STI’s Sexually Transmitted Infections

What are STI’s?  Infections that are commonly passed from one partner to another through some form of sexual activity  They are more commonly known as sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s), and up until ~1990 were known as venereal diseases

How are STI’s contracted? 1.Contact of infected semen or vaginal fluids to mucosal surfaces (e.g., the male urethra, the vagina or cervix) Examples include: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis Two Common Ways: 2.Contact with infected skin or mucosal surfaces Examples include: genital herpes, syphilis, chancroid, and human papillomavirus

In other words… you can get an STI simply by touching infected skin!

Here’s a popular crew of STI’s to stay away from…  Chlamydia  Crabs  Gonorrhea  Herpes  HPV  Trichomoniasis  Syphilis Now let’s meet some of these not-so-friendly STI’s!

Hi… I’m Chlamydia  I’m a curable infection caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis.  You can catch me during vaginal, anal, and even oral sex!  Sometimes, you won’t even know I’ve arrived; most women and men don’t experience symptoms, and if they do, they usually occur 1 to 3 weeks afterwards. biology.kenyon.edu/.../ chlamydia/chlamydia.jpg

Hi… I’m Chlamydia (cont.)  You can find me by means of a urine test or by taking a specimen from the infected area.  If you don’t get rid of me, I can cause some major complications, including infertility.  I can be transmitted even if the penis or tongue does not enter the vagina, mouth, or rectum. Your best bet for avoiding me, if you’re sexually active, is to use a condom…correctly! images/chlamydia.jpg

Hello there, we’re the crabs!  We, the crabs (aka pubic lice), are small parasites that feed on human blood.  You can find us on pubic hair, or wherever you have coarse hair (i.e., armpits, eyelashes, and facial hair). We’re not too fond of head hair though. tim/pictures/crabs11.gif  We crawl from the pubic hair of one person to another…we don’t require penetration or exchange of body fluids to be transmitted.

Hello there, we’re the crabs! (cont.)  If we make you our host, you’ll be very itchy.  The only way to avoid us is to avoid contact with infested people, bed linens, clothing, and furniture.  Once we leave our human host, we can live for 24 hours, so we can crawl on you from infested bedding or clothing.  Latex condoms don’t work on us… haha!

Meet Gonorrhea  I’m also a curable infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoea.  I’m transmitted during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.  Many men infected with gonorrhea show symptoms; most women don’t.  In men, symptoms usually appear within a possible range of 1 to 30 days.

Meet Gonorrhea (cont.)  Since symptoms may not be present, the only way to know if one has contracted me is to be tested, either by a urine test or by taking a specimen from the infected area.  I can be transmitted even if the penis or tongue does not enter the vagina, mouth or rectum. Latex condoms are a good thing to use to avoid me

And Herpes…  Symptoms include areas of red and sensitive skin where blisters and bumps may soon appear. After the blisters open, they then heal as new skin tissue forms.  Once you have me, you can’t get rid of me.  I’m an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus.  I’m estimated to be present in 50 to 60 percent of the American population

And, of course, HPV…  I, the human papillomavirus, have more than 100 different strains. More than 30 of these are sexually transmitted and can affect the genitals of both men and women.  Most infected individuals will not have any symptoms and will clear the infection on their own.  A BIG problem with me is that I may lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, or penis.

HPV (cont.)  Most people infected by me don’t even know it. I live in the skin or mucous membranes and usually cause no symptoms. Some people do get visible warts, however.  Most women are diagnosed with HPV on the basis of abnormal Pap tests. A Pap test is the primary cancer-screening tool for cervical cancer.  Unfortunately for you, no HPV tests are available for men.  There is no “cure” for me.

Trichomoniasis trichomoniasis.jpg I am caused by the single-celled protozoan known as Trichomonas vaginalis. Symptoms typically begin anywhere from 5-28 days after I set up shop inside the body. Symptoms of my presence include: lower abdominal pain, yellow-green discharge, painful urination, and irritation of the genitalia.

Trichomoniasis (cont.)  I’m so sneaky that often the only way to diagnose me is through lab tests (in additional to a physical examination)  However, I am easily defeated by the drug, metronidazole (given by mouth in a one dose).  I can contribute to early pregnancy and low-birth weight when my host gives birth. diseases.info/images/std_trichomoniasis.jpg

Syphilis s/syphilis.jpg I begin as a painless sore on the penis/vagina, anus, or mouth I am caused by the bacterium, Treponema pallidum. Lucky for me, I can stay inside the body for years without producing any symptoms that would indicate my presence.

Syphilis (Cont.)  When I do cause symptoms, however, they are typically in the form of sores, skin rash, or lesions  I am able to infect when one person comes into direct contact with my sores on another person (primarily through sexual contact).  If I get lucky enough to infect a woman who gets pregnant, I can even get passed down to the baby. Urogen_pix/syph1_Utex.jpg ges/411secondary.jpg

Syphilis (Cont.)  I make it easier to transmit and acquire HIV.  I can be diagnosed by looking at material from one of my sores under a dark-field microscope, or by a blood test.  Antibiotics typically get rid of me (Penicillin being the most commonly used). a0.JPG

Prevention?  Practicing abstinence is the BEST and only truly effective method of preventing against sexually transmitted infections. 56/eroque/General_NoCondomNoSe x.jpg

Prevention (Cont.)  To significantly lower your risk, you should: - use a condom EVERY time you have sex (including anal and oral sex) - limit your number of sex partners - have your partner tested for an STI - look for signs/symptoms of an STI in your partner - not have sex with someone still receiving treatment for an STI - wash your genitalia with soap and water after sexual intercourse Be Smart. Be Safe. Be Informed. news/condoms.jpg

References   cfm cfm   s.cfm s.cfm   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Std's *** Other references can be found throughout the presentation