Sexually Transmitted Infections

Chlamydia

Most common STI in Australia

Causative agent: bacteria - chlamydia trachomatis

Treatment: Antibiotics - azithromycin and doxycycline

Symptoms: May show no signs of infection

Men:

• Infection of urethra (yellow discharge and burning sensation when urinating)

• Inflammation of epididymis (pain and could possibly lead to infertility

Women:

• May lead to infertility or other infection

• Inflammation of uterus and uterine tubes (leads to blockages)

• Is able to be passed through placenta to foetus if infected when carrying.

Gonorrhoea

Causative agent: bacteria - neisseria gonorrhoeae

Treatment: Antibiotics - two strains of Gonorrhoea have been found to resist all antibiotics)

Symptoms: 2-10 day incubation period (sometimes asymptomatic)

Men:

• Inflammation of urethra (burning sensation when urinating and extreme pain)

• Yellow discharge of pus from penis

• Without treatment infection spreads to testes (sterility), joints (arthritis) or eyes

Women:

• 70% of women will experience unrecognisable symptoms

• No pain, just slight discharge

• Without treatment, infection spreads to ovarian tubes and causes permanent blockage

Syphilis

Causative agent: bacteria - treponema pallidum

Treatment: Antibiotics (early stage), surgery (late stage)

Symptoms: Syphilis has various stages of infection

1. Primary - bacteria enters through any breaks in skin, small sores (chancres) form between 10 days and 10 weeks after initial exposure. These heal within 3-8 weeks.

2. Secondary - couple of weeks all the way to 12 months after primary stage. Symptoms such as: rashes, sore mouth and throat, mild fever. May last up to 2 years and are highly infectious at this stage. All will heal without medical treatment.

3. Latent - No symptoms, not infectious but still infected. May last years.

4. Late stage - does not always occur. Symptoms may include syphilitic heart disease, insanity, blindness and blood vessel weakness. May occur 5-40 years after infection.

Genital Herpes

Causative agent: Herpes simplex virus comes in two forms - HSV1 (cold sores) and HSV2 (blisters on genitals)

Treatment: No way of curing herpes, medication for pain and salves for blisters

Symptoms: Blisters develop on genitals - Flu like symptoms and rash - Blister will break forming ulcers and scars.

• Remains in the nervous system and symptoms may flare up at any time. They remain infection even when asymptomatic

• Herpes infections can be transmitted to baby during birth and may develop into serious diseases.

Genital Warts

Causative agent: human papillomavirus (HPV)

Treatment: No cure for virus but creams may remove warts or various cryotherapies (freezing them off) can be used.

Symptoms:

• Growth of warts on genitals (penis, labia, vagina and cervix)

• May be passed on to child during birth

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

Causative agent: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Treatment: No cure or vaccine. A mix of retroviral drugs help supress the progression of the disease.

Symptoms: 3 stages of HIV infections:

1. Acute - after initial infection, HIV replicates quickly resulting in flu-like symptoms

2. Chronic - asymptomatic, HIV is slowly multiplying, can last 10 or more years.

3. AIDS - when the immune system is no longer able to resist other infections.

Helper T-lymphocytes

• HIV is dangerous because it infects blood cells called helper T-lymphocytes (Helper T-lymphocytes are ultimately responsible for activating cells that produce antibodies and destroy infected cells).

• Ultimately the low level of helper T-lymphocytes means the immune system is not able to destroy pathogens (disease causing organisms) or remove cancerous cells (Therefore, most AIDS patients die of cancers and simple infections of lungs and renal system).

Trichomoniasis

Causative agent: Trichomonas vaginalis (protozoan)

Treatment: Antibiotics (metronidazole)

Symptoms:

Men:

• Generally asymptomatic

• Some inflammation of urethra

Women:

• Inflammation of vagina and vaginal discharge

• Itchiness of vagina

Pubic Lice and Scabies

Causative agent:

• Pubic lice - phthirus pubis (insect)

• Scabies - sarcoptes scabei (mite)

Treatment: lotions (insecticidal) applied to skin

Symptoms: itchiness of genital area