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These briefs are intended to give readers (specifically those readers who weren’t aware many of these STDs existed) an overview of each STD, their commonality, treatment options, and diagnostic tests available.
This information is by no means all-encompassing and The STD Project encourages using these briefs as primers and then further delving into the resources section when subsequent questions arise.
Hepatitis Symptoms, Test & Treatment
Common? Quite common – Around 300,000 to 700,000 people infected in the U.S. annually – HBV (hep B) is most common, but HAV (hep A) and HCV can also be sexually transmitted
Symptoms Often there are no symptoms (1 in 2 adults with HBV have no symptoms) – extreme fatigue, tenderness and pain in the lower abdomen, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pain in the joints, headache, fever, hives, dark urine, pale-colored bowel movements, jaundice
Cure? No cure – in most cases of HAV, it goes away by itself. In other cases, adults with HBV and 9 of 10 infants who get HBV at birth, are carriers and will have chronic HBV and remain contagious for life. Approx. 1.25 million carriers in the U.S. HCV can be treated, but not necessarily cured.
Bacterial/Viral/ Fungal/Parasitic Viral
Test Blood test
Life-Long? Maybe
Life-Threatening? Maybe – 1 out of 5 people with chronic HBV die from the infection. Others can develop severe liver disease including liver damage and liver cancer
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Did this brief synopsis help clarify the STD or answer questions you had? Is there a category you’d like to see or something you think should be added to the quick overviews? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!