Bacterial STDs

Some of the popular and widespread kinds of STDs fall under bacterial infections. These include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis.  Oftentimes, the onset of the bacterial infection is usually undetected for of lack of symptoms. When the symptoms do appear, they are fairly common and sometimes mild and temporary, thus the disease go undetected.

Chlamydia has the most reported number of cases of STDs in the US population.  Chlamydia poses a serious threat to women’s health as it causes pelvic inflammatory disease or PID which can cause infertility.

Gonorrhea is characterized by painful, sometimes frequent urination, bloody or cloudy penile or vaginal discharge and painful intercourse in patients.  It is easy to treat especially when intervention is applied early on.  However, it is can be potentially harmful to health when left untreated.  The disease is a significant cause of PID and can lead to infertility in both men and women.

Syphilis is a highly contagious disease that can be easily treated in the initial stages.  It is characterized by sores on the area where transmission of infection occurred, which is usually on the genitals.  It is potentially fatal if left untreated as it can permanently lead to damage of the neural or cardiovascular system or of other internal organs.

Some other bacterial STDs include chancroid, donovanosis, lymphogranuloma  venereum, and ureaplasma urealyticum.

Viral STDs

Some of the most infamous and dreaded among the kinds of STDs fall under viral infections.  HIV or AIDS is a viral STD which attacks the body’s natural immune system, making it susceptible to all kinds of infection. While it is a known STD, it can also be transmitted through sharing of infected needles and by passing the infection from an infected pregnant woman to the unborn child.

Hepatitis is an infection that can cause liver inflammation and can seriously jeopardize a patient’s health.  Hepatitis patients usually exhibit jaundice and vomiting.  Hepatitis in itself is rarely fatal.  However it can lead to other lethal conditions such cirrhosis and cancer of the liver.

Human papillomavirus or HPV is also one of the most common STDs.  Symptoms of the disease include genital warts which may be characterized as flesh or grayish bumps.  However, some strains of HPV can lead to cancer of the cervix or penis.
Other forms of sexually transmissible viral infection include herpes simplex, Molluscum, Mononucleosis, and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus.

Parasitic and Fungal STDs

Other lesser known kinds of STDs are parasitic infections which include pubic lice and scabies.  There are also some common fungal infections that are transmissible through sexual contact such as jock itch and yeast infection. GP

Most STD symptoms are also fairly common in other types illnesses and therefore often do not trigger serious concern in patients.  Itching, painful and sometimes frequent urination, pain in the lower abdomen and pain during sexual intercourse are signs of STD but may also signify other ailments.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most widespread of all reported cases of STD in the US.  It is classified as a bacterial infection and is characterized by such common STD symptoms as painful urination, pain in the lower abdomen, vaginal or penile discharge, pain during sexual intercourse and pain in the testicles for men.  The signs and symptoms usually appear about 1 to 3 weeks from the onset of infection and may even be mild to the point of negligible when they do occur.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a type of bacterial STD that affects the genital tract.  It is second to chlamydia in terms of prevalence among all new cases of STDs every year.  The disease exhibits similar STD symptoms as in chlamydia including painful, sometimes frequent urination, thick or bloody genital discharge and painful intercourse.

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a highly infectious viral STD caused by the herpes simplex virus.  Initially, patients experience pain and/or itching in the genital area after a few weeks of coming in contact with an infected host.  This may be accompanied by fever, headache, general fatigue, and other flu-like symptoms. After a few days, tiny reddish swellings may erupt within, near and around the genital area.  These will rupture to form bleeding sores that will eventually turn into scabs.

Genital Warts

Human papillomavirus or HPV infection causes genital warts.  These are tiny bumps on the genitalia, usually flesh or gray in color, and may even appear in clumps similar to cauliflower. It may be accompanied by pain and itching in the genitalia and bleeding during intercourse.

