Sexually Transmitted Diseases - Information and Facts

Dr Galen

Following on from another thread, I thought it a good idea to put together a few bits and pieces on STD's and all things sexual healthy in nature.

Gonna be a bit of work in progress so bear with me for a bit.

DrG

Dr Galen

http://www.thinkcontraception.ie/

Dr Galen

A few facts to hopefully dispel a few myths

In the space of ten years, there has been a 700% increase in cases of Chlamydia in Ireland (Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), 2006). STIs are more commonly reported and particularly growing among 20-29 year olds (Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), 2006).

STIs are infections that are passed on from an infected partner(s) during unprotected sex (vaginal, anal and oral). They are caused by specific bacteria and viruses. In some cases, you may be at risk even if you don’t have full sex. Kissing and touching each other’s genitals may pass on some STIs

There are many different STIs – some are more common than others. Most can be cured with medication. However, some of them can only be treated to reduce symptoms but will stay in your system once you have been infected. Remember, only total abstinence from all sexual contact offers 100% protection from pregnancy and STIs.

Dr Galen

So you are freaking out because you did something bold last night/week/month.

First thing is to stop freaking out
If you are worried head down the GP and get checked. Believe me you will not be the first and deffo not be the last.

You might not know. Some STIs have no obvious symptoms, so you may not be aware that you or your partner(s) is infected. If you are sexually active, it is important to have regular check-ups.

Some STIs can cause long-term problems if they are not treated, such as infertility, complications in pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Get advice from your doctor, a family planning clinic, an STI clinic or genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic if you are worried about STIs or are sexually active and notice any of the following symptoms:

Unusual discharge from penis or vagina
Pain when passing urine
Unusual sores or blisters in the genital area
Itching or irritation in the genital area
Pain during sex
Once diagnosed, most STIs can be cured with medication. However, some of them can only be treated to reduce symptoms but will stay in your system once you have been infected. It is important to get treatment early, as some can cause long term effects.

(Source: Health Service Executive (HSE), 2007)

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Dr Galen

The dreaded STI Clinic experience.......

isn't actually that dreadful at all, obviously if you are sitting there and are continuing to freak out, then it's not going to be the nicest experience of your life, but, the consequences of not getting treatment for something that is usually pretty easily treated easily outweigh and uncomfortableness sitting in the waiting room

You will need to make an appointment for most clinics, unless they provide a drop-in service. You don’t have to be referred by or have a letter from your GP. The service is confidential. This means that you are identified by a number rather than by your name. The service is also free.

An STI screening can take around two hours. First, a doctor will take your sexual history. Don’t worry about shocking them – they’ve heard it all before. Then you will have a series of tests. Blood tests are used to test for HIV, Hepatitis B and syphilis. Swabs are used to examine material from a discharge or an infected area. If you are having a HIV test, an advisor will talk you through it.

You may receive some results while you are at the clinic. If you need treatment, they will give you the medication there and then. This is free of charge. A sexual health advisor will meet you to explain safer sex practices, answer any questions you may have and discuss your results. You will get another appointment to come back for the rest of your results.

What men should expect

You will be asked not to urinate for at least four hours before your appointment
You may have a throat swab, penis swab and anal swab
What women should expect

You may have a throat swab, vaginal swab and a cervical swab
(Source: Health Service Executive, 2007)

Dr Galen

Description:

It is a bacterial infection.

Effects:

You can pass it on to your sexual partner(s)
It can lead to problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility
You can pass the infection to your baby during birth
It can cause premature labour and low birth weight

Cause:

Intimate genital contact
Unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
Infected fingers to eyes
Unprotected rimming (mouth to anus)
From a pregnant mother to her baby

Symptoms:

Women:

Abnormal vaginal discharge
Stinging or burning sensation when you pass urine
Bleeding between periods or heavy periods
Pain or bleeding during or after sex
Men:

Discharge from penis
Stinging or burning sensation when you pass urine

Treatment:

Antibiotics – for you and your partner(s)
Prevention:

Protect your sexual health - always use a new condom correctly and put it on before you have sex

(Source: Health Service Executive (HSE), 2007)

Dr Galen

Description:

It is a bacterial infection.

Cause:

Intimate genital contact
Unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
Infected fingers to eyes
Unprotected rimming (mouth to anus contact)
From an infected mother to her baby at birth

Effects:

You can pass it on to your sexual partner(s)
You can pass it on to your baby at birth
It can cause problems such as pre-term labour and low birth weight
Other long term complications include pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility

Symptoms:

Women:

Abnormal vaginal or anal discharge
Burning or stinging sensation when you pass urine
Pain during or after sex
May be bleeding between periods
Men:

Abnormal discharge from penis
Burning or stinging sensation when you pass urine

Treatment:

Antibiotics – for you and your partner(s)

Prevention:

Don’t have intimate sexual contact
Protect your sexual health - always use a new condom correctly and put it on before you have sex

(Source: Health Service Executive (HSE), 2007)

Dr Galen

Description:

It is a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

Effects:

Some types of the virus are associated with cervical cancer in women, so you should follow up with your doctor for a smear test
Cause:

Direct skin-to-skin contact
Vaginal, anal or oral sex (protected and unprotected)

Symptoms:

The virus can be in your system for 3 weeks to 8 months (or longer) before you show symptoms
Warts usually appear as single or more painless, fleshy growths or lumps in the genital area. They come in different shapes and sizes
You may not have visible warts, but can still pass the virus on to your sexual partner(s)

Treatment:

There are a few treatments available, such as freezing the warts and prescribed creams
The type of treatment will depend on the size, location and number of warts (The virus will stay in your system, so the warts may come back)

Prevention:

Don’t have intimate sexual contact. Using a condom is the best protection against genital warts but it not 100% effective
(Source: Health Service Executive (HSE), 2007)

Dr Galen

Description:

They are tiny insects, like head lice, that live in pubic or body hair.

