Sexually transmitted diseases are diseases that are transmitted to the partner from a wound or bodily fluids during unprotected sexual intercourse. It can create problems that greatly reduce the quality of life and even lead to death. Although it is generally transmitted during sexual intercourse, it can rarely occur during other surgical procedures such as blood and blood product transfusions, operations, and tooth extraction, or by transmission from the diseased mother to the baby during pregnancy and delivery.

Being informed about and being protected from these diseases, which can change the whole life of an individual with a moment of carelessness, can prevent you from getting a disease that will affect your life.

When precautions are not taken, it is possible to list the common sexually transmitted diseases as follows;

• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Wart (Conduloma=HPV)
• Herpes (Herpes infection=HSV)
• Hepatitis (Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C viruses)
• AIDS (HIV infection)

1. Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, usually transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse. Although they are seen in both women and men, the incidence is higher in men. It is especially seen in young people between the ages of 15-24. Symptoms include burning during urination, yellowish discharge from the penis, and swelling and redness of the urethra. 

Gonorrhea most commonly affects the genitals, urinary tract, rectum, or throat. Since it is a disease that can be transmitted from mother to baby, it is important for infected mothers-to-be to report this to their doctors and to be treated.

The most effective way to prevent gonorrhea is to avoid unprotected sexual intercourse. Gonorrhea in adults is treated with antibiotics as it is caused by bacteria. Antibiotics should be used with the recommendation of a doctor.

If gonorrhea has been diagnosed, the person's partner should also be tested, even if they don't have symptoms. If the result is positive, the partner should also be treated, otherwise, there is a risk of re-infection.

2. Syphilis

Syphilis, caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum, is a dangerous disease that needs urgent treatment and can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse. Although the most important mode of transmission of this disease is unprotected sexual intercourse, the disease can also be transmitted through blood or from mother to baby during pregnancy.

Syphilis is a disease that can cause many different health problems in the short and long term in the infected person.

Treatment of the disease is possible in the stages of primary, secondary, and latent syphilis. Since syphilis is a penicillin-sensitive bacterium, antibiotic therapy containing penicillin is usually used. In patients with penicillin allergy, other antibiotics such as azithromycin, doxycycline, and ceftriaxone can be used as an alternative.

3. Warts (Human Papilloma Virus)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that can cause warts. Warts are growths on the skin that can be raised or flat, and they can occur on any part of the body. HPV is the most common viral infection of the skin, and it is spread through skin-to-skin contacts, such as from touching a wart or from sexual contact. Some of the HPV types, which can reach numbers over 100, can even cause cancer.

Using condoms during sexual intercourse can reduce the risk of HPV. However, since condoms do not completely cover the genital area, they do not provide absolute protection.

HPV vaccines protect against the HPV types that most commonly cause genital warts and cervical cancer, but not all HPV types.

There is no effective treatment for the HPV virus. It is only possible to slow down the rapid spread of the virus, prevent its transmission and destroy warts caused by viruses and bring the genitals to a healthy state.

4. Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus)

Herpes simplex virus is a virus that can cause infections of the skin, mouth, and genitals. It is a member of the Herpesviridae family of viruses.

HSV-1 is typically associated with infections of the mouth, while HSV-2 is typically associated with infections of the genitals.

Using condoms during sexual intercourse can reduce the risk like HPV but but they do not provide full protection.

Although with the use of viral pills and viral creams the attacks decrease over time, there is no treatment to eliminate HPV from the body.

5. Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver for a number of different reasons. Hepatitis is usually caused by viruses, the five most common hepatitis viruses, are the A, B, C, D, and E viruses.

Hepatitis A usually gets better on its own without any treatment. Inflammation caused by hepatitis B or C can become chronic and lead to long-term liver damage and other complications.

Among them, one of the most common sexual transmissions is hepatitis B. The hepatitis B virus is transmitted from individual to individual through blood, blood products, and fluids has a virus. Unprotected sex, drug use, non-sterile needles, medical devices, and pregnancy are other transmission routes. Hepatitis B; It is not transmitted by eating, drinking, swimming, kissing, coughing, or using the same toilet from the common container.

Thanks to the vaccines developed, hepatitis B is a preventable disease. 

6. AIDS (HIV infection)

HIV is the virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus and causes HIV infection. AIDS is the name given to the stage in which opportunistic infections occur when the immune system cannot fulfill its defense function due to HIV. 

There is no cure for AIDS, but there are treatments available that can prolong a person's life. Using condoms during sexual intercourse provides a great deal of protection against HIV.