Sexually Transmitted Infections

Question 1

What is a STI?

Answer 1

is caused by a bacteria, virus, or parasite passed from one person to another through unprotected sexual contact and through intimate genital to genital — skin on skin — contact with penetration

Question 2

How can you get a STI?

Answer 2

oral, vaginal and anal sex, skin to skin contact, pregnancy

Question 3

What parts of the body can STIs infect?

Answer 3

throat, mouth, eyes, rectum, anus, blood, skin, cerebral spinal fluid, penis & in urethra, cervix & in vagina

Question 4

How do you know if you have an STI?

Answer 4

discharge, pain or discomfort when urinating or during sex, abnormal or unusual vaginal bleeding, lumps or bumps on your genitals, sores in or around your genitals, itchiness or rash on genitals.

Question 5

Most Common Symptom?

Answer 5

is none at all, some symptoms come and go, others stick around, however most people do not even realize they are infected — if left untreated, depending on the type of STI the long term consequences can be; infertility in males and females; still births in newborns, etopic (tubal) pregnancy

Question 6

Bacterial STIs?

Answer 6

Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis

Question 7

Chlamydia

Answer 7

caused from unprotected oral, vaginal, anal sex or passed to babies during delivery

• symptoms: 90% of ppl infected are asymptomatic, but symptoms can include discharge, itchiness, pain, buring, bleeding, — the infected sites are urethra, cervix, anus, eye, throat
• treatment: antibiotics

Question 8

Gonorrhea

Answer 8

caused from unprotected oral, vaginal, anal sex or passed to babies during delivery

• symptoms: most women and some men are asymptomatic, but symptoms can include discharge, itchiness, pain, burning, bleeding — the infected sites are urethra, cervix, anus, eye, throat
• treatment:antibiotics

Question 9

Syphilis

Answer 9

spread through sexual contact — including oral, anal and vaginal sex & just skin to skin contact. It can be passed to unborn fetus if mother is infected and not treated.

Question 10

Syphilis: Symptoms

Answer 10

symptoms: hard to detect and if left untreated can have serious health or even deal consequences

Question 11

Syphilis: Infectious

Answer 11

infectious: incubation is 3-90 days (average 3 weeks), it is a single painless sore, a high proportion of individuals fail to recognize or recall a primary chance

Question 12

Syphilis: Secondary Symptoms

Answer 12

secondary symptoms: infectious, the incubation is 2 weeks to 6 months (average 2-12 weeks), rash, fever, generalized “not feeling well”, mucus lesions (mouth/tongue), patchy hair loss, vision changes, hearing changes, headaches.

Question 13

Latent Syphilis

Answer 13

all stages of syphilis can be treated with antibiotics

- Early Latent Syphilis: infectious, 1 year, asymptomatic, relapse to secondary stage is unlikely

Question 14

Viruses

Answer 14

Herpes, HPV, HIV

Question 15

HPV/Genital Warts

Answer 15

(Human Papilloma Virus): caused by skin to skin contact with the virus, during vaginal, anal
and oral sex. In rare cases can be passed from a mother to her newborn during birth.

Question 16

HPV/Genital Warts: Symptoms

Answer 16

symptoms: presence of visible growths compatible with HPV and pap test.

Question 17

HPV/Genital Warts: Prevention

Answer 17

prevention: gardasil — vaccine indicated in females 9-44 years of age for HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18

Question 18

HPV/Genital Warts: Treatment

Answer 18

episodic treatment with liquid nitrogen

Question 19

HPV/Genital Warts: Additional Facts

Answer 19

upwards of 100 types overall with 40 affecting the genital tissues, >75% adult population (majority have no symptoms), low risk types contribute to benign genital and anal warts 6, 11, high risk types contribute to cancer of the cervix, vulva, anus, and penis 16, 18

Question 20

Genital Herpes

Answer 20

passed through skin to skin contact, oral, vaginal and anal sex

Question 21

Genital Herpes: Symptoms

Answer 21

Type 1: usually causes “cold sores” around the mouth and nose
Type 2: similar sore or symptoms in genital area, 20% of sexually active people have this

Question 22

Genital Herpes: Treatment

Answer 22

with an antiviral drug to reduce the number of outbreaks and the length of each outbreak

Question 23

Notifiable

Answer 23

what does this mean? they must be reported to the medical officer of health in Alberta within 48 hours, public health follows up to ensure appropriate treatment/follow up, and with sexual partners

Question 24

Notifiable STI’s

Answer 24

chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, MPC/NGU, HIV

Question 25

Non-Notifiable STI’s

Answer 25

herpes, HPV

Question 26

What’s the incidence of STI’s

Answer 26

highest rate of STIs are b/w the ages of 20-24 years, the next highest is 25-30

Question 27

Rates of STI/BBP have risen in Alberta

Answer 27

• there are over 100 notifiable diseases/infections that are monitored and controlled by the Communicable Disease Regulations under The Public Health Act in Alberta
• In 2010, STI’s made up 69% of these infections that are reported to the CMOH, add in BBP and it raised to 80% (HIV, Hep B/C), by comparison, STIs made up 33% of notifiable infections in 1999

Question 28

Complications of STIs

Answer 28

lots

Question 29

Infertility

Answer 29

there is also more risk of having tubal/ectopic pregnancy later in life
- this means an egg and a sperm join and grow outside the uterus (usually in the fallopian tube), approximately 1000 women die a year in N.America each year from tubal pregnancies

Question 30

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Answer 30

is a generic term inflammation of the female uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries.
- this can create scarring on these organs as well as near by organs — treated with antibiotics

Question 31

Epididymitis

Answer 31

epididymis becomes swollen & located on the posterior portion of the testable — this is where sperm mature and are stored

Question 32

Cervical Cancer

Answer 32

usually caused by HPV — can also cause throat cancers as well as other anogenital cancers

Question 33

Hepatitis B

Answer 33

can lead to liver cancer later in life, there is more risk of having tubal/ectopic pregnancy later in life

Question 34

Preventing STIs

Answer 34

not having sexual contact engaging in lower risk forms of sexual contact, use condoms, limit number of partners, regular STI check-ups

Question 35

Get Tested When

Answer 35

going to have sex with a new partner, ended a sexual relationship, know your current or past partner has/had a STI, have been forced to have sex, any symptoms

• getting tested: urine sample, blood tests, genital examination (pelvic or urethral), throat & rectal swabs
• where: own doctor, health services, walk/STI clinics