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Overview
Sexually
transmitted diseases (STD’s) comprise a wide range of infections and conditions
that are transmitted mainly by sexual activity. The classic STD’s, gonorrhea
and syphilis, are now being overshadowed by a new set of STD’s that are
not only more common, but are also more difficult to diagnose and treat.
These new STD’s include infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia),
human papilloma virus (HPV), bacterial vaginosis (BV), and human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). Rapid application of new technology to the diagnosis of STD’s
has led to a growing array of diagnostic laboratory tests that require critical
evaluation by clinicians and a critical review by law enforcement (see table
1).
Accurate information about STD’s in victims of sexual abuse
has been hindered by a variety of factors:
- The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections may vary
regionally and among different populations within the same
region.
- Few studies have attempted to differentiate between infections
existing prior to sexual abuse and those that result from abuse.
The presence of a preexisting infection in adults is usually related
to prior sexual activity. In children, however, preexisting infections
may be related to prolonged colonization after perinatal acquisition
(acquisition immediately before and after birth), inadvertent
nonsexual spread, prior peer sexual activity, or prior sexual abuse.
- The incubation periods for STD’s range from a few days for
gonorrhea to several months for HPV. The incubation periods and
the timing of an examination after an episode of abuse are critically
important in detecting infections (see table 1).
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Sexually Transmitted Diseases
and Child Sexual Abuse |
Portable Guide
December 2002
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