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection often does not exhibit any of the usual STD symptoms in its initial stage. Some people experience flu-like symptoms several weeks after catching the infection which eventually dissipate.  As the disease progresses, the infected patient will usually exhibit such chronic symptoms as swollen lymph nodes, loose bowel movement, sudden weight loss, fever and cough.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial STD that is composed of 4 stages.  The primary stage is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes as well as a tiny, usually painless sore on the part of the body where infection initially set in. This usually happens anytime from 2 to 12 weeks from the onset of infection.  The secondary stage may exhibit reddish lesions about the size of a penny that may occur anywhere on the body, accompanied by fever and fatigue.  This stage occurs 14 to 70 days from appearance of the sores.  The latent stage in which the symptoms disappear may or may not follow the secondary stage.  The tertiary stage may occur years after the initial onset of the disease and is characterized by serious neurological and cardiovascular disorders. GP

Chlamydia

In the 2006 survey of the CDC on the prevalence of chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea in the US population, chlamydia appears to be the most widely reported case of STD at 1,030,911 cases.  The figure is distinctly higher than the 2005 yield of 976,445 cases. Nevertheless, the reported figures are far from the truth as a majority of cases go unreported, judging alone from CDC estimates of an annual rate of 2.8 million new cases of chlamydia infection in the US.

The increase in figures from 2005 to 2006 can be attributed to two things. Either that chlamydia testing has become more successful in terms of outreach and effectiveness of the technology itself, or that the incidence of infection has actually increased.

STD statistics show that young women aged 15-24 are more prone to chlamydia infection compared to men of the same age group with a ratio of 3:1. Chlamydia infection is also more evident in African American compared to other women of racial and ethnic groups with a rate of 1,760.9 cases for every 100,000 black women.  Following the lead are American Indians and Alaska native females at a rate of 1,262.3, Hispanic women at 761.3, white females at 237.0 and women of Asian and Pacific Islander descent at 201.2.

Gonorrhea

The CDC’s 2006 STD statistics reveal that gonorrhea cases increased by 5.5% to 358,366 cases based on 2005 figures. Gonorrhea is second to chlamydia in the most reported cases of STD nationwide.  Although a slight increase was observed from 2004-2006, gonorrhea cases have declined significantly from 1975 to 1997.  However, the result of the study on gonorrhea cases are still not reflective of reality which the CDC believes is actually about twice than reported figures.

Even more importantly, the CDC has been monitoring the increased incidence of drug resistance in the population.  The 2006 study showed that 13.8% of gonorrhea samples were resistant to the antibiotic fluoroquinolones, the primary drug used to treat the disease.

This also further establishes an increasing trend in drug resistance with an incidence rate of 9.4% in 2005 and 6.8 % in 2004.  The statistics also showed a significant increase of incidence in both men who have sex with men or MSM and heterosexuals.  Thus, the CDC released a new set of guidelines for treating gonorrhea in April 2007 totally banning fluoroquinolones for treatment of the disease in the US.

Primary and Secondary Syphilis

STD statistics for primary and secondary syphilis cases for every 100,000 population also increased by 13.8% to 9,756 in 2006 from 2005 figures.  Similar to the case of gonorrhea, the incidence of syphilis has plummeted significantly through the 1990s up to the year 2000.  However, the incidence of infection in males has increased steadily from 2001 up to 2006 while the incidence in females have only exhibited increase in the previous 2 years from 2004 to 2006. GP

Diagnostic and screening tests check for presence of STI as well as help determine the cause of the illness. They primarily allow patients to treat their illness at the onset when it is easiest to defeat.  However, some forms of STDs need to “cultivate” inside the body enough for natural antibodies to develop and become evident in the tests.  For instance, HIV will take weeks or even months from the onset of infection before it can be detected in the tests.

There are many different kinds of STD testing, each of which targets a specific type of STD.  There are a few kinds of tests that are stringed together and administered one time.
Not one, however, can detect all kinds of STDs.

Some STD tests require simple blood or urine samples while others need fluid from the vagina or penis or from an open sore.

STD-Proofing the Family

Some couples resort to STD testing to check for the safety of their potential long-time partners, particularly when planning for a baby.  They also rely on clean test result as the ticket to engaging in unprotected sex.  This is, however, a popular misconception as nothing beats practicing safer sex in preventing the spread of STD.

Infants of one or both sets of infected parents are also screened for presence of STI.  Even during pregnancy, an infected mother is required to undergo tests to ensure the safety of the unborn child.

Contact Tracing

STD testing is likewise used in epidemiology, such as in contact tracing for people who may have come in contact with a person who is infected with STD.  Contact tracing, sometimes called partner notification, aims to find the primary carrier of the infection and those that he or she has subsequently infected in order to administer treatment and prevent further spreading of the infection.

Contact testing takes a crucial role in the fight against AIDS.  In the early years of discovery of the disease, gay rights activists strongly detested partner notification which puts in danger the privacy of HIV-infected people, making them vulnerable to widespread injustice during that time. Recently, however, more and more people submit themselves voluntarily to HIV testing under contact testing programs in light of the promising treatment options available nowadays. GP

The study was made using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of 2003-2004 which was conducted on 838 young women aged 14-19.  Moreover, it was limited to the testing of a few types of infections namely human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes.

