STIs Flashcards
Why is it important to screen for STIs?
They are often asymptomatic and lead to complications
What factors put a patient more at risk for and STI?
Hx of STI
multiple sexual partners
unprotected sex
Which two STI’s can lead to PID (Pelvic inflammatory disease)?
C. trachomatis & N. gonorrhea
PID: can be responsible for infertility and chronic pelvic pain
How are STIs diagnosed?
Clinical symptoms
Blood and body fluid specimens
How are HIV, HBV and HCV diagnosed?
Blood collect to check for antibodies to the viruses
What diagnostic test is done for N. trachomatis?
Swabs from cervix or vagina and urine Molecular testing (PCR: polymerase chain reaction)
What diagnostic testing is done for N. gonorrhea?
PCR on swabs from cervix or vagina and urine
Cultures on cervical (women) or urethral (men) swabs to test for antimicrobial sensitivity
What is gonococcal conjunctivitis?
Eye infection from gonorrhea in newborn
Prevented with erythromycin eye ointment
What other STIs can pass to an infant?
HSV
Syphilis
How is N. gonorrhea tested for in the lab?
It uses glucose which changes colour as a result of acid production
Grows well on supplemented chocolate agar
Most labs use NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test)
NAAT will not provide antimicrobial susceptibilities, so sometimes culture and NAAT are done
Why are antibiotics often added to specimens of N. gonorrhoeae?
Suppress other bacteria that may be present in the mucosa
What sites other than genitals may need to be tested for N. gonorrhea?
Eye (dirty hands)
Rectum (ass play)
Throat (blow jobs)
Which antibiotics are N. gonorrhea most likely to be resistant to?
penicillins
cephalosporins
tetracyclines
quinolones
