Plain and simple facts about common STDs
Plain and simple facts about common STDs
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Your best protection against being infected with a sexually
transmitted disease (STD) is adopting responsible sexual
behavior. This, according to physicians, also includes performing
safe sex with a steady, healthy partner.
Some STDs show no symptoms, meaning the infected person can
transmit the diseases to others without knowing it. Once
infected, the person and his or her partner(s) must be treated
immediately to prevent the disease from developing further and to
avoid secondary infection.
Sexually active people, especially those with numerous sexual
partners, are also advised to have periodic medical examinations
for STDs. It is advisable not to wait for the symptoms to appear
if you are exposed to risk.
Chlamydia: Is a curable STD caused by the chlamydia bacterium.
Don't confuse this condition with gonorrhea, which has similar
symptoms and may occur at the same time. The bacteria exists in
semen, vaginal fluid and blood of the infected person.
Transmission: Through oral, vaginal or anal sex. A pregnant
woman infected with the disease also risks transmitting chlamydia
to her newborn baby during delivery.
Chlamydia can lead to serious health problems, including
pelvic inflammatory disease, which may lead to infertility, tubal
(ectopic) pregnancy in women and epididymitis (inflammation of
the testicles that may lead to infertility) in men.
Symptoms: It may show no symptoms (asymptomatic) and if it
does, symptoms may seem to come and go. In women: Milky or
yellowish vaginal discharge with offensive odor and pain during
urination. In men: Sticky, milky discharge from penis, irritation
around the opening of the penis, testicular pain, swollen testes,
pain in the groin.
Infection can occur in the throat (oral-genital contact) and
eyes, causing inflammation.
Treatment: Antibiotics.
Prevention: Avoid sexual relations with more than one partner,
use condoms during sex.
Gonorrhea: Is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhea bacterium in the
vagina, penis, genital tract, throat and rectum. It can lead to
pelvic inflammatory disease, which can cause infertility and
tubal (ectopic) pregnancy and abscesses in women, and
epididymitis in men.
Gonorrhea can spread unless properly treated. A previous
infection may make a new infection develop more rapidly.
Transmission: Through sexual contact (vaginal, oral and anal),
from mother to newborn child (may cause blindness if the baby's
eyes are infected). The infected person can transfer the bacteria
to other parts of his or her own body (autoinfection).
Symptoms: In men: Creamy or greenish discharge, painful
urination, testicular pain. In women: Creamy, greenish or bloody
vaginal discharge, pain while urinating and having sex, bleeding
between periods, lower abdominal pain, irritation of the vulva,
throat and rectal infection. Rectal infection can cause
itchiness, constipation, bleeding, pus-like discharge and blood
in the feces. However, it may also show no symptoms.
Prevention: Avoid having multiple partners and use condoms. If
infected, avoid any sexual contact. Thorough hygiene (washing of
hands etc.) is essential, as the bacteria can be transferred to
the eyes.
Treatment: Antibiotics. When gonorrhea and chlamydia infect a
person at the same time, a combination of antibiotics.
Herpes: Is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is
categorized into HSV type I and HSV type II. HSV type I affects
the face (oral herpes/cold sores or fever blisters) and HSV type
II affects the genital area.
People can be infected for life after the first infection. It
is often accompanied by psychological and emotional stress.
Transmission: Through vaginal, oral and anal sex, and skin to
skin contact. Newborn babies can also be infected. Herpes can
infect and kill a fetus. It can be transmitted with or without
the presence of symptoms.
Symptoms: Blisters and ulcers, but it may also show no
symptoms or can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. Genital herpes
can cause recurrent painful ulcers, which may turn into painful
blisters. The disease can't be 100 percent cured and can appear
when a person is under pressure, fatigued or menstruating.
Flu-like symptoms like fever, swollen glands or mild symptoms can
appear, and are often mistaken for insect bites or a rash.
Prevention: Use condoms, avoid sexual contact if you are
infected, avoid having more than one sexual partner.
Treatment: There is no medication for the disease, but
infected people can be treated to soothe pain. They are given
vitamins to improve their stamina and nutrition levels, while
other medical sources claim that some drugs (including zovirax),
herbs and essential oils have been used to treat herpes.
Syphilis: Is caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum.
The initial infection causes an ulcer at the site of infection
but over time the bacteria moves throughout the body, causing
damage to many organs. If untreated, it can cripple, cause
blindness, heart abnormalities, skin and bone disorders,
neurological problems and death. Mothers can transmit the
bacteria to their unborn babies, who may possibly develop mental
or physical problems, or can even be stillborn.
Transmission: Through sexual and physical contact. The
bacteria can also be transmitted through broken skin on other
parts of the body.
Symptoms: During primary syphilis, the ulcers develop on
genitals, around the anus and mouth. With secondary syphilis,
lumps appear throughout the body, accompanied by a mild fever and
fatigue. It may disappear without treatment but may recur. During
the late stages of syphilis, the lesions are produced but may
also show no symptoms.
Prevention: Avoid contact with infected sores, infected
tissues and body fluids, use condoms during sex, avoid having
more than one sexual partner.
Treatment: Penicillin and other antibiotics.
Chancroid: Is a curable disease, caused by Hemophilus ducreyi
bacteria. If left untreated, the sores can result in painful
urination or erections and may develop into abscesses and leave
deep scars around the groin.
Transmission: Sexual contact or autoinfection.
Symptoms: Tender but painful sores around genitals or mouth,
swollen lymph nodes around the groin. In women, sores may be
invisible if they develop inside the vagina and they can
unknowingly transmit the disease.
Prevention: Use condoms, avoid having sex with more than one
partner.
Hepatitis B: Is caused by the hepatitis B virus and is often
called inflammation of the liver. This disease is spread through
sexual contact but there are no symptoms in the genital area.
Transmission: Through blood, vaginal and seminal fluid, feces,
saliva, urine, sweat and sexual contact. It can spread through
kissing, sharing a toothbrush, razors, nail clippers, body
piercing instruments, syringes, other items contaminated by an
infected person's blood or body fluid, and through consuming
contaminated drinking water, ice or food.
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, nausea, jaundice of the whites of
the eyes and skin, pain in the abdomen.
Prevention: Use condoms, don't share things that may be
contaminated by an infected person's blood, get vaccinated.
Treatment: Get vaccinated because there is no medical
treatment. But Interferon and Lamivudine are used to treat the
disease.
AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome): Is caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which destroys the body's ability
to fight infections, making it prone to disease-causing bacteria,
viruses and other microbes.
Transmission: Through sharing of syringes, sexual contact
(vaginal, oral and anal sex), blood transfusions or contact with
infected blood or genital secretions. Pregnant women can also
transfer the disease to an unborn child.
Symptoms: Asymptomatic people with AIDS may not look sick but
can transmit HIV. Loss of the immune system may make the body
prone to various infections and can lead to death.
Prevention: Abstinence from sex, avoid unprotected sex and
needle sharing. You will not get HIV by touching an infected
person, embracing them, sharing utensils, clothes, towels and
touching objects like toilet seats or door knobs.
Treatment: There is no cure for HIV, but there are a number of
drugs to treat HIV infection, like lamivudine and stavudine.
The information presented above has been collected from the
Family and Reproductive Health Clinic (KKRK), and other sources.