Sexually Transmitted Infections = STI’s

Question 1

Define STI

Answer 1

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that are transmitted by close body contact, usually with the genital organs. They are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites that are passed from an infected person to a partner during sexual activity.

Question 2

Define Chlamydia

Answer 2

In women, symptoms include: genital itching and burning, vaginal discharge, dull pelvic pain, bleeding between periods, and cervical inflammation. In men, symptoms include: mucus discharge from the penis (gradual onset five to twenty-one days after exposure) and painful urination.

Question 3

Define Gonorrhea

Answer 3

Gonorrhoea is an infectious disease that mainly affects the mucous membranes of the excretory and reproductive systems, the rectum, and occasionally the eyes and throat.

Question 4

Define Syphilis

Answer 4

Syphilis is caused by a thin, flexible, spiral-shaped bacterium, Treponema pallidum. The disease is normally contracted by direct sexual contact and affects men and women in the same way.

Question 5

Define all the stages of Syphillis

Answer 5

• Primary Stage: Syphilis is caused by a thin, flexible, spiral-shaped bacterium, Treponema pallidum. The disease is normally contracted by direct sexual contact and affects men and women in the same way.
• Secondary Stage: usually follows a few weeks after the primary stage, but may be delayed for up to 12 months. Possible symptoms include skin rashes, sore or ulcerated mouth or throat, mild fevers, and disorders of the bones or eyes. The patient is highly infectious during this stage, which lasts for about 2 years.
• Latent Stage: begins when symptoms from the primary and secondary stages go away. The latent stage has no noticeable symptoms, but the body is still infected. It may last for many years, and in some cases for the rest of the person’s life. During this stage the infection cannot be passed on to others. However, sometimes the symptoms of the secondary stage return. If this happens, the infection can then be passed to others while the symptoms persist.
• Tertiary stage: even without treatment, only a minority of people infected with syphilis develop the complications associated with the tertiary stage, or late stage. However, when symptoms do appear again the results may be devastating: syphilitic heart disease, insanity, blindness, weakening of the blood vessels, physical incapacity, and many other serious afflictions. This can occur anywhere between 540 years after the initial infection.

Question 6

Define Genital Warts

Answer 6

Genital warts are usually found on the genital area – the vagina, labia, cervix or penis – but may occasionally be found around the anus or in the throat.

Question 7

How to prevent catching these?

Answer 7

Wear a condom. It provides the best protection as it is a barrier. The female condom also provides a barrier for Vaginal intercourse, a condom should be used for anal sex.

Don’t just hope that an STI will just go away, they wont. In many cases they will get worst, seriously affecting your health and any partners you may have.

Get tested. It’s not painful like it used to be, usually by a simple urine test or gentle swab an STI can be detected. You can go to health clinic or to your doctors. What’s worse?
Embarrassment or looking like those photographs, risking your health and others?

The more sexual partners you have the more you risk catching an STI if you have unprotected sex.