VENEREAL DISEASES DO NOT REQUIRE SYMPTOMS

Report #7291

If you have unprotected sex with several partners, the odds are overwhelming that you have a venereal disease, even if you have no symptoms.

Researchers at the University of Washington report that 8.6% of teen age girls in the Seattle area are infected with a venereal disease called chlamydia (1). Over a period of 2 years in one large American city, almost 40% of sexually active adolescent females had the venereal diseases, chlamydia or gonorrhea (2). The most common cause of burning on urination in both men and women is a venereal disease (3) and burning on urination usually starts after making love (4). You can have a venereal disease and have no symptoms: 1.1% of Japanese, 6% of English, 9% of Danish men (5) and 5% of American men are infected (6) and many have no symptoms whatever

All people with urinary tract symptoms should have their urine cultured for infection. If their urine cultures grow bacteria, they should be treated with appropriate antibiotics. However, most of the time, urine cultures do not grow bacteria, so your doctor should order tests to check for venereal diseases. If none is found, you are sexually active and you have symptoms, both you and your partner should be treated with the newer erythromycins, such as clarithromycin, azithromycin and dirithromycin. If you still have symptoms, you need a thorough evaluation by a physician trained in evaluating urinary tract infections.

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D., for CBS Radio News