Chapter 13: STIs & Pregnancy

Question 1

STIs

Answer 1

Infections transmitted by sexual contact by genital organs.

Question 2

STIs caused by

Answer 2

Viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites. No vaccines for most STIs, no future immunity after infection.

Question 3

Lifestyle choices for STIs

Answer 3

Protected sex, abstinence, don’t share implements with blood (needles), be aware of warts, sores.

Question 4

Chlamydia

Answer 4

Caused by highly specialised bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis transmitted by sexual contact with infected. Both men and women can be infected. No symptoms.

Question 5

Chlamydia in males

Answer 5

Males may develop nonspecific urethritis (NSU). Symptoms: yellow mucus discharge from penis, urination pain. If untreated, bacterium spreads to epididymis causing epididymitis (inflamed, pain), testes (infertility, both testes infected).

Question 6

Chlamydia in females

Answer 6

Most infected women have no symptoms. If untreated may lead to infertility, arthritis. Symptoms: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in uterus, uterine tubes causes blocks by scar tissue.

Question 7

Chlamydia in pregnant females

Answer 7

May cause implantation outside uterus (ectopic pregnancy) causing premature, stillborn child. If infected woman is pregnant, 70% chance disease passed to foetus.

Question 8

Diagnosis of chalmydia

Answer 8

Chlamydia can be cured. Urine test in males and females, genital swab.

Question 9

Treatment of chlamydia

Answer 9

Antibiotics. Sometimes bacteria can’t be completely eliminated.

Question 10

Gonorrhoea

Answer 10

Affects mucus membranes of excretory and reproductive systems. Caused by bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae transmitted by sexual contact with infected. Affects both males and females, symptoms appear 2–10 days after infection (incubation).

Question 11

Gonorrhoea in males

Answer 11

Urethra inflammation results burning feeling in penis when urinating, yellow discharge from penis. Untreated, urethra may permanently narrow (urination difficulty) and infection may spread: testes (infertility), joints (arthritis).

Question 12

Gonorrhoea in females

Answer 12

No symptoms. Urethra or cervix infected, so babies can be infected. Females may have disease months before, then pain appears. Untreated, infection spreads to uterine tubes causing blockage = infertility.

Question 13

Diagnosis of gonorrhoea

Answer 13

Gonorrhoea can be cured. Urine tests (male urethral, female endocervical, vaginal), genital swab.

Question 14

Treatment of gonorrhoea

Answer 14

Antibiotics, but gonorrhoea types developed antibiotic resistance.

Question 15

Syphilis

Answer 15

Caused by thin bacterium, Treponema pallidum. Transmitted by sexual contact. Has 4 stages.

Question 16

Primary stage

Answer 16

Bacterium enters skin. Incubation (spread, multiply) 10 days-10 weeks. Symptom: Small sores (chancres) on genitals, lip.

Question 17

Secondary stage

Answer 17

Few weeks after, maybe delayed 12 months. Symptoms: rash, sores, mild fevers. Patient is highly infectious and lasts 2 years, symptoms eventually disappear.

Question 18

Latent stage

Answer 18

No symptoms, but still infected. Lasts many years, sometimes lifetime. Now, infection can’t be passed to others.

Question 19

Tertiary stage (late stage)

Answer 19

Only small amount of infected develop tertiary stage. Devastating symptoms: syphilitic heart disease, insanity, weakened blood vessels. Occurs 5−40 years after 1st infection.

Question 20

Syphilis in pregnant females

Answer 20

Infected pregnant women with can infect foetus (by placenta). Once bacteria enters foetal circulation, it damages heart & nervous system.

Question 21

Diagnosis of syphilis

Answer 21

Syphilis can be cured. Blood tests for antibodies to syphilis.

Question 22

Treatment of syphilis

Answer 22

Antibiotics during primary stage cure is easy, surgery becomes necessary in later stages.

Question 23

Genital herpes

Answer 23

Caused by Herpes simplex virus. 2 types, both types transmitted by sexual contact. Symptoms: flu-like, rash.

Healing occurs 1 or 2 weeks. Although healing occurs, virus passes to nervous system for lifetime. Then virus can reinfect (blisters reoccur).

Question 24

Herpes simplex type 1

Answer 24

Produces ‘cold sores’ sometimes blisters on lips, genitals.

Question 25

Herpes simplex type 2

Answer 25

Produces blisters on genital area. When blisters break, develops scabs.

Question 26

Diagnosis of herpes

Answer 26

No cure. Blood test, PCR test, viral culture taking tissue sample of sores.

Question 27

Treatment of herpes

Answer 27

Drugs reduce pain from blisters.

Question 28

Genital warts

Answer 28

Caused by human papillomavirus virus (HPV) on genitals. Warts are flat, raised, cauliflower-like growths transmitted by sexual contact with infected.

Question 29

Diagnosis of warts

Answer 29

No cure. Blood test, biopsy wart sample.

Question 30

Treatment of warts

Answer 30

Freezing, cauterisation on warts.

Question 31

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus)

Answer 31

HIV weakens body’s immune system, so person is susceptible to infection by other micro-organisms and some cancers. HIV infects white blood cells (T-lymphocytes) then duplicates into millions copies.

Question 32

AIDS

Answer 32

HIV causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). Almost all HIV cases results in AIDS.

Question 33

Acute infection

Answer 33

1st HIV infection replicating rapidly and HIV levels in blood is high. Symptoms: flu-like. Immune response overcomes infection, patient recovers. Lasts 2-3 weeks.

Question 34

Chronic infection

Answer 34

Asymptomatic (no symptoms). Virus continues multiplying, but low rate. May last 10 years+.

Question 35

AIDS

Answer 35

Develops when immune system is damaged enough that it cannot protect against other infections. Now, person has high viral load and low levels of white blood cells T-lymphocytes.

Question 36

HIV transmission

Answer 36

Only by body fluids (blood, seminal fluid, breast milk) from contact with 1 person’s bloodstream or mucous membranes of another. Doesn’t spread by coughing, sneezing because HIV is only in blood.
E.g.,
- Unprotected sex with infected.
- Implements (needles, syringes shared with infected).
- Infected pregnant mother to child.
- Incorrect blood transfusions.

Question 37

Diagnosis of HIV

Answer 37

No cure. Blood test for antibodies to HIV (can’t effectively detect till 2-12 weeks after infection), viral load (virus amount in body).

Question 38

Treatment of HIV

Answer 38

Combination drug therapies (PEP-Post exposure prophylaxis) prevents, slows replication preventing development, but must be taken forever.