| STD
Information Center > STD
News > STD Good News
STD Information Center Menu: |
|
Good News About
STDs
(onlinedatingmagazine.com -
December 10, 2003) In its message to the nation for
STD Awareness Month, the American Social Health Association
(ASHA) points to promising developments in the fight
against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
"We’re
accustomed to talking about the fact that STDs are
still epidemic in this country," says ASHA’s
new President James R. Allen, MD, MPH, "but we
can also point with pride to the fact that a great
deal of progress is being made in the effort to stop
STDs and their harmful consequences."
While STDs
caused by bacterial infections are easily cured with
antibiotics, treatments for viral STDs generally
do not eliminate the virus, and the impact can be life
long. A private, nonprofit organization focusing heavily
on STD awareness and prevention, ASHA reports that
viral infections are the leading concern of callers
to its health hotlines and visitors to its Web sites. “HIV,
herpes, Human papillomavirus, and Hepatitis B, are,
respectively, the four infections that most concern
our callers,” states David Bergmire-Sweat, Senior
Director of ASHA’s Consumer Health Network Services
division. “People are becoming more aware of
how prevalent STDs really are, and they are taking
steps to get the information they need to protect themselves,
and their partners.”
The good news is that important diagnostic and treatment
breakthroughs have been noted in several areas:
Genital Herpes: While herpes continues to spread
at alarming rates, researchers have developed new tests
to identify cases and in recent months, have proven
the role of antiviral medication in interrupting transmission
of the virus. Scientists working on a genital herpes
vaccine have also reported some success, and a new
vaccine trial is under way with support from the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Research
has found that numerous “high-risk” HPV types
are linked with cervical cancer in women. Using newer
technologies, such as HPV DNA tests and liquid-based
Pap tests, can provide a more sensitive screening to
help prevent this cancer. Also, data from a recent
vaccine study for one “high-risk” type,
HPV 16, showed considerable success in reducing the
number of women with this particular type and it’s
associated pre-cancerous lesions. Vaccines are also
in development to prevent genital warts, which are
associated with non-cancerous types of HPV.
HIV: A recent report on a phase-three trial of an
HIV vaccine yielded mixed results. While the vaccine
did not have the 30% overall efficacy needed to apply
for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, early
reports indicate that it may be effective in certain
minority groups. Additional research will need to be
conducted.
Hepatitis B Virus: While perhaps not as widely discussed,
Hepatitis B is actually 100 times more infectious than
HIV. Additionally, carrying the virus may increase
the likelihood of developing liver cancer by as much
as 300%. The good news is that a safe and effective
vaccine is readily available.
“The importance of these breakthroughs cannot
be emphasized enough,” declares Allen. “The
prevention of disease is always preferable to the treatment
of disease, and for the first time in a long time we
are making significant strides.”
|