Teenage STD statistics based on the NHANES study of 2003-2004 reveals that of the 50% of respondents who admitted to having sex, 40% were found to have been infected with one or more kinds of STD.  In addition, 20.4% of the girls who reported to having one exclusive partner were found positive for STD while more than 50% of girls with more than 2 partners had infection.

The largest rate of infection among the STIs included in the study is of the HPV at 18.3%, a disease that can potentially cause cancer and genital warts.  Meanwhile, about 3.9% were infected with chlamydia, followed by trichomoniasis at 2.5% and genital herpes at 1.9%.  In addition, an average of 15% of the total number of the infected female adolescents were found to be suffering from two or more types of STIs.

African American teenage girls were also more likely to have STI with 48% frequency rate, based on teenage STD statistics from the CDC. This is in comparison with 20% incidence rate for white and Mexican Americans.

The staggering trend of HPV among teenage girls is an indication of their susceptibility to this type of infection.  HPV infection heightens a woman’s chance of contracting cervical cancer. More than anything, it implies the importance of HPV vaccination among young women.

The NHANES report on teenage STD statistics is supported by other similar studies.  In December 2000, a report issued under the Office of Minority Health Resource Center states the occurrence of STD in 4 million American teenagers. Youth aged 15-19 account for about 25% of newly reported STD cases in the country.  The study further estimates a 1 in 3 chance that teenagers who have had sexual experience will contract STD before reaching 24 years of age.

The study showed further that teenagers seem to be unaffected by the prolific cases of STD throughout the country, especially when they themselves do not exhibit any symptom. More importantly, the study stresses the degree of teenagers’ misinformation on sexual health. GP

There are a lot of viruses and bacteria that are present in our environment. These microorganisms have the ability to cause harm to the human body, like those pathogens present in sexually transmitted diseases (STD). There are several methods that medical practitioners recommend for treating these ailments, as STD’s can affect both men and women.

Some of the symptoms of STD’s, particularly on women, are not quickly visible. Others may be more apparent, but are not that serious. Some symptoms include itchiness, blisters containing pus, fever, muscle pain, warts and rashes in the genital area, muscle pain, and a burning sensation while urinating. It is sometimes hard to know if you have an STD because some severe symptoms reveal themselves after a long time. Having regular check-ups with your doctor will help you know if you have an STD.

The severity of STD’s can vary, as some are treatable while others are not. Some can be treated with specific medications depending on the type and degree of the disease. More often than not, they are treated with drugs such as antibiotics, penicillin, and the like. However, AIDS and HIV are terminal, and the only way medicine can do is to alleviate its effects. But there are newly discovered alternative treatments that can help you deal with STD’s.

One of these alternative treatments is the intake of Vitamin C. Tests show that vitamin C (ascorbic acid) prevents the spreading and damage caused by Chlamydia. This ascorbic acid, which rids the body of the by-products of metabolism, can treat Chlamydia more efficiently when used along with antibiotics. Vitamin C is naturally present in many citrus fruits, but is also available in large dosages from pharmacies.

There are also herbs that aid in the treatment of STD’s. One such herb is propoli. Propoli has anesthetic materials which help in treating genital herpes. It is rich in flavonoids and is known and tested to treat herpes more effectively than placebo and acyclovir, the common treatment for herpes. Another drug is the WTTC (Wisteria floribunda, Terminalia chebulae, Trapa natans, and Coicis semen). It is also acknowledged to treat herpes, particularly, oral herpes. Based on a study, it speeds up the recovery and usually takes only three to seven days. Although many were treated with this herb, experts are still trying to verify its efficiency.

Other herbs that are used are licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), lemon balm, (Melissa officinalis), and thuja (Thuja occidentalis). Also, garlic and oregano leaves aid in treating STD’s. Moreover, lavender and tea tree oil are used for HPV and other viral STD’s. But these herbs are still undergoing certain experiments to validate their effectiveness. So if you want to take herbal treatment, you should consider seeing a doctor or other specialists that have a wide knowledge about herbal remedies.

Although a lot of medications and alternative medicines that are being discovered, it is best to prevent oneself from acquiring an STD. Having no sexual intercourse, or at least having safe sex, being faithful with your partner, using condoms, and having regular check-ups are just some practical measures you can observe.

