Warts may be pink, cauliflower-like or small, hard, gray-yellow growths around the anus, urethra, penis, vagina, vulva, or cervix. HPV can be spread even without visible symptoms.
- Treatment: Warts may be treated using topical solutions, lasers, freezing, creams or other medications. Some treatments cause discomfort or temporary pain. Self care can help maintain a healthy immune system and control the infection. Use latex condoms for intercourse, dental dams for oral sex, and avoid contact with warts.
- Why Treatment is Important: HPV can result in pre-cancerous cell changes, cervical, vaginal, vulvular, rectal, oral and penile cancer. Regular exams and Pap smears (for women) can help monitor the disease.
- Why Vaccination is important: A quadrivalent HPV vaccine is available. It protects against 4 HPV types - 2 causing 90% of genital warts and 2 causing 67% of cervical cancer. It is only approved for women up to 26 years of age. It is most effective in women who have never had vaginal/penile intercourse, but still effective in other women.
Informational Video on HPV
Hepatitis B: a bloodborne pathogen 100 times more infectious than HIV. Hep B is spread through blood and body fluids and sexual contact.
- Symptoms: May not be present but you may still have hepatitis B and can spread it to others. Symptoms may include nausea, fatigue, yellowing of skin/eyes (jaundice) or symptoms similar to stomach viruses.
- Treatment: Rest, modified diet to protect liver and repair cell damage. There is no cure. There is an effective vaccine given in three shots over six months. Use condoms to prevent transmission during sexual activity and avoid needle sharing if injecting drugs.
- Why VACCINATION is Important: Hepatitis B can be prevented but not cured. Hepatitis B infection is growing among young people - it is recommended that all young people be vaccinated.
Page updated: 10/6/09
