Sexually transmitted infections Flashcards
Sexually transmitted infections STI
Infections preferred over disease becuase it is a broader and more inclusive term
–> STD refers to only infections causing symptomes (STI also without symptoms)
Chlamydia
Chlamydia trachomatis is a bacterium spread by sexual contact and infects the genital organs
- best prevention is a condom
Symptoms of chlamydia
Thin and usually clear discharge and mild discomfort on urination
- appears 7-21 days after the infection
- 50% male is asymptomatic
- 75% female is asymptomatic
–> can still infect others
Diagnosis and treatment chlamydia
Diagnosis: urine sample for men and vaginal cell or urine sample for women
Treatment: quite curable (antibiotica??)
Chlamydia symptoms for women
- pain when urinating
- unusual vaginal discharge
- pain in the tummy or pelvis
- pain during sex
- bleeding after sex
- bleeding between periods
Chlamydia symptoms for men
- pain when urinating
- white or watery discharge from the tip
- burning or itching in the urethra
- pain in the testicles
If chlamydia is left untreated
Women: it can spread to the womb and cause a serius condition called pelvic inflammatory disease. This is a major cause of ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women
Men: epididymitis the infection can cayse swelling in the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles and the testicles themselves. Could effect fertility. Uretrhal damage
Gonorrhea
Also called the clap or the drip
- caused by a bacterium (neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus)
- olders of the sexual diseases
Gonorrhea symptoms
Appear 2-5 days after infection
- a think green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating and in women bleeding between periods
- however aroun 1 in 10 infected males and almost half infected females are asymptomatic
- if left untreated, women risk pelvic inflammatory disease (pelvic pain and infertility). In men, it causes painful infection in the testicles and prostate gland, which may lead to reduced dertility in a small number of cases
Diagnosis of gonorrhea
Men: sample of discharge is examinated or a urine test
Women: cervical discharge, urine test and a pelvic exam
Both: a swab from the throat or rectum could be taken and cultured if necessary
Syphilis
Caused by the Treponema pallidum bacterium
- can cause damage to the nervous system and even cause death
- makes one more vulnerable to HIV and vice versa
Stage of syphilis
Syphilis proceeds in stages
- primary stage
- secondary stage
- latent syphilis (may last for years)
–> in the latent stage, the disease is no longer infectious, except that pregnant women can still pass it on to the fetus (congenital syphilis)
- late syphilis (tertiary-stage)
Primary syphilis
The first symptoms usually develop around 2 or 3 weeks after infection
- the main symptom is a small, painless core or ulcer, resembling a crater
- the sore will typically be on the penis, vagina or around the anus, but sometimes appears in the mouth or on the lips, fingers or buttocks
- most people only have one sore, but some have several
- swollen glands in your nech, groin or armpit
–> these symptoms usually pass within 2 to 8 weeks. But if left untreated it may progress to a second stage
Secondary syphilis
Beginning a few months after the appearance of the sores (chancre)
- a blotchy red rash that can appear anywhere on the body, but often develops on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- the rash does not itch or hurt
- small skin growths on the vulva or around the anus
- white patches in the mounth
- flu-like symptoms, such as tiredness, headaches, joint pains, and fever
- swollen glands
- occasionally patchy hair loss
–> these symptoms usually pass within a week, although they may come and go over several months before they disappear
Tertiary/late syphilis
Syphilis can spread to parts of the body such as the brain or nerves and cause serious and potentially life-treatening problems
- meningitis
- strokes
- demential symptoms
- loss of coordination
- numbness
- vision problems or blindness
- heart problems
–> syphilis is still treatable at this stage, but it is sometimes not possible to reverse any damage that has already been done
Diagnosis of syphilis
Physical examination of the genitals or other parts of the body to look for growths or rashes caused by syphilis
- blood test: can also show if you have had it in the past
- swab test: fluid from the sore
Treatment is antibiotics
Genital Herpes
A disease of the genital organs caused by a herpes simplec virus
- highly contagious and easily spread through sexual intercourse and oral-genital sec
–> condoms do not provide full protection
Symptoms of genital herpes
Small, painful bumps or blisters around genitals, anus, thights or buttocks
- bumps/blisters typically appear within 2-3 weeks of infection
- usually found on the vaginal lips, penis or anus
Tingling, burning or itching around genitals
Painful urination
In wome, unusual vaginal discharge
Treatment for genital herpes
There is no cure
- drugs prevent or reduce recurring symptoms
- cream for the pain
Long term consequences of genital herpes
- meningitus
- narrowing of the urethra due to scarring (difficulty with urination)
- increased risk of becoming infected with HIV
- transfer of virus from mother to infant durin childbirth (–> c-section)
HIV/AIDS
Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) causes Acquired immuni deficiancy syndrome (AIDS)
- it destroys the body’s natural system of immunity to diseases
HIV virus
HIV is one of the retroviruses
- reproduce only in living cells of the host species
- the host cell is invaded and each time it devides, the genetic code of the virus is multiplied
–> HIV invades a group of white blood cells (lymphocytes) called T-helper or T4 cells
- cells critical to the body’s immune response in fighting off infections
- when HIV reproduces, it destroys the infected T-cells
HIV infections
HIV is transmitted by the exchange of body fluids: semen, blood, possibly secretions of the cervix and vagina
- sexual intercourse (also anal)
- contaminated blood
- contaminated hypodermic needles
- infected woman to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth
HIV staging
The centers for disease control has established the following categorization of HIV infection:
- stage 0: initial infection and development of antibodies to the virus over 2 to 8 weeks; T-cell count remains around 1000
- stage 1: T-cell count drops but is still above 500
- stage 2: T-cell count between 200-499
- stage 3: AIDS; T-cell count below 200