The Student Health Center will provide free testing and information about Gonorrhea and Chlamydia from the hours of 3 through 5 p.m. on Oct. 21.
 This event will inform students about the dangers of living with an undocumented and untreated Sexually Transmitted Disease.  All Students must attend a brief 10-15 minute meeting before they can be tested.
  Chlamydia and Gonorrhea are the two most common STD’s in the country and can be dangerous if not treated.
 Chlamydia itself infects over one million Americans annually. Males with Chlamydia   typically show symptoms such as discharge from the penis or burning and itching. Treatment is simple and painless, but in women, Chlamydia can  be  undetected and can cause damage to the cervix or fallopian tubes. 
  The symptoms for Gonorrhea in males can be seen within four to six days after the onset of the disease, but can escalate within a few weeks.  In females, Gonorrhea can be potentially fatal or can result in contracting Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), an infection of the uterus.
 According to Dr. Guillermo Saurina MD, Infectious Disease Physician, 15 to 20 percent of patients are infected with an STD and most cases are treatable.
  “The Student Health Center is doing something uniquely special for the students at VSU and everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to learn or be checked for an STD even if you do not feel you have one,” Dr. Saurina said.
 In 2009, Lowndes County reported the highest number of STD’s in the state of Georgia.