Sexual Health Flashcards
What do the Fraser Guidelines relate to?
Giving contraception and sexual health advice to those under 16 without parental consent
Pneumonic to remember Fraser competence
UPSIS = unprotected sex is silly
young person Understands the advice given
Parental involvement encouraged by clinician
young person likely to continue having Sexual intercourse
it is in the young persons best Interest to supply them with contraception
Young persons physical and mental health is likely to Suffer without contraception
What is the Sexual Offences Act 2003?
Sexual intercourse and all forms of sexual touching of minors (under 16yrs) are illegal in England and Wales
Children under 13 years are deemed incapable of consent. It is therefore it is classified as rape or sexual assault and must be reported.
There is no legal obligation to report sex between 13-16 yr olds unless exploitation is suspected
What is the commonest STI and which age group is it most common in?
Chlamydia Trachomatis
Commonest in 15-25 age group (approx 5% infected)
Why is chlamydia trachomatis difficult to culture?
It is an obligate intracellular bacteria (cannot replicate outside of host cell)
What is the incubation period of chlamydia trachomatis?
1-3 weeks
What % of people with chlamydia are asymptomatic?
50% men and 75% women
Thus often found on screening, contact tracing or when complications present
What are the signs/symptoms of chlamydia infection in females?
- Increased vaginal discharge secondary to cervicitis
- Urethritis (dysuria, frequency, urgency)
- PCB and IMB
- Deep dyspareunia
- Lower abdo pain
- +/- contact bleeding
What complications can arise from chlamydia infection in women?
PID (10-30% infections)
Tubal infertility
Increased risk of ectopic pregnancy
(chlamydia implicated in 75% of ectopics and tubal infertility)
Perihepatitis - Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome Reiters syndrome (more common in men)
What is Reiters syndrome?
Triad of:
- Arthritis
- Urethritis
- Conjunctivitis
(occurs after infection, esp of GI or urogenital tract)
What are implications of chlamydia infection in pregnancy?
PROM and premature delivery
Low birth weight
Postpartum endometriosis
Infection can spread from the cervix into the uterine cavity causing chorioamnionitis
What are the signs/symptoms of chlamydia infection in males?
- Dysuria
- Discharge = white, cloudy or water
- Testicular pain
- Scrotal pain / swelling
What complications can arise from chlamydia infection in men?
- Acute epididymo-orchitis (usually unilateral pain)
- Proctitis
- Reiters syndrome
How does chlamydia present in neonates?
- Neonatal conjunctivitis (30% within first 2 weeks)
- Neonatal pneumonia (15% within first 4 months)
- Otitis media
- Can develop vaginal infection
What investigations are done for chlamydia?
Vulvovaginal swab
Urine for PCR
Screening (National screening programme for <25yr olds)
What is the treatment for chlamydia?
Azithromycin 1g PO stat single dose
Doxycycline 100mg PO BD for 7 days
Abstinence until partner is treated and Ab completed
What is the treatment for chlamydia in pregnancy?
Erythromycin
What is the causative organism of Gonorrhoea infection and how common is it?
Neisseria gonorrhoea - intracellular gram negative diplococcus
3rd most common STI in UK
MOVE THIS CARD
What are the initial sites of infection of chlamydia and gonorrhoea?
Columnar epithelium of urethra, endocervix, rectum, pharynx or conjunctiva (depending on mode of exposure)
What is the incubation period of gonorrhoea?
2-5 days (in 80% men who develop urethral symptoms)
Asymptomatic gonorrhoea is particularly common in which sites?
Pharynx, cervix and rectum (common in both sexes)
What are the signs/symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in females?
- Greenish vaginal discharge = examination may show mucopurulent discharge from cervical os, urethra, Skene’s glands or Bartholin’s glands
- Dysuria
- Urethritis
- IMB/PCB (less common)
Usually asymptomatic (found by screening, contact tracing or when complications arise)
What are complications of gonorrhoea infection in females?
- Lower abdo pain
- bartholinitis
- vulvo-vaginitis pre-pubertal girls (vs infection of endocervix in post-pubertal)
- PID (approx 15% infections)
- Bartholin’s or Skene’s abscess
- Tubal infertility
- Increase risk of ectopic pregnancy
- Disseminated gonorrhoea = fever, pustular rash, migratory polyarthralgia, septic arthritis
- Rarely gonococcal endocarditis (M&F)
What are the complications of gonorrhoea infection in pregnancy?
Chorioamnioitis
Postpartum endometritis
PROM, premature delivery and low birth weight
What are the signs/symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in males?
