STDs occur in over two-thirds of individuals 25 years of age or younger. The CDC estimates that one out of every five Americans has a STD and one in four individuals will contract a STD at some point in their lives. The most common types of STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HIV, and genital warts. Even though these statistics affect the general population, the military community on Okinawa is not immune. Chlamydia, a bacterial infection, is the number one sexually transmitted disease in the United States.
Most infected people have no symptoms.
Those who do may have burning during urination, discharge, abdominal pain, pain in testicles, and fever. A medical provider can perform a culture for examination to detect chlamydia. If positive, treatment will consist of antibiotics and requires that both partners be treated simultaneously to prevent re-infection. Gonorrhea, also a bacterial infection, can be spread from the genitals of one partner to the genitals, throat or rectum of the other partner. Symptoms include discharge, burning during urination, and pain and may be mild or not present at all.