Sexual Transmitted Diseases

Sexual Transmitted Diseases

Certain bacteria and viruses can be transmitted by sexual contact. These organisms can penetrate the lining of the reproductive tracts of men and women and thrive in the moist, warm environment of the body. These organisms cause sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Most of the infectious agents that cause STDs are spread by vaginal intercourse, but other forms of sexual contact such as anal and oral sex are responsible for their transmission. AIDS, for example, can be transmitted by anal sex as well as vaginal and (possibly) oral sex. Syphilis is caused by a bacterium that is spread by oral, anal, and vaginal sex. Although STDs pass from one person to another during sexual contact, the symptoms are not confined to the reproductive tract. In fact, several STDs, including syphilis and AIDS, are primarily systemic diseases—that is, they affect entire body systems.
One complicating factor in controlling STDs is that occasionally some diseases such as gonorrhea produce no obvious symptoms in many men and women. As a result, the disease can be transmitted without a person knowing he or she is infected. In others such as AIDS, symptoms may not appear for weeks or even years after the initial infection. Thus, sexually active individuals who are not monogamous can transmit the AIDS
virus to many people before they are aware that they are infected.
Gonorrhea is a Bacterial Infection that can spread to Many Organs
Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium that commonly infects the urethra of men and the cervical canal of women. Gonorrhea often causes no
symptoms. When they do appear, painful urination and a puslike discharge from the urethra are common complaints in men. Women may
experience a cloudy vaginal discharge and lower-abdominal pain. If a woman’s urethra is infected, urination may be painful. Symptoms of
gonorrhea usually appear about 1–14 days after sexual contact.
Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics and clears up quickly, usually within 3 to 4 days, if treatment begins early. If left untreated, however,
gonorrhea in men can spread to the prostate gland and the epididymis. They can be more difficult to treat. Moreover, infections in the urethra
lead to the formation of scar tissue. This may narrow the urethra and make urination even more difficult. In some women, bacterial infection
spreads to the uterus and uterine tubes, causing the buildup of scar tissue. In the uterine tubes, scar tissue may block the passage of sperm and
ova, resulting in infertility. Gonorrheal infections can also spread into the abdominal cavity through the opening of the uterine tubes. If the
infection enters the bloodstream in men or women, it can travel throughout the body. Fortunately, gonorrhea can be treated by antibiotics, but
early diagnosis is essential to limit the damage.

Syphilis is caused by a Bacterium and can be Extremely Debilitating if Untreated

Syphilis is a deadly STD caused by a bacterium that penetrates the linings of the oral cavity, vagina, and penile urethra. It may also enter through breaks in the skin. If untreated, syphilis proceeds through three stages. In stage 1, between 1 and 8 weeks after exposure, a small, painless red sore develops, usually in the genital area. Easily visible when on the penis, these sores often go unnoticed when they occur in the
vagina or cervix. The sore heals in 1-5 weeks, leaving a tiny scar. Approximately 6 weeks after the sore heals, individuals complain of fever, headache, and loss of appetite. Lymph nodes in the neck, groin, and armpit swell as the bacteria spreads throughout the body. This is stage 2. It lasts for about 4 to 12 weeks. As a rule, the symptoms of stage 2 syphilis disappear for several years. Then, without warning, the disease flares up again. This is stage 3.

During stage 3, an autoimmune reaction occurs. Patients experience a loss of their sense of balance and a loss of sensation in their legs. As the disease progresses, patients experience paralysis, senility, and even insanity. In some cases, the bacterium weakens the walls of the aorta, causing aneurysms.

Syphilis is diagnosed by the symptoms and by examing the pus under a microscope. Blood tests are also useful in stages 1 and 2. Syphilis can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but only if the treatment begins early. Suspicious sores in the mouth and genitals should be brought to the attention of a physician. In stage 3, antibiotics are useless. Tissue or organ damage is permanent.

Chlamydial Infections are Extremeley common among College Students

One of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, affecting 3 to 10 million people each year, and many of the college students, is known as chalmydia. Caused by a bacterium, this disease is characterized, in men, by a burning sensation during urination and a discharge from the penis. Women also experience a burning sensation during urination and a vaginal discharge. If the bacterium spreads, it can cause more severe infection and infertility. Like other STDs, many people experience no symptoms at all and therefore risk spreading the disease to others.
Children born to mothers with chlamydia can develop eye infections and pneumonia.

Chlamydia bacteria often migrate to the lymph nodes, where they cause considerable enlargement and tenderness in the affected area. Blockage of the lymph nodes may result in tissue swelling in the surrounding tissue. Doxycycline and other antibiotics are effective in treating this disease.

Genital Herpes is caused by a Virus; it is Extremely Common, and Essentially Incurable

Genital hepres is another common sexually transmitted disease. Contracted by 200,000–300,000 people each year, genital herpes is caused by a virus that enters the body and remains there for life. The first sign of viral infection is pain, tenderness, or an itchy sensation on the penis or female external genitalia. These symptoms usually occur 6 days or so after contact with someone infected by the virus. Soon afterward, painful blisters appear on the external genitalia, thighs, buttocks, and cervix, or in the vagina. The blisters break open and become painful ulcers that last for 1–3 weeks, then disappear. Unfortunately, the herpes virus is a lifelong resident of the body. New outbreaks can occur from time to time, especially when an individual is under stress. Recurrent outbreaks are generally not as severe as the initial one, and, in time, the outbreaks generally cease. Herpes can be transmitted to other individuals during sexual contact only when the blisters are present or (as recent research suggests) just beginning to emerge. When the virus is inactive, sexual intercourse can occur without infecting a partner. Although herpes cannot be cured, physicians can suppress outbreaks with antiviral drugs such as acyclovir. These drugs not only reduce the incidence of outbreaks, but also accelerate healing of the blisters. Herpes is not a particularly dangerous STD, except in pregnant women. These women run the risk of transferring the virus to their infants at birth. Because the virus can be fatal to newborns, these women are often advised to deliver by cesarean section (an incision made just above the pubic bone) if the virus is active at the time of birth.

Nongonococcal Urethritis is an Extremely common disease caused by several types of Bacteria

Nongonococcal urethritis, or NGU for short, is the most common sexually transmitted disease. Moreover, NGU is one of several STDs whose incidence is steadily rising in the United States. Caused by any of several different bacteria, this infection is generally less threatening than gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, although some infections can result in sterility. Many men and women often exhibit no symptoms whatsoever and can therefore spread the disease without knowing it. In men, when symptoms occur, they resemble those of gonorrhea—painful urination and a cloudy mucous discharge from the penis. In women, urination becomes painful and more frequent. NGU can be treated by antibiotics, but individuals should seek treatment quickly to avoid the spread of the disease
and more serious complications.

Genital Warts are caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

The vast majority of Americans carry a virus known as human papillomavirus or HPV. Transmitted by sexual contact, this virus can causegential warts. Genital warts are benign growths that appear on the external genitalia and around the anuses of men and women. Warts also grow inside the vagina of women. Warts generally occur in individuals whose immune systems are suppressed, for example, after long periods
of stress. These warts can remain small or can grow to cover large areas, creating cosmetically unsighly growths. They may cause mild irritation, and certain strains of HPV area associated with cervical cancer in women. Genital warts can be treated with chemicals or removed surgically—although rates of recurrence are quite high. In 20% to 30% of the cases, genital warts disappear spontaneously. Getting rid of the virus, however, is impossible, for it resides in the body forever.