Bacterial and viral agents cause sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Bacterial STDs can be treated with antibiotics. Viral STDs are a lot more dangerous, since there are no cures for most of them.
Sexual abstinence or restricting sexual activities to one partner are the most effective means of preventing infection from STDs; other practical forms of protection must be used. Condoms are one of the most effective barriers to contracting an infection from STDs; condoms exist for both men and women.
Most of the common bacterial sexually transmitted diseases can be treated with antibiotics once the causative agent is known. However, due to mutations and drug resistance resulting from the prevalence and abuse of antibiotics, there are some bacterial strains that are difficult to treat. Some of the more common bacterial STDs include: Chlamydia, Syphilis, Shigellosis, Gonorrhea, Vaginalis, Chancroid and Donovanosis. Chlamydia and Syphilis are two of the most common bacterial STDs.
Syphilis is contracted through broken skin or mucous membranes. Syphilis is characterized by a chancre or sore at the site of infection. The sore typically appears 2-6 weeks from the time of contact with the infected person. Syphilis can appear on the genitalia, mouth, lips or internally (cervix). There are four stages of this disease, a primary, secondary, latent and late stage. Diagnosis is performed via a blood test or a microscopic identification. Symptoms include, painful genital ulcers accompanied by painful, chronic abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Chlamydia infections can be noticed in 5 to 20 days post infection. Symptoms include burning and itching around the genital area; other symptoms include abdominal and back pain. Infections are most prevalent in tropical regions and are spread by direct sexual contact with genitals, the rectum or the mouth, infection does not occur on intact skin. Serology, ELISA, cell culture or PCR can effectively diagnose Chlamydia. Chlamydia can be easily treated with antibiotics.
The most common sexually transmitted viral STDs are Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis Virus. HSV is responsible for both genital herpes and cold sores. The Herpes infection can be asymptomatic in as many as 80% of patients. HSV is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and symptoms vary from person to person, symptoms heal in 2-12 days. Some common symptoms include blisters, cuts, rashes, itching, burning aches and pains, flu-like symptoms and painful urination. Diagnosis includes culture, blood tests and western blot. HSV has a latent period and many people live with this disease for many years. Many antiviral treatments are commercially available to manage this ailment.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is perhaps the worst viral sexually transmitted disease to contract, since it often connotes a death sentence. Somewhere between 200-1000 people exist with very low levels of the HIV virus and never develop AIDS, they are referred to as controllers. However, for the majority that is infected with the HIV virus, their situation is dire. Some of the early symptoms of HIV infection include, fever, night sweats, headache, fatigue and enlarged lymph nodes. One of the most prevalent treatment approaches is the use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). Diagnosis of AIDS involves the measurement of viral load, a viral load higher than 30,000 viral copies per milliliter of blood using a test known as a branched DNA test, or a viral load of more than 55,000 copies using an RT-PCR test indicate the need for treatment.
Hepatitis is a virus that causes liver disease. A Hepatitis infection can be mild and last for a short time or it could be very serious and lead to liver failure and death. Hepatitis B is clinically silent (no symptoms) in approximately 90% of infected patients and Hepatitis C is clinically silent in 95% of infected patients. Hepatitis C incubates from between 6 to 12 weeks and Hepatitis B incubates from between 6 weeks to 24 months. Hence, there is always the risk of becoming very ill from a hepatitis viral infection.
Some of the symptoms of Hepatitis C infection are, jaundice, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, lower-grade fever, pale or clay-colored stool, dark urine and generalized itching. Some of the symptoms of Hepatitis B infection include anorexia, malaise, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, jaundice, rash or arthritis. Both Hepatitis B & C can be treated with several antiviral agents. Diagnosis of most viral infections is by either molecular Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or immunological Enzyme Linked Immumnosorbent Assay (ELISA).
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The use of condoms, sexual abstinence and avoiding high risk groups and immediately seeking professional help at the first signs or hints of infection are the best approach to staying free from STDs.