sexual health genital symptoms Flashcards
genital symptoms include
Discharge from an orifice
Pain from somewhere
Rashes
Lumps and swellings
Cuts, sores, ulcers
Itching
Change in appearance
Vague sense of things not being right…
what could be causing symptoms
STI
other microbial problem
non microbial problem
how do you tell if its an STD or not
organism only transmitted by sexual contact
organism only transmitted by non sexual means
what causes the symptoms of a microbial infection
symptoms entirely causes by infecting organism
symptoms entirelyly cause by host response to organism
Microbial conditions not regarded as STDs
Vulvovaginal candidosis
Bacterial vaginosis
Balanoposthitis – anaerobic/candidal
Tinea cruris
Erythrasma
Infected sebaceous glands
Impetigo
Cellulitis
Vulvovaginal candidosis
V common. Usually trivial but can cause misery in a minority.
90% Candida albicans
Can be C. glabrata et al
Usually acquired from bowel
Often asymptomatic carriage
Changes in host’s environment trigger pathogenicity
If symptomatic: “thrush”
Itch
Discharge – classically thick, ‘cottage cheese’ but often just a report of increased amount.
when is vulvulvo candidiasis more likely to happen
diabetes, oral steroids
immune suppression incl HIV
pregnancy
Reproductive age group
( oestrogen…glycogen = food for yeast)
But many cases occur in people with no pre-disposing factors.
how do you diagnose vulvulvo candidiasis
characteristic history
examination findings - fissuring, erythema with satellite lesions, characteristic discharge
what investigations are down for vulvylvo candidiasis
Gram stained preparation
Low sensitivity – might look at an unrepresentative patch
Culture – eg Sabouraud’s medium
Low specificity – yeast are commensal organisms
treatment of vulvulvo candidiasis
Azole antifungals:
Clotrimazole 500mg PV once
Plus Clotrimazole HC if vulvitis
Fluconazole 150mg PO once
Resistant case?
Determine species and sensitivities and treat accordingly
Other management
Maintain skin – avoid irritants, treat dermatitis.
Possible causes of genital symptoms
microbial and other
Microbial causes
Candida
Bacterial vaginosis
Balanoposthitis
Other causes
Dermatoses
Trauma
Cancer
Neuromuscular
‘Hypervigilance’
Iatrogenic
Idiopathic
what is the cause of thrush in 70% of women
Candida albicans
bacterial vaginosis
Commonest cause of abnormal vaginal discharge
10-40% of women at any time.
symptoms of bacterial vaginosis
Asymptomatic in 50%
watery grey/yellow ‘fishy’ discharge
may be worse after period / sex
sometimes sore/itch from dampness
potential causes bacterial vaginosis
A biofilm problem – like dental caries
increased Gardnerella vaginalis, Enterococcus faecalis and Actinomyces neuii
reduced lactobacilli
Possible sexual transmissibility is a hot topic
Associated with vitamin D deficiency but significance unclear
what are three dependent steps in overgrowtth of BV bacteria
reduction of lactobacilli
reduction in H2O2 production
raised PH