sexual health - STIs

Question 1

commensal micro-organisms

Answer 1

microorganism that derives food or other benefits from another organism without hurting or helping it

Question 2

pathogen

Answer 2

micro-organism that can cause disease

Question 3

infection

Answer 3

invasion of all or part of body by micro-organism

Question 4

subclinical infection

Answer 4

no symptoms

Question 5

clinical infection

Answer 5

symptoms

Question 6

sexually transmitted organism

Answer 6

virus, bacteria, protozoan, insect, arthropod which can be spread by sexual contact

commensal vs pathogen

Question 7

sexually transmitted infection

Answer 7

an infection by a pathogen which is sexually transmissable and unlikely to be transmitted by non-sexual means

Question 8

sexually transmitted disease

Answer 8

a disorder of structure or function caused by a sexually transmitted pathogen

Question 9

controversies: infection or colonisation>

Answer 9

mycoplasma hominis
ureaplasma urealyticum
bacterial vaginosis
gential candiodosis

Question 10

what STIs can transmit with skin contact onlu

Answer 10

pubic lice (pthirus pubis)
scabies (sarcoptes scabeii)
warts (HPV 6 + 11)
herpes (1 and 2)

Question 11

what STI requires group sex for transmission

Answer 11

hep c

Question 12

why are STIs important

Answer 12

unpleasant symptoms 
psychological stress 
systemic symptoms 
late complications - infertility
drain on resources - IVF, HIV medication 
common

Question 13

‘cores’ and assortative mixing

Answer 13

some people have sex with people like them - same ethnicity, lifestyle (IDU)

leads to high prevalence within a subpopulation (core) but limited spread through wider community

Question 14

‘chains’ and random mixing

Answer 14

some cores are very big e.g. heterosexual men and women

random mixing leads to lower prevalence but wider discrimination along ‘chains’

Question 15

management of someone with symptoms suggestive of STI

Answer 15

a good Hx
partner notification
HIV testing
health promotion

Question 16

sexual Hx

Answer 16

necessary to determine possible cause of symptoms + high risk behaviour, advising on risk reduction and tracing contacts

last sexual contacts
casual vs regular partner
male or female 
nature of sex act
condom use
other contraception 
nationality of contact

Question 17

assessment of longer term sexual risks for men

Answer 17

ever had sexual contact with another man
ever injected drugs
paid for sex or been paid
medical treatment outside UK
sex w anyone who’s injected drugs or from outside UK

Question 18

health promotion

Answer 18

condoms
oral sex carries risk too
hazardous drug use
vaccination 
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis