Sexually transmitted diseases
They affect not only the genitals, but the whole body, and often lead to serious consequences. STDs are familiar to mankind since ancient times, but over time, the number of cases of infection does not decrease, but rather increases. As "familiar" infections are overcome, new ones appear. Almost everyone is at risk - regardless of gender and social status.
Modern medicine has about 30 infections that can be attributed to STIs. Most of them can be asymptomatic, and this makes them very dangerous for the health of various organs and systems.
STDs - what is it?
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - these terms are understood as infectious diseases, the most common way of infection of which is through sexual contact.
In domestic medicine, it is customary to isolate infections, mainly sexually transmitted infections, into a group of sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, donovanosis, trichomoniasis, HPV, genital herpes, mild chancre). Other STIs are often transmitted in other ways: parenteral (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C), direct contact (scabies), vertical (chlamydia).
Differences between STDs and STIs
When doctors use the concepts of sexually transmitted diseases, STDs and STIs, they mean the same thing. There is a difference in the term itself: STDs - this means sexually transmitted diseases, STIs - infections. Despite the fact that there are almost no differences, it is more correct to say STIs rather than STDs, since this definition is used in the modern international classification of diseases. An example is infection, it’s gonorrhea, and the disease is eye damage caused by gonococcus.
Full list of STDs
Sexually transmitted infections are more than 20 diseases of various origins (viral, fungal, parasitic, bacterial). They spread fairly quickly among certain segments of the population. In recent years, rates of infection with venereal diseases have been steadily increasing. Unfortunately, this applies primarily to adolescents, due to the lack of proper sex education in schools and families. Statistics say that every 10 people on our planet suffer from STDs, not excluding children and the elderly.
The most commonly diagnosed STIs in humans are:
Syphilis.
Gonorrhea.
Trichomoniasis
Chlamydia
Mycoplasmosis
Gardnerellosis.
Human papillomavirus.
Genital herpes.
Cytomegalovirus.
HIV
Hepatitis.
Candidiasis.
A complete list of infections, symptoms and causative agents of STIs and STDs is given below:
HIV or human immunodeficiency virus. The most dangerous sexually transmitted disease. HIV makes itself felt far from immediately - the incubation period of the disease lasts from 21 to 90 days. Symptoms occur only at the stage of manifestation of the infectious process. Patients complain of lymph node inflammation, chronic weakness, headaches, and loss of appetite. A characteristic sign of HIV is inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis), which does not go away for a long time. In patients, body temperature rises to 37-37.5 degrees, while it is not possible to normalize it with antipyretic drugs. The absence of antiretroviral therapy has an extremely negative effect on the patient's condition. The body is attacked by various viral and bacterial diseases: pneumonia, herpes, tuberculosis, candidiasis. As a result, AIDS develops.
Hepatitis B and C. Also have many ways of distribution, including sexual. With these dangerous diseases, a change in the structure and functioning of the liver occurs, which is manifested by a series of characteristic symptoms.
Syphilis. Called pale treponema, or spirochete, has three stages and can be congenital. It is able to affect the skin, mucous membranes, soft and bone tissues, central nervous system. It is easily transmitted not only through sexual intercourse, but also through blood and household contacts with the personal belongings of an infected patient - a carrier of treponema. It is manifested by a rash, ulcers, specific formations - chancres and gummas. Secondary and tertiary syphilis can occur in a latent form. If untreated, it leads to numerous health and mental problems, and then to death.
Gonorrhea. Another fairly common STI, especially among people aged 15 to 24 years. Like chlamydia, it can spread through oral, vaginal, or anal contact. And just like with chlamydia, most infected women in the first stages do not notice any symptoms. However, in men, gonorrhea manifests itself almost immediately. Patients are concerned about purulent discharge from the urethra, painful and frequent urination, discomfort in the anus. In the absence of timely treatment of gonorrhea, complications arise. In women, bloody discharge after sex and cutting pain during it are observed, the body temperature rises and the general condition of the body worsens. Gonorrhea at any stage requires quick and effective treatment.
Trichomoniasis As with all STDs, infection in this case occurs through sexual contact. However, trichomoniasis is also transmitted through household contact. The features of the disease include: the incubation period can last up to 28 days. In men, the urethra is affected, in women: the urethra and the labia. Quite often, the course of diseases developing in the case in question takes place without symptoms. However, they can occur in the sexual partner.
Chlamydia It differs in the latent nature of the course and external manifestations, in fact, it does not. The main symptoms appear only when the form is neglected and are expressed in pain, itching of the genital organs of a woman, and the same signs in a man during urination. Ways of infection - sexual contact, the use of underwear and hygiene items of a sick person, transmission from mother to child during gestation and childbirth.
Mycoplasmosis It is provoked by opportunistic microorganisms by mycoplasmas, it often affects women, causing urethritis, vaginosis, pyelonephritis and inflammatory diseases of the internal genital organs.
Ureaplasmosis. Disease caused by a specific microorganism Ureaplasma urealyticum (ureaplasma urealitikum), related to Gram-negative microbes lacking a cell wall. An infection can enter the human body at birth from a sick mother: microbes can enter the baby’s reproductive tract during childbirth and remain there all their lives, being in an inactive state. So, when examining children, vaginal colonization with ureaplasmas is detected in 5%.
Genital herpes. Viral disease with extremely high susceptibility. It is transmitted not only through sexual intercourse, but also through skin-to-skin contact. The causative agent is the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). A day after infection, small vesicles appear on the external genitalia. They are accompanied by itching and slight tingling. In the next few days, the vesicles turn into painful sores, fever and swollen lymph nodes are observed. Rashes are only the visible part of the disease. Even after their disappearance, the herpes virus remains in the body for life. Lack of treatment in pregnant women can lead to serious complications, up to the death of the fetus.
Human papillomavirus. For infection, penetration into the body through sexual and domestic methods is typical. External signs are genital warts and warts on the mucous tissues of the genital organs and anus. Some varieties are especially dangerous - they lead to oncology of the breast and cervix in women.
Gardnerellosis. This is a type of bacterial vaginosis associated with the "displacement" of lactobacilli and replacing them with gardnerella and some other microorganisms. It has several ways of appearing, not only sexual. Very common condition.
Hepatitis B. A viral disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (in the literature it may be referred to as the "hepatitis B virus", hepatitis B virus or HBV) from the hepatadavirus family. The virus is extremely resistant to various physical and chemical factors: low and high temperatures (including boiling), repeated freezing and thawing, prolonged exposure to an acidic environment. In the external environment at room temperature, the hepatitis B virus can persist for up to several weeks: even in a dried and inconspicuous spot of blood, on a razor blade, the end of a needle. In blood serum at a temperature of + 30 ° C, the infectivity of the virus persists for 6 months, at −20 ° C for about 15 years. It is inactivated by autoclaving for 30 minutes, sterilizing with dry heat at a temperature of 160 ° C for 60 minutes, heating at 60 ° C for 10 hours.
Cytomegalovirus. Infectious agents are introduced into the tissues through semen, female, vaginal secretion, are able to affect the child during fetal development. Symptoms are mostly absent.
Candidiasis (thrush). One of the varieties of fungal infection is caused by microscopic yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida (Candida albicans). All representatives of this genus are classified as opportunistic. Microorganisms of the Candida genus are part of the normal microflora of the mouth, vagina and colon of most healthy people. The disease is caused not only by the presence of fungi of the genus Candida, but by their multiplication in large quantities, and / or the ingestion of more pathogenic fungal strains. Most often, candidiasis occurs with a decrease in general and local immunity.
Scabies. The introduction of scabies mite occurs with prolonged contact, including during coition, when the patient's skin comes into contact with a healthy epidermis. The main manifestations are intense itching, which becomes intolerable in the evening and at night, when the activity of the pathogen increases. Localization of rashes - genitals, lumbar, buttocks, chest, feet, inner thighs, axillary hollows.
Sometimes there is a defeat by several types of pathogens. This situation is typical for people who are illegible in their intimate relationships, addicted to drugs or alcohol. Lack of reliable contraceptives and weak immunity increases the risk of infection.
Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases in men
You can suspect an STD in men by the following symptoms:
blood in semen;
frequent and painful urination;
subfebrile increase in body temperature (not for all diseases);
problems with normal ejaculation;
scrotum pain;
discharge from the urethra (white, purulent, mucous, with odor);
a rash of various kinds on the head of the penis, the penis itself, around it.
Important: most of the sexually transmitted pathologies have an asymptomatic course. It is very important to seek medical help immediately after the onset of the first symptoms in order to prevent progression and the addition of complications.
Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases in women
The presence of certain symptoms of STDs in women is explained by the peculiarities of their physiology. The following signs should alert the woman and become an occasion for an extraordinary visit to the gynecologist:
pain and dryness during sex;
single or group enlargement of the lymph nodes;
dysmenorrhea (disorders of the normal menstrual cycle);
pain and discharge from the anus;
itching in the perineum;
anus irritation;
rash on the labia or around the anus, mouth, body;
atypical vaginal discharge (green, foamy, with a smell, with blood);
frequent painful urination;
swelling of the vulva.
Diagnostics
Many STIs are asymptomatic, and often symptoms appear only some time after infection has occurred. Such infections in women lead to the development of pain in the pelvic area. Both women and men can develop infertility, and in some cases they can be fatal.
Conducting early diagnosis allows you to start treatment on time, which in this case is much more effective than in cases with an advanced form of the disease. Depending on the type of infection, the duration of the “window”, that is, the time after infection when the tests are negative, will be different, and at this time, the person can continue to infect other people.
An STI screening should be carried out in every case when there is a suspicion that you had contact with a sick person. First of all, you need to pass tests for genital infections. If this is done immediately, then the doctor can conduct active prophylaxis, in which the external genitalia are treated with special drugs. This can significantly reduce the treatment time and prevent the development of serious complications.
For HIV or hepatitis, a blood test is required for the test, a smear for STDs is taken for urogenital infections. Reliable results when receiving a smear are obtained in the case when the infection was introduced recently. With advanced diseases, bacteriological culture is carried out, while the PCR method is used, a blood test is performed. To correctly diagnose STIs, a comprehensive analysis should be carried out, which includes several types of studies.
Possible consequences
At first glance, STIs seem non-hazardous, especially those that occur without obvious signs. However, these diseases have very serious consequences. They often cause infertility. Some untreated lead to death (syphilis, HIV, hepatitis). The causative agents of infections penetrate other organs, disrupting their functioning.
The most common complications of diseases caused by STIs:
Urethritis.
Cystitis.
Pyelonephritis.
Prostatitis.
Bartholinitis.
Erectile dysfunction in men.
Impotence.
Violation of the menstrual cycle in women.
Vaginitis.
Endometritis.
Inflammation of the uterus.
Extensive erosion of the cervix.
Scars, adhesions in the uterus, tubes.
Infertility.
Miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth.
Many diseases are transmitted to a newborn baby during passage through the birth canal. There is also a risk of intrauterine infection (with syphilis, hepatitis). In children, these diseases often lead to fatal complications.
How to treat STIs?
Methods of treating genital infections depend on the type of disease and pathogens detected during the diagnosis. The basis of therapy is taking medications inside and using them externally. Additionally, immunomodulating and immunostimulating agents and drugs are prescribed that contribute to the restoration of the functions of organs and systems affected by the disease.
Treatment for sexually transmitted infections may also include surgical and minimally invasive procedures. Especially often they are used when signs of HPV (genital warts) appear on the genitals and in the perianal region. Neoplasms are removed by laser, radio wave method or excised with a conventional scalpel.
HIV, AIDS, herpes types I and II, HPV and hepatitis C cannot be cured forever. Patients will have to adapt to life with them and take special medications constantly or in separate courses.
Elimination of genital infections will be effective only if both sexual partners undergo treatment. At the time of treatment, it is advisable to abandon sex, or use barrier contraceptives.
Prevention
It is very important to follow certain rules to prevent infection of STDs and their spread. Today, unfortunately, there is no such method of contraception that would 100% protect against this group of diseases.
Prevention of sexually transmitted pathologies is as follows:
refusal of casual sexual relations;
informing the population about the transmission routes, symptoms, consequences of sexually transmitted infections;
sex with only one partner;
mandatory use of barrier methods of contraception, that is, condoms;
compliance with the rules of personal hygiene, which implies the use of only your washcloths, towels, linen;
visiting a gynecologist once every 6 months for women and a urologist once a year for men with mandatory tests for STDs;
you should use the services of a tattoo, a cosmetologist, manicure exclusively in proven salons;
vaccination against certain viruses (hepatitis, HPV);
immediate medical attention after unprotected intercourse and the detection of alarming symptoms after it.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to protect yourself from infection by 100%, and you can only reduce the risk of infection. However, if you lead an active lifestyle, strengthen immunity, maintain monogamy in a relationship, such a problem as a sexually transmitted infection can be avoided.