Effects:

The itching will continue and get worse
You can pass it on to your sexual partner(s)

Cause:

Close body contact with an infected person
Rarely, infected bed linen or clothes may pass on the lice

Symptoms:

Itching in your pubic hair
You may be able to see the lice

Treatment:

It can be treated with creams and lotions – for you and your partner(s)
You can buy these at a chemist, however, you should also have a full STI check

Prevention:

Don’t have intimate sexual contact
Using condoms may not protect you against pubic lice

Dr Galen

There has been a recent upsurge in new cases of syphilis. Syphilis is very treatable if diagnosed early and it is extremely important to treat all sexual contacts of diagnosed patients. It is also important to carry out a full STI screen as many of those infected are at risk of HIV and other infections.

Description:

It is a bacterial infection.

Effects:

You can pass it on to your sexual partner(s)
You can pass it on to your baby during pregnancy

Cause:

Intimate genital contact
Unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex
Unprotected rimming (mouth to anus contact)
Kissing an infected person
From an infected pregnant mother to her baby

Symptoms:

There are three stages to the infection and the symptoms are the same for men and women

Stage 1 – Primary infection, early infection

Incubation period: 9 to 90 days (Incubation period is the time between exposure to an infectious disease and the appearance of the first signs of symptoms)
Symptoms: Usually appear around three weeks after exposure as a painless ulcer (similar to a cold sore) in the genital, anal or mouth area

Stage 2 – Secondary infection, early infection

Incubation period: 6 weeks to 6 months
Symptoms: Red spotty rash develops, typically on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet, but it may also appear elsewhere on your body

Stage 3 – Tertiary syphilis

Incubation period: Can happen months or years after initial infection
Symptoms: Rare, but there is a possibility of long-term damage to your heart and brain

Sometimes, people with syphilis have no symptoms at all and are diagnosed on blood testing. A positive syphilis blood test in the absence of symptoms is called latent syphilis.

Can a newborn get syphilis?

Yes. Infection during pregnancy may lead to stillbirths, neonatal death and congenital defects such as deafness, neurological impairment, and bone deformities. If not treated immediately, an infected baby may be born without symptoms but could develop them within a few weeks. These signs and symptoms can be very serious. Untreated babies may become developmentally delayed, have seizures, or die.

Diagnosis

Syphilis can be diagnosed by examining material from infectious sores by dark field microscopy. If syphilis bacteria are present in the sore, they will show up with a characteristic appearance.

A blood test is another way to determine whether someone has syphilis. Shortly after infection occurs, the body produces syphilis antibodies that can be detected by an accurate, safe and inexpensive blood test. A low level of antibodies will stay in the blood for months or years after the disease has been successfully treated. Because untreated syphilis in a pregnant woman can infect and possibly kill her developing baby, pregnant woman in Ireland are offered a blood test for syphilis in early pregnancy.

Treatment:

Antibiotics treatment is very effective
Your sexual partner(s) also need assessment and may require treatment
It is important to abstain from intercourse for at least 2 weeks after treatment
Follow-up blood tests to make sure the infection is responding to treatment
Those on antibiotic therapy for syphilis must abstain from sexual contact with new partners until the syphilis sores are completely healed. Persons with syphilis must notify their sex partners so that they also can be tested and if necessary, receive treatment.

Prevention:

Condoms can prevent syphilis. Protect your sexual health - always use a new condom correctly and put it on before you have sex
How common is syphilis?

In Ireland, the majority of new syphilis cases are seen in men who have sex with men (MSM). In the early 2000’s there was an outbreak of syphilis amongst MSM in Dublin. Control measures to contain the outbreak were successful initially and were targeted primarily at MSM. There has been an upsurge in new cases of syphilis in 2007 and 2008. In 2008 there were 347 notified cases to the Dept of Public Health in HSE East with 100 of those diagnosed as being primary, secondary and early latent cases. About a quarter of early syphilis cases also have HIV. People with syphilis are more likely to pick up HIV if they come in contact it. Furthermore people with HIV are more likely pass on HIV if they have syphilis.

The cornerstone of congenital syphilis elimination is early detection of syphilis and treatment with penicillin, which is effective and safe for mother and foetus. This is why all pregnant women are screened for syphilis in pregnancy.

HPSC factsheet about Syphilis

Dr Galen

I found another one to bump. I might stick this one too

CDfm

I know it's not an STI but Vaginal Thrush, a yeast infestion, should be in here. An ex of mine had it .

Maybe if this was broadened to couple infections too etc .

Mickey Dazzler

What about male thrush?

Also is it true that if a man has sex with a woman with HIV he has very little chance of contracting it?

Dravokivich

Mickey Dazzler wrote: »

What about male thrush?

Also is it true that if a man has sex with a woman with HIV he has very little chance of contracting it?

Doing it itself creates a chance. No point on quoting statistics of who did/didn't pick it up from an infected partner. The amount of times you flip a coin doesn't determine how it'll land the next time.