Lovers and Other Strangers

Lovers and Other Strangers

Sexually transmitted diseases can't just be kissed off

According to a recent study, men with two to four sex partners over  lifetime have a 1 in 29 chance of contracting a bacterial sexually transmitted disease such as syphilis or gonorrhea. For women with an equivalent number of partners, the risk is about twice as high. The patterns are similar for viral STDs such as genital herpes and hepatitis B. But men tend to have more partners than women. When that is taken into account, the chance of getting an STD is ultimately about the same for both sexes. Following are descriptions of the most common STDs from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bacterial Vaginosis (Also called Gardnerella or Hemophilus).

How Spread: Through sexual intercourse and possibly through towels and wet clothing. A common cause of vaginitis.

Symptoms: Graylish vaginal discharge is common. Untreated, it can cause reproductive problems such as abnormal Pap smears and urinary tract infections.

Treatment: Metronidazole.

Chlamydia

Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Most common STD inn the United States.

How spread: Vaginal or anal intercourse, mother to child during birth, hand-to-eye contact if hands have infected discharge.

Symptoms: Appear 7 to 14 days after exposure. In women, it can cause infertility or pregnancy complications, vaginal discharge, painful urination, vaginal bleeding, bleeding after sex, and lower abdominal pain. In men, chlamydia causes burning during urination, urethral discharge, and inflammation of the urethra. Four-fifths of women have no symptoms; sexually active women may want to be screened periodically.

Treatment: Tetracycline. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend Doxycycline as the treatment of choice because it only has to be taken twice a day. Erythromycin for pregnant women. Chlortetracycline for eye infections.

Lovers and Other Strangers. Photo by Elena

Crabs/Pediculosis Pedis

Caused by crablike lice that live in eye-brows, pubic, armpit, and chest hair.

How spread: Physical contact with someone who is infected, or using towels, clothes, or bedding of a person who has crabs.

Symptoms: Intolerable itching in the genital or other areas. The crabs can be seen by the naked eye, so it's easy to diagnose.

Treatment: A lotion called Kwell can be prescribed. After treatment, clean clothes, towels, and bed linen. The crab will die in 24 hours. If skin is irritated from itching, use aloe vera cream to ease the irritation.

Genital warts/Human Papilloma virus

Caused by a virus similar to the one that causes skin warts.

How spread: Sexual intercourse.

Symptoms: Appears three weeks to eight months after exposure. Small painless warts can appear on the labia, vulva, cervix, or anus in women. In men, warts appear on the penis or scrotum. Using a condom can help prevent infection.

Treatment: Dry ice or laser beam can burn off warts, or Podophyllin can be applied.

Gonorrhea

Caused by gonoccocus, a bacterium.

How spread: Sexual intercourse, oral sex, from mother to child during birth, from hand-to-eye contact. For women, from being inseminated by infected semen.

Symptoms: Appear two days to three weeks after infection. In women, thick discharge, burning or painful urination, pain in lower abdomen, vomiting , fever, irregular periods, a rash, chills, fever, pain in the wrists and fingers, hands, feet, and toes. Some 80 percent of women have no symptoms. In men, thick milky discharge, pain during urination. Almost all men show symptoms.

Treatment: The CDC recommends ceftriaxone as treatment. Since people are often infected with gonorrhea and chlamydia at the same time, the CDC also recommends seven days of taking Doxycycline to treat clamydia. Pregnant women should take Erythromycin; it's less effective, but safer.

Herpes

Two types of herpes are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Type I is characterized by cold sores and fever blisters on the mouth. Type II is characterized by sores and blisters on the genitals.

How spread: Sexual intercourse or oral sex with someone who has an active infection. The disease is most contagious when sores exist, but infection can occur even when there are no symptoms.

Symptoms: Appear 2 to 20 days after infection, but most people don't have symptoms until much later. Tingling, itching in the genital area, burning sensations, pain or feeling of pressure in the legs, buttocks or genitals, sores starting with one or more bumps that turn to blisters. Women can have sores or cervix with no noticeable symptoms. Blisters rupture in a few days and heal without treatment. Active sores may make urination painful. Also may be a dull ache or sharp pain in the genitals.

Treatment : No cure at present. CDC recommends keeping sores dry and clean. If very painful, xylocaine cream or ethyl chloride may be helpful. The antiviral drug acyclovir may reduce outbreak recurrence.

HIF Infection/Aids

Caused by the HIV virus.

How spread: Sexual intercourse, anal sex, blood transfusions, sharing of needles with an infected person. The virus is found in blood, semen, and vaginal secretions, so any contact with these bodily fluids with someone who is infected such as unprotected sexual intercourse could lead to infection.

Symptoms: In both men and women, fatigue, weight loss, swollen glands, and skin problems such as seborrheic dermatitis. Bronchial infections, sores in the mouth, fevers, night sweats, loss of appetite, headaches, trouble swallowing. In women, recurrent yeast infections, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, and severe genital herpes.

Treatment: There is currently no treatment for AIDS, which is fatal. But there are ways to stave off a full-blown AIDS outbreak. AZT and DDI are some drugs that are in use.  The progress of the disease  should be monitored by using a CD4 cell monitoring lab test.

Nongonococcal urethristis (NGU)

Caused by Ureaplasma Urealyticum bacterium.

Now spread: Contracted through sexual intercourse. It can be found in apparently healthy people with no signs of infection.

Symptoms: In men, symptoms include discharge from the penis and inflammation of the urethra. Some researchers think NGU causes pregnancy problems in women, but more research needs to be done.

Treatment: Tetracycline is the standard treatment. Doxycycline or Erythromycin may also be prescribed.

Scabies

Caused by tiny parasitic mites.

How spread: Sexual contact, towels, clothes and even furniture.

Symptoms: Intense itching, red bumps on breasts, waist, genitals, buttocks, or hands.

Treatment: Kwell, which is also used to cure crabs. For pregnant women, Eurax.

Syphilis

Caused by a bacterium called spirochete.

How spread: Sexual or skin contact with infected person, or from mother to unborn child. Spreads from open sores or rashes and can penetrate mucous membranes and broken skin anywhere on the body.

Symptoms: Appear from 9 to 90 days after infection with a painless sore that looks like a pimple. In men, pimple could appear on penis or scrotum. Left untreated, could lead to rash over entire body, sore throat, swollen painful joints, aching bones, hair loss, or raised area around the genitals. After 10 to 20 years, bacteria can invade the heart and brain, causing heart disease, blindness, mental incapacity, crippling.

Treatment: Penicillin by injection, Doxycline, or tetracycline pills.