Incidence of Sexually-Transmitted Infections on the Rise

In 2004 the rate of gonorrhea fell to the lowest level since tracking of STD statistics began in 1941.  But since then the number of cases has increased significantly and to add to the problem/challenge of gonorrhea, this nanobug has developed resistance to more antibiotics.  And in case you were unaware - syphilis has been making a comeback in America.  Too many people think that syphilis is just a problem of WWI and WWII veterans- not the case!  When we created the nanobug for syphilis - Treponema pallidum - we gave it the look or "attitude" of a rock singer so that teens can relate to the character and learn that this microbe is not a thing of the past - but it is here and now.  About 18 months ago I read an article in USA TODAY about websites and online information about sexually-transmitted diseases.  A survey found that about 50% of the information provided on line was inaccurate.  And these websites get lots of hits (validating the need for education).  The most common question asked was, "what should I do about this sore on my penis?"  That is really scary!  If the sore is caused by Herpes Simplex virus - it will be very painful and sensitive and will probably cause the boy/man to seek medical attention and also to avoid sex during most of the infective period.  HOWEVER, if the sore is a painless lesion as with syphilis, the man/boy will probably not seek medical attention and may not avoid sex (unless the woman is observant and discriminating about her partners).  The painless chancre (sore) of syphilis will eventually go away on its own BUT it only retreats to cause second stage or third stage syphilis -eventually making the person mentally incapacitated.  The quote for this nanobug is: "I'll eat your brain and drive you insane".   Education is essential for the prevention of sexually-transmitted infections.  Barb Bancroft - a popular national speaker on the topic of sexually-transmitted infections - and I have developed the nanobugs sexually-transmitted infection prevention program.  We think that with the help of the nanobugs, we can ease some of the social pressure in the classroom related to this topic.  Teachers have a tough assignment with this topic.  The goal is to educate and hopefully this will knowledge will result in behavioral change or appropriate behavioral responses when the teen is faced with related situations and challenges.

The nanobugs, with their "attitude", address the realities of sexual activity.  At the completion of the course/class, the students are given STI nanobugs temporary tattoos reinforcing the point: You may be wearing a tattoo today for fun but real life isn't that simple - on the weekend your boyfriend or girlfriend won't be wearing a tattoo to alert you to their infectivity with a nanobug.  You need to have a plan - to screen your partner for signs of STI's if you choose to have sex with them - and look at their genitals.  I hope that the nanobugs can even serve as a valid reason for teens to NOT have sex.   (unmarried adults, too)   Our STI tee shirts say, "STI Nanobugs - don't even go there"

This entry was posted on November 15th, 2007 at 2:53 pm. RSS | Back to Blog Homepage.

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