- Discharge = yellow, green, white
- Dysuria
- Urethritis
- Foreskin swelling
- Scrotal pain / swelling
- Tender inguinal LN
What are complications of gonorrhoea infection in males?
- Epidymo-orchitis
- abcesses of paraurethral glands
- urethral stricture
- disseminated gonorrhoea
- secondary infertility due to damage to epididymis
Other than urogenital areas, where else can gonorrhoea infect?
Can cause infection of rectum, throat and eyes
What are the signs/symptoms of gonorrhoea infection in neonates?
Opthalmia neonatorum (40-50%) Can develop vaginal infection
What investigations are done for gonorrhoea?
- VVS for NAAT testing
- ECS for culture and sensitivity (Amies charcoal transport medium)
- Urethral swabs
- Rectal / pharyngeal swabs
What is the treatment for gonorrhoea?
-Abx (same in pregnancy)
Ceftriaxaone 250mg IM
Cefixime 500mg Oral
Spectinomycin 2mg IM
(all single dose)
(>20% strains resistant to ciprofloxacin)
What is the causative organism of syphilis?
Treponemum pallidum = sprirochaete
How is syphilis transmitted?
Sexually or vertically
What is the initial site of infection of syphilis?
Site of exposure - usually genitals, perianal area or mouth
How many stages are there in syphilis infection?
4 = primary, secondary, latent and tertiary
When does the primary stage of syphilis occur?
9-90 weeks after exposure
What are the features of the primary stage of syphilis?
Solitary, painless, genital ulcer = chancre at inoculation site (but can be multiple, painful)
Also presence of inguinal lymphadenopathy = local
Describe the appearance of a chancre
Round and clean with an indurated base and defined edges, non-purulent
When does the second stage of syphilis occur?
4-8 weeks after appearance of primary chancre
if primary untreated, 25% develop into secondary
What are the features second stage of syphilis?
MULTI-SYSTEM
- Generalised polymorphic rash affecting palms and soles that are symmetrical and non-itchy
- Disseminated rash
- Generalised lymphadenopathy
- Condyloma lata (wart-like lesions on genitals / mouth)
- anterior uveitis
- hepatitis, splenomegaly, glomerulonephritis
When does the latent stage of syphilis occur?
Early = <2yr after infection Late = >2yr after infection
What are the features of latent stage syphilis?
People with untreated syphilis but no symptoms = latent syphilis
When does the tertiary stage of syphilis occur?
1-10 years after exposure
= presents in up to 40% of people infected for >2yrs
What are the features of the tertiary stage of syhpillis?
Benign - gummatous lesions
CV - aortitis, coronary arteritis
Neurosyphilis - tabes dorsalis (demyelination of dorsal columns and dorsal roots), paresis
Why is syphilis particularly worrying in pregnancy and what can it cause?
Syphilis can cross the placenta
- Preterm delivery
- stillbirth
- congenital syphilis
What investigations are done for syphilis?
Serology:
- Rapid plasma regain (RPR) and venereal disease reference laboratory (VDRL) most commonly used
Also NAAT testing, smear from primary lesion may show spirochaetes on dark ground microscopy
Routine screening at antenatal booking in pregnancy
What is the treatment for syphilis?
Primary, secondary and latent = SINGLE dose benzathine penicillins IM
Late latent, CV and gummatous - THREE doses bezathine penicillin IM weekly for 3 weeks
Penicillin allergy - doxycycline (CI in pregnancy so can use erythromycin)
What is the causative organism of trichomonas?
Trichomoniasis Vaginalis - Flagellate protozoan
What are the signs/symptoms of trichomonas?
Asymptomatic in 10-50%
- Frothy, green offensive smelling discharge
- Vulval itching and soreness
- Dysuria
- Superficial dyspareunia
- 2% ‘strawberry cervix’ = punctate haemorrhages
What does trichomonas vaginalis infect and how is it spread?
Infects the vagina, urethra and paraurethral glands in women.
Almost exclusively transmitted via sexual intercourse. No test for males - must be tested and treated if partner is infected.
What are the implications of trichomonas in pregnancy?
Associated with PROM, pre-term delivery and low birth weight
May be acquired perinatally, occurring in 5% of babies born to infected mothers
What investigations can be done for trichomonas?
- Swab from posterior fornix at speculum exam for wet mount microscopy. Can see flagellated protozoa swimming around
- Culture = gold standard
What is the treatment for trichomonas?
Metronidazole 2g orally in single dose OR metronidazole 400-500mg twice daily for 5-7 days
- Avoid in 1st trimester
+contact tracing and treatment of partners / abstinence until treated