STD’s can be transmitted in different ways. It can be passed through sexual contact (oral sex, vaginal sex or anal sex). They can also be passed through breast feeding or even through damp objects such as towels and toilet seats that may come in contact with the genitals of an infected person. Others can be transferred by blood transfusions, or through the use of unclean hypodermic needles.

If you acquire an STD, it cannot be treated by yourself. You should always consult a doctor, as symptoms may progress to serious ones. STD’s that are caused by bacteria are often treated with antibiotics while viral STD’s, more often, are incurable. However, the symptoms can be treated with medication to alleviate the effect. Below is a list of STD’s and their suggested medications or treatments.

HIV/AIDS – AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is one of the most deadly and incurable type of STD’s. Antiretroviral drugs are commonly used to aid it, although, the time of usage of this drug is still debatable. Some doctors believe that it should be taken the moment the disease is discovered while others say that the patient should wait because it can cause severe side effects.

Syphilis – It is commonly treated with penicillin, an antibiotic which is derived from a species of fungi. Medication should be done at the very moment the symptoms were observed to prevent the bacteria from spreading, and affecting other parts of the body.

Gonorrhea – This STD, together with chlamydia, is cured through antibiotics. These should be treated immediately after you have confirmed the disease to prevent further damage. Also, your sex partners should consult the doctor even if no symptoms are apparent. Untreated gonorrhea and syphilis may lead to infertility.

Trichomoniasis – This is an organism that causes STD. Infections are treated with the drug metronidazole that is usually taken orally. Its effectiveness is rated at levels up to 90 percent. However, women who are pregnant are advised not to take the drug orally, rather they are prescribed with a certain cream that is taken internally with a special applicator. If this did not work, they may take the drug orally but on the latter part of their pregnancy to lessen the damage.

Above are just some of the common STDs and their treatments. But always remember that prevention is better than cure. Explore the many options for safe sex, and always consult a medical professional for anything concerning these conditions. One of the best ways of dealing with them is arming yourself with the proper information, as this can not only help you, but your partner as well.

Sexually transmitted diseases may be caused by viral or bacterial infection. Diseases such as Hepatitis B, Herpes and AIDS are caused by viruses, while chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are caused by bacteria. Some female-specific STD’s like yeast infection is caused by fungi. As we all know, prevention is better than cure. So here are some tips on how to prevent STD’s.

If you are thinking that using a condom makes you STD-free, it isn’t always the case. Condoms may reduce your risk of getting STDs, that is, if used correctly. However, no condoms are 100% safe: some warts caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) and sores cause by herpes can still come in contact with the skin. When note used properly, a tear or damage in the condom can be an outlet for infection.

If you are thinking that by limiting the number of your sex partners can help you prevent STDs, well, maybe you’re right. Asking if your partner had or has a disease would help narrow down your choices, thus decreasing your chances of getting a sexually transmitted disease.

Spermicides do not help prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Contrary to popular belief, using spermicides with nonoxynol-9, instead of damaging the organisms that cause the diseases, can irritate the woman’s vagina or cervix, thus increasing the risk of an STD infection.

To avoid herpes, avoid any sexual contact with anyone who has an outbreak of herpes, whether genital, anal, or oral. If you are aware of someone who has acquired this STD, or is showing the symptoms, advise him or her to seek medical help immediately.

Parasitic STD’s such as scabies or pubic lice can be prevented by observing hygiene. Avoid sharing towels with another person, and change bed sheets as often as possible. If these parasites make their way into your skin, topical creams can be applied to relieve the itchiness. It is best to seek medical advice immediately.

As for HIV, one way of preventing this is to avoid sharing of needles used in syringes or in any transfusions. Also, if you know of someone who has this infection, but he or she is afraid to seek help, let them know how important it is. In some government jurisdictions, a person who is aware of his own HIV infection, and continues to have sex with multiple partners, may be sent to jail.

The best way to prevent contraction of Hepatitis B is to have a Hepatitis B vaccination. Also, it is important to avoid sharing of razors and other personal items with other people. If you are the one affected with the disease, then avoid donating blood, tissues, and organs so that these may not affect others.

Some experts believe that the only sure way to prevent acquiring these sexually transmitted diseases is through abstinence, or not having sex at all. Aside from the fact that you are protecting yourself from diseases, you are also avoiding any unwanted children.

