STIs Vocabulary Flashcards (Nursing 102, Lecture 3)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the STIs lecture notes.

STIs

Infections transmitted primarily through intimate sexual contact; may be viral or bacterial; can be asymptomatic and may be transmitted from mother to newborn.

STDs

Older term for sexually transmitted infections; now generally referred to as STIs.

Five P's

A risk assessment framework: Past STIs; Partners; Practices; Prevention; Pregnancy.

Expedited partner therapy (EPT)

Treating the sexual partners of an infected patient without a separate clinical visit to reduce STI spread and reinfection.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

Infection of the upper female reproductive tract, often from gonorrhea or chlamydia; can cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pain.

Viral STIs

STIs caused by viruses (e.g., HSV, HPV); generally not curable.

Bacterial STIs

STIs caused by bacteria (e.g., gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis); often curable with antibiotics.

HSV

Herpes simplex virus; viral infection causing recurrent vesicular genital lesions; types 1 and 2.

HSV-1

Herpes simplex virus type 1; commonly oral (cold sores) but can cause genital herpes.

HSV-2

Herpes simplex virus type 2; usually genital herpes acquired sexually.

Acyclovir

Antiviral used to treat herpes outbreaks; reduces severity and duration but is not curative.

HPV

Human papillomavirus; >100 types; spread via sexual contact; often asymptomatic; no cure; vaccination helps prevent infection and HPV-related cancers.

HPV vaccine

Vaccine that prevents infection with high‑risk HPV types and reduces risk of HPV-related cancers.

Cervical cancer screening

Routine Pap tests; remains important even if vaccinated; helps detect cervical changes early.

Syphilis

Bacterial STI caused by Treponema pallidum; transmitted sexually; four stages: primary, secondary, latent, tertiary.

Primary syphilis

Chancre: a painless, clean-based ulcer that ulcerates with a scooped-out appearance.

Secondary syphilis

Rash; moist gray-pink lesions on genital/perineal skin; lymphadenopathy; fever; fatigue; possible organ involvement.

Latent syphilis

Hidden stage with no visible signs.

Tertiary syphilis

Late stage with dementia, aortic destruction, and gummas; systemic and nervous system involvement.

VDRL

Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test; non-treponemal serologic test used to screen for syphilis.

RPR

Rapid Plasma Reagin test; non-treponemal screening test for syphilis.

Gonorrhea

Gram-negative bacterium; “the clap”; second most commonly reported STI in the U.S.; often co-occurs with chlamydia; affects genital and rectal mucosa.

Chlamydia

Gram-negative bacterium; cervicitis/urethritis; can cause PID; often asymptomatic; routine screening recommended for young females; treated with doxycycline or azithromycin.

NAAT

Nucleic acid amplification test; used to diagnose gonorrhea and chlamydia; results typically in 24–48 hours; often treated empirically.

Ceftriaxone

IM antibiotic; first-line treatment for gonorrhea; often given with doxycycline to cover possible chlamydia co-infection.

Doxycycline

Tetracycline antibiotic; used to treat chlamydia; often added for gonorrhea co-infection; duration typically 7 days.

Trichomoniasis

Sexually transmitted infection caused by protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis; often asymptomatic; symptoms in women include frothy discharge; treated with metronidazole.

Metronidazole

Antiprotozoal antibiotic used to treat trichomoniasis; avoid alcohol during therapy due to possible reaction.

Candidiasis

Yeast infection caused by Candida species; risk factors include diabetes and immunosuppression; treated with antifungals such as nystatin.

Nystatin

Antifungal used to treat superficial candidiasis.