Jeri A. Dyson, M.D. is an adolescent medicine physician who specializes in sexually transmitted infections. As an advocate for adolescents and young adults her focus is to raise their awareness on issues of self-esteem, reproductive health, emotional & physical violence and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Dyson’s expertise is not limited to these topics but also includes obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Her goal is to properly arm youth with the medical information needed to make healthier life choices. A dynamic lecturer for audiences of all ages, Dr. Dyson has a way of making difficult concepts simple and is highly sought after for her presentations. She speaks nationally and has been a reappearing guest panelist for Black Entertainment Television’s (BET)
Rap-It-Up HIV/AIDS Forum. She was the featured medical expert on BET's 106 & Park 2-hour World AIDS Day Special. She has also made appearances on Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN)
Doctor to Doctor series. Dr. Dyson is co-founder of The Soul Sisters Mentoring Program for African American Girls in Baltimore, Maryland. This program pairs high risk adolescent females one on one with professional African American women who have made positive impacts within their community.
A native of Washington, D.C., Dr. Dyson received her medical degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, and then went on to complete her Pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. She completed a dual fellowship program in Adolescent Medicine and Sexually Transmitted Diseases at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her undergraduate degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Jeri Dyson, served as assistant professor of adolescent medicine at the University of Florida in Jacksonville for 3 years. Her medical and research interests have led her to various countries including Gambia and Senegal, West Africa to practice medicine. While in Senegal Dr. Dyson met with U.S. Ambassador Harriet Elam-Thomas to discuss the healthcare needs of Senegalese youth.
For the past 12 years she has worked with community, religious, and professional organizations to teach adolescents ways to safely maneuver the pitfalls common amongst their age group. Through various outreach efforts she has developed significant experience educating youth in the community on contraception, reproductive health, and sexually transmitted infections.
In 2007 Dr. Dyson launched “GET IN THE KNOW with Dr. Jeri Dyson” a motivational lecture series and workshop for adolescents.
She has also formatted a special series for parents and adults who may have a difficult time discussing such topics with their teens. Dr. Dyson is a medical contributor for Issues in Black America (IBA) Magazine. She currently provides medical care to youth 12 to 21 years-old in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
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How “IN THE KNOW” are you about Sexually Transmitted Diseases?
Click HERE to Take the STD Quiz then check your answers below.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus):
(Photo courtesy of www.visualdx.health.com)
Wart on the tongue of a patient who engaged in oral sex
HPV is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection in the United States
50% of sexually active people will have genital HPV at some time in their lives
HPV infections in women can lead to cervical cancer or genital warts
HPV infections in men can lead to cancer of the anus and penis
(Photo courtesy of www.visualdxhealth.com)
Pink genital wart in pubic area.
Sometimes, Human Papillomavirus can resolve on its own without treatment
You can pass HPV through sexual contact (anal, oral, and/or vaginal sex)
You can also get HPV if you come into contact with infected skin on your sex partner
There is NO CURE for HPV, but there are treatments for the clinical symptoms like genital warts and cervical cancer.
Having a diagnosis of HPV does not mean you will automatically get cervical cancer
There
is a vaccine approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) that
protects against some types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and
genital warts
Gonorrhea:
Gah-na-REE-a is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is common among teens and young adults.
Anyone who has vaginal, oral, anal sex is at risk for being infected with gonorrhea.
If you have gonorrhea you may experience the following:
Females:
Vaginal bleeding between periods, pain/burning during urination, increased vaginal discharge
Burning sore throat if you have oral sex
Discharge/bleeding from the rectum if you have anal sex
Males:
Pain/burning during urination, painful or swollen testicles (commonly referred to as "balls"), or discharge from your penis
Burning sore throat if you have oral sex, discharge/bleeding from the rectum if you have anal sex.
(Photo courtesy of www.cdc.gov)
Yellow pustular discharge in a male with gonorrhea
It is possible to be infected with gonorrhea and have no symptoms
If infected, you and all of your partners should be treated
If you are a pregnant woman who has gonorrhea, you can pass the infection to your baby
Chlamydia:
Cla-Mi-Dee-Ah is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is very common among teens and young adults.
It is possible to be infected with Chlamydia more than once.
People who have sex are most at risk for getting Chlamydia.
(Photo courtesy of www.cdc.gov)
Clear mucus-like discharge in an uncircumcised male with chlamydia
It is easy to treat and cure. Left untreated it can lead to serious health problems
Most people who have Chlamydia have no symptoms so you can’t look at someone and tell if they have it or not
If you have Chlamydia, you and all of your partners should be treated
Genital Herpes:
Herpes is a sexually transmitted viral infection
People who have genital herpes may not know they are infected.
Sometimes, symptoms include painful blisters and sores in the genital area or the mouth
(Photo courtesy of www.treatment-of-herpes.com/ photobucket.com)
Oral vesicles and sores common in herpes patients
There is NO CURE for herpes but your doctor can give you treatment for the symptoms
If you have a herpes outbreak, DO NOT HAVE SEX. It is best to wait until you have finished treatment and your outbreak has subsided, ALWAYS USE CONDOMS
An outbreak is the presence of sores or blisters on your genitals
You can get genital herpes from having sex with someone who has herpes or if your genitals touch the infected skin or secretions
Trichomoniasis:
trick-a-mo-nigh-ah-sis is a sexually transmitted infection of parasites called trichomonads.
It is possible for patients to have this infection without symptoms.
Those who have symptoms usually have:
An unusual discharge, with a strong “fishy” smell, from the vagina
Irritation or burning when you urinate
Irritation or itching around your private parts
(photo courtesy of www.stdvault.com/trich)
Thick white vaginal discharge common in patients with Trichomoniasis
If you’re pregnant and have Trichomoniasis, you’re more likely to give birth prematurely (before the baby fully develops)
If you have sex with someone who has HIV while you have Trichomoniasis you have a higher chance of being infected with HIV
Sexually Transmitted Infections:
Bathing
or showering, urinating, or douching after sex will not reduce your
chances of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Every year, 1 in 4 sexually active teens gets an STD
You can reduce your chances of getting a STD:
Do not have sex at all (this includes anal, oral, and vaginal sex)
Only have sex with someone who is not infected (You need to know if they have an STD before you have sex with them)
Make sure they only have sex with you
Condoms may reduce your risk of getting an STD if used the right way every time
Condoms may reduce your risk but with certain viral STDs, like herpes and HPV, you may still become infected
If you are having sex, you should be tested every 6 months for all STDs
ALL of your sex partners should be tested and treated if you have tested positive for an STD
Do not share your medicines during treatment
HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS are the shorter terms used to describe Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HIV weakens your ability to fight off infections like colds
HIV can be transmitted the following ways:
Having unprotected sex (vaginal, oral, anal) with someone infected with HIV/AIDS
Through the breast milk of a woman infected with HIV/AIDS
Blood (Needle sharing)
It is less common for people to get HIV through blood transfusions since all blood products are checked for HIV
An HIV infected mother can give it to her unborn baby during pregnancy if not treated with medicine
If you have an untreated STD and have unprotected sex with someone who is HIV positive, you are more likely to contract the virus
Many people don’t know they have HIV/AIDS because they may not have any symptoms
Everyone should be tested to see if they are infected with HIV
If you are having sex (vaginal, oral, anal) you should be regularly tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
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