There are many other options for prevention of STD’s. The government and the National Institute of Health strictly enforce the information campaign on these diseases. Medical health care providers always inform their clients of these options, so that in any case the symptoms are apparent, the disease can be controlled.

Chlamydia – Chlamydia is known to be one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. It is a bacterial type of infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterial strain that is found in vaginal fluids and semen. Symptoms include painful urination and abnormal genital discharge, for men and women alike. Lower abdominal pain and pain during intercourse may also be evident among women. On the other hand, men may experience some swelling and pain in the testicles and inflammation of the rectum.

Hepatitis B – This disease is caused by the Hepatitis B virus, which attacks the liver and may cause chronic illness and even death. It can be transmitted orally and even through contaminated syringe needles and blood through transfusions. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin like that of jaundice, abdominal pain, tea-colored urine, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, fever, fatigue, and muscular pains. Because of these common symptoms, one cannot point out at once if they have been infected. Some people initially think that they have only caught flu, while nsome aren’t even aware at all. About 1% of those affected by this disease undergo through a condition where they would experience extreme side effects, known as fulminant hepatitis, which requires immediate medical attention.

AIDS – Also known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is caused by the virus commonly known as HIV or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus causes a weakening in the immune system of the affected person, thus making him more susceptible to diseases, which later on, causes death. Some show no signs of being infected with HIV, but others show flu-like symptoms such as fever, enlarged lymph nodes, headaches, and fatigue. These symptoms usually disappear within a short period of time, but the virus may remain dormant within the affected person’s system for years, attacking more T4 cells in the body.

Syphilis – The bacteria Treponoma pallidum is responsible for this disease. Initially, “chancres” or painless sores may appear on any part of the body (usually the genitals, lips, tongue, etc.). Chancres usually disappear within a few weeks but if left untreated, it may proceed to chronic stages. The secondary stage of infection is mainly characterized by a syphilis rash: an infectious, brown skin rash that typically occurs at the palms and bottom of the feet. Other symptoms include swollen glands, sore throat fever and hair loss. As for the third stage of infection, this stage can las for many years, and may cause the infected person to suffer bone damage, blindness and numbness in the extremities.

Men and women are not exempted from becoming susceptible to the numerous diseases that plague the world. When it comes to sexually transmitted diseases (STD), the infections that women get, will most likely manifest to their male partners, and vice versa. In other cases, homosexual relationships also spread STD’s. Though the symptoms for men and women are different, the microorganisms responsible for the infection are the same, and the treatments are not likely to differ.

There are medical experts who say that women tend to manifest more severe symptoms of common STD’s, as compared to men who are afflicted with the same condition. Here, we discuss some of the common STD’s, which can affect women as well as men. Most of these diseases are caused by microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which invade the body and compromise its normal functions.

One of the most common STD’s that afflict men and women is chlamydia. It is caused by a species of bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. This can be acquired to through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, whenever mucus membranes come in contact. For males, the symptoms may be inflammation of the rectum, plus redness and swelling of the testicles.

Like chlamydia, gonorrhea is also a common STD. It is a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrheae found in vaginal and seminal fluids, transmitted through vaginal, anal or oral sex. Symptoms evident among women include bleeding after intercourse, pain while urinating, cramps, vomiting and fever. Pus discharge from the genitals are observed in men and also pain while urinating.

Another common STD that is linked to chlamydia is nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), which initially show the symptoms of gonorrhea, but is caused by a totally different type of bacteria, such as Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Signs of NGU include, redness and inflammation on the male genital area, pus or mucus discharge from the urethra, and difficulty while urinating. NGU can be treated by intravenous antiniotics.

Genital herpes is a viral infection caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2).

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 is generally associated with oral herpes but has been found out later that it can also cause genital herpes. The virus lives in certain nerve cells in the body and remains there forever. Upon sexual contact with an infected person, it requires usually two to ten days before the first signs of infection are noticed, like itching around the infected area. Painful lesions may also be found around the genital area or the anus. Symptoms also include vaginal discharge and herpes bumps and sores.

The main microbe responsible for genital warts is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Those who acquire this disease show only one symptom, cauliflower-like, fleshy protrusions that occur around the pelvic area. Genital warts can be treated by cryosurgery or freezing, and laser surgery.

Some STD’s can be caused by macroscopic parasites, which are actually mites that attach to skin and feed on the host’s blood. Scabies and pubic lice are caused by these mites, and can be acquired through physical contact with an infected person.