Sexually Transmitted Diseases

1. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Alex, Katie, and Kayla

2. AIDS • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome • Caused by HIV • Transmitted by sex, needle-sharing, and blood transfusion

3. Symptoms • Category A (1 year): the individual is an symptomatic carrier. He/she may not show symptoms but can pass on the infection. • Category B (6-8 years): lymph nodes swell; weight loss; night sweats; fatigue; fever; diarrhea; thrush; herpes • Category C: nervous disorders; opportunistic disease • After infection, most of AIDS patients die within 7 to 9 years, although there are more treatments available now.

4. Treatment for AIDS • HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) – uses a combination of drugs that interfere with the life cycle of HIV • One example: integrase inhibitors prevent HIV from inserting its own genetic material into that of the host cells • No cure

5. Genital Warts • Caused by HPV (human papillomaviruses) • Carriers may not have warts but, when present, warts appear on the penis and foreskin of males and at the vaginal orifice and cervix in females • Treatments include: surgery, freezing, application of acid, laser burning • No cure and warts may appear again after treatment • HPV is associated with cervical cancer and tumors of the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and upper throat • New: recently, a vaccine for girls has been developed and is recommended before sexual activity.

6. Genital Herpes • Causes by herpes simplex virus • Type 1: cold sores and fever blisters • Type 2: genital herpes • Crossovers can happen • After infection, some have no symptoms but others experience an itching sensation before blisters occur. • Blisters come with: fever, pain with urination, swollen groin lymph nodes, discharge (in women) • Once the blisters rupture, they leave ulcers that take 5 days up to 3 weeks to heal. • Blisters can recur, especially if the patient experiences fever, stress, sunlight, or menstruation.

7. Hepatitis • Hepatitis A: sewage contaminated drinking water or sexually transmitted through oral/anal contact • Hepatitis B: blood transfusions and bodily fluids (similar to AIDs and is more infectious) • Hepatitis C: also called post transfusion hepatitis but can be transmitted through sexual contact • Vaccine available for hepatitis B • All types infect the liver and can lead to cancer and/or death.

8. Chlamydia • Caused by a bacterium (Chlamydia trachmatis) • Infection of the lower reproductive tract • Women: typically mild or asymptomatic; may have vaginal discharge and symptoms of a urinary tract infection • Men: may experience mild burning sensation on urination and a mucous discharge about 8-21 days after infection • Chlamydia causes cervical ulcerations which increase risk of AIDS. • If it is allowed to persist, the Chlamydia is more likely to spread from the cervix to the oviducts. This causes PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) which leads to blocked oviducts and potential sterility or infertility.

9. Gonorrhea • Caused by a bacterium (Neisseria gonorrhoeae) • Men: pain upon urination, a thick greenish yellow urethral discharge • Men and women: a latent infection leads to PID and the possibility for sterility and infertility • Gonorrhea can be spread by oral/genital contact to the mouth, throat, and tonsils • Gonorrhea proctitis– specific subset; infection of the anus characterized by anal pain and blood or pus in the feces • Gonorrhea can spread to internal parts of the body  heart damage or arthritis • New: gonorrhea in the past was curable by antibiotic therapy but resistance is becoming more common; 40% of all strains are now known to be resistant to therapy

10. Syphilis • Caused by a bacterium (Treponemapallidum) • Primary stage: hard chancre (ulcerated sore with hard edges) appears • Secondary stage: rash appears all over the body including palms and soles • Tertiary stage: cardiovascular and/or nervous system affected; a person may become mentally disabled, blind, or show signs of insanity; gummas (large destructive ulcers) may develop on skin or in organs • Syphilitic bacteria can cross the placenta, causing birth defects or a stillbirth. • Blood test to diagnose

11. Other Infections Bacterial Vagniosis: • 50% of vaginitis cases • Overgrowth of bacterium (Gardnerellavaginalis) • Not necessarily from sexual reasons Trichomoniasis: • Frothy white or yellow foul-smelling discharge, itching • Caused by protozoan (Trichomoniasisvaginalis) • Most often from sexual intercourse where the asymptomatic male holds the infection