Sexually Transmitted Infections Flashcards
What is a STI?
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
How can you get a STI?
oral, vaginal and anal sex, skin to skin contact, pregnancy
What parts of the body can STIs infect?
throat, mouth, eyes, rectum, anus, blood, skin, cerebral spinal fluid, penis & in urethra, cervix & in vagina
How do you know if you have an STI?
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.
Most Common Symptom?
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
Bacterial STIs?
Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis
Chlamydia
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
Gonorrhea
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
Syphilis
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.
Syphilis: Symptoms
symptoms: hard to detect and if left untreated can have serious health or even deal consequences
Syphilis: Infectious
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
Syphilis: Secondary Symptoms
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.
Latent Syphilis
all stages of syphilis can be treated with antibiotics
- Early Latent Syphilis: infectious, 1 year, asymptomatic, relapse to secondary stage is unlikely
Viruses
Herpes, HPV, HIV
HPV/Genital Warts
(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.
HPV/Genital Warts: Symptoms
symptoms: presence of visible growths compatible with HPV and pap test.
HPV/Genital Warts: Prevention
prevention: gardasil — vaccine indicated in females 9-44 years of age for HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18
HPV/Genital Warts: Treatment
episodic treatment with liquid nitrogen
HPV/Genital Warts: Additional Facts
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
Genital Herpes
passed through skin to skin contact, oral, vaginal and anal sex
Genital Herpes: Symptoms
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
Genital Herpes: Treatment
with an antiviral drug to reduce the number of outbreaks and the length of each outbreak
Notifiable
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
Notifiable STI’s
chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, MPC/NGU, HIV
Non-Notifiable STI’s
herpes, HPV
What’s the incidence of STI’s
highest rate of STIs are b/w the ages of 20-24 years, the next highest is 25-30
Rates of STI/BBP have risen in Alberta
- 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
Complications of STIs
lots
Infertility
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
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
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
Epididymitis
epididymis becomes swollen & located on the posterior portion of the testable — this is where sperm mature and are stored
Cervical Cancer
usually caused by HPV — can also cause throat cancers as well as other anogenital cancers
Hepatitis B
can lead to liver cancer later in life, there is more risk of having tubal/ectopic pregnancy later in life
Preventing STIs
not having sexual contact engaging in lower risk forms of sexual contact, use condoms, limit number of partners, regular STI check-ups
Get Tested When
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
