Section A·Page 8 --- The University Daily Kansan Tuesday, April 17, 2001 STD Month promotes health education, awareness By Livi Regenbaum writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer National Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness Month is here, and KU students should take this opportunity to learn about the prevalent STDs on campus from Watkins Memorial Health Center. The Center for Disease Control has reported that more than 65 million people are infected with an incurable sexually transmitted disease. Lacinda Zoch, Haysville sophomore, said that she was concerned about STDs and that she thought her peers should be concerned as well. "I know STDs are out there, and they scare me," she said. "You never know who has them or who doesn't. It should be a huge concern for people who are sexually active because it's a problem in our age group." Lana Anderson, registered nurse and health educator at Watkins, said she saw an average of three to five people a day who wanted to get tested for STDs. She also said KU statistics showed that STDs were a concern among KU students because the numbers were so high. "According to KU statistics, one in eight sexually active students have an STD, and one in five sexually active students abandon safer sex practices while under the influence of alcohol," she said. "Women are twice as likely as men to acquire a STD during unprotected sex." Randall Rock, physician at Watkins, said the most common STDs were genital warts and chlamydia. Anderson said chlamydia was a bacterial infection that could be treated with antibiotics but, if left untreated, it could cause other health problems, especially in women. The CDC reported that up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease and one in five women with PID will become infertile. Rock said Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C were other STDs that were a concern for students because they were incurable. "Hepatitis B and C are also recognized as infections that may be transmitted with intimate contact," he said. "It is more common than HIV." Rock advised students to get a Hepatitis B vaccine available at Watkins that would prevent them from catching the disease. He said the disease could potentially result in liver failure, and may require a liver transplant. Kim Robertson, Lenexa senior, said kids should get tested for STDs. Anderson said Hepatitis B could be treated with immunoglobulin, a drug that relieves the symptoms but doesn't cure the disease. Hepatitis C can be treated with alpha interferon to help relieve symptoms. "Most people aren't exactly celibate," she said. "I figure it is probably a better idea to get tested." Anderson said the best way to prevent contracting an STD was to use condoms and to avoid multiple sexual partners. Edited by Courtney Craigmile
Sexually transmitted diseases
DiseaseChlamydiaHPV/Genital Warts/Intraathelial NeoplasiaHerpes Simplex (HSV)HepatitisChancroidPelvic Inflammatory Disease
TransmissionFluids — contact of mucous membranes( cervix, urethra) with infected person's fluids(semen and mucus). Transmission most common with exposure through vaginal or anal sex. Casual contact considered to be safe.Contact — touching(hand/genital or genital/genital) and infected person's lesions can transmit cells containing the virus.Penetrative intercourse not necessary.Contact — touching(hand/genital or genital/genital) and infected person's lesions can transmit cells containing the virus.Penetrative intercourse not necessary.Transmission can occur in the absence of lesions.Fluids — contact of mucous membranes with infected person's body fluids(mucus,semen).Transmission most common with exposure through oral,anal,or vaginal sex.Casual contact considered to be safe.Contact — touching(hand/genital or genital/genital) and infected person's lesions can transmit cells containing the virus.Penetrative intercourse not necessary.Fluids — contact of mucous membranes with infected person's body fluids(mucus,semen).Transmission most common with exposure through oral,anal,or vaginal sex.Casual contact considered to be safe.
TreatmentA number of commonly used antibiotics are effective.Partners must be treated at the same time.Cervix-cryo(freezing), laser,and LEEP(logoelectrosurgical excision procedure).External Aldara,cryo,liquid N,TCA/BCA(tri and bichloracetic acid),podophyllin,and interferon.In some,the virus is cleared from the body.F others,viral particles remain latent form after treatment.With most initial attacks,the process is too far along to allow for benefit from antiviral drugs.Topical anesthetic powder or gel is helpful.Antiviral drugs are effective if taken very early in an attack or continuously in a preventive regimen.No cure available.Carriers can alleviate symptoms through immunoglobulin treatments.Responds promptly to several antibiotics.Therapy with one or more antibiotics with broad coverage.Must always cover for chlamydia and gonorrhea;management sometimes requires hospitalization.Partners must be treated at the same time.
PreventionIntact condoms(latex or polyurethane) should provide protection.Barrier methods are only partially protective.Only total absence of any touching of infected tissue will avoid transmission.Barrier methods are only partially protective.Only total absence of any touching of infected tissue will avoid transmission.Barrier methods are only partially protective.A vaccine is also available to protect against infection.Barrier methods are only partially protective.Only total absence of any touching of infected tissue will avoid transmission.Intact condoms(latex or polyurethane) should provide protection.Hormonal contraceptive methods(birth control pill,Depro-Provera,Norgant,etc.)help prevent recurrent attacks by suppressing ovulatory menstrual cycle.
KU concert choir to showcase multicultural music, instruments By Michelle Ward writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Varvara Pasiali received some odd looks from her boyfriend as she practiced for her upcoming concert. The Nicosia, Cyprus, graduate student sang a Chinese song, among others, that received a sideways glance from those who heard the music. Pasiali, a member of the KU con cert choir, had to think "outside the box" for tomorrow night's performance. The performance will include songs from Indonesia, Polynesia, Japan, Korea, Africa, Ireland, Taiwan and China. Some will also be sung in the Hebrew language. The Multicultural Music event will showcase different styles of music along with different age groups. The free concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in 130 Murphy Hall. Julie Baylor, assistant conductor and graduate student, said the music was challenging for the students. They had to learn to make sounds that they usually did not, she said. The students found traditional methods did not apply when learning these sounds, including the nasal sound of an Indonesian song. "It is a new genre for choirs," Baylor said. "It's definitely not orthodox." Pasiali experienced teaching and learning with this new music. She taught her fellow singers a song from her native Cyprus. "Aeroudin," which means air in English, created havoc during practice with its fast-paced tempo. Pasiali said it was hard to keep the tempo going while concentrating on the diction at the same time. Tori Flaherty, president of the KU Choral Society and a Leoti senior, said the choir looked at the Greek song and wondered exactly what was on the page. Without knowing the language, the choir studied syllables instead of words, which made memorizing it even more difficult. She said the song had unusual combinations of consonants. "The brain has to think in a new way," Flaherty said. "It takes a lot of work. But it is important for people to learn about other cultures. Music is part of that culture." The 52-member KU choir will showcase a number of these songs that provide dance and movement among the singers. James Daugherty, assistant professor of music and dance, said it was no longer a group of singers standing on bleachers, but something much more exotic. Marilyn Meador, a professor from Radford University in Virginia, is bringing a variety of unusual instruments here for KU students to learn them before they play them at the performance. -Edited by Doug Pacey 841-PLAY 1029 Massachusetts We Buy, Sell & Trade USED & NEW Sports Equipment .