Sexually Transmitted Infections

Infections that are most commonly passed through sexual contact:

 Oral

 Vaginal

 Anal

 Skin-to-skin

Transmission

In order for transmission to occur, it is necessary to have:

 A body fluid with the germ in it.

 Means of spreading the germ from one person to another.

♧ BODY FLUIDS considered infectious include:

 Semen

 Vaginal fluid

 Blood /Saliva

 Tears

 Sweat

 Urine

 Ear wax

 Fluid in sores or blisters

Methods of Transmission

♧ High Risk

 Sexual Intercourse

 Vaginal

 Anal

 Oral

 Blood-to-blood contact

 Sharing needles or other drug-use equipment.

 Tattoo or body piercing

 Infected mother to her baby

♧ Bacterial

 Bacterial STI’s include Chlamydia, gonorrhea & syphilis.

 Can be treated and cured with antibiotics.

 Untreated infection can cause PID, infertility, & epididymitis.

♧ Viral STI’s

 Viral STI’s include HPV, HIV, Herpes, & Hepatitis B.

 There is NO cure.

 Medication available to treat symptoms only.

 Can pass onto others for the rest of your life.

Chlamydia

 The most common bacterial STI.

 Greatest number of infections found in people 15 to 24 years old.

 Untreated, it can affect the cervix and urethra, and occasionally the rectum, throat and eye.

 50% have NO symptoms - men and women.

 Can be treated with antibiotics.

♧ Signs and Symptoms

 Some women still have no signs or symptoms.

 Abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating.

 Symptoms usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.

 Lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods.

♧ Effects on Pregnancy

 Can spread to other reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

 Can lead to long-term pelvic pain, blocked fallopian tubes, infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

 Untreated infections can lead to premature delivery.

 Babies born to infected mothers can get chlamydial infections in their eyes and respiratory tracts.

♧ Untreated Chlamydia effects in Children

 Blindness

 Complications of pneumonia, which can include death.

♧ Untreated chlamydia in men may lead to:

 Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland)

 Urethral scarring

 Infertility

 Epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis, which are the elongated, cord-like structure that runs along the back of the testes)

Gonorrhea

 The 2nd most common bacterial STI.

 Most common in people aged 15 to 29.

 Can affect the cervix, urethra, rectum, throat, and occasionally the eyes.

 Can be treated with antibiotics.

 Often NO symptoms, especially in females.

♧ Signs & Symptoms

Female

 Increased vaginal discharge

 Painful urination

 Lower abdominal pain

 Bleeding after sex and between periods

 Pain during sex

Male

 Thick, yellowish-green discharge from penis

 Painful urination

 Testicular pain or swelling

 Rectal pain, discharge or itching

Syphilis

A bacterial infection that progresses in stages:

 Primary: (3 days – 3 months) starts as a small, painless sore called a chancre; goes away on its own.

 Secondary: (2 – 24 weeks) rash on the body, palms of hands & soles of feet, hair loss, feeling sick.

 Latent: lesions or rashes can recur.

♧ Complications

Untreated syphilis may lead to tertiary syphilis, which can damage:

 The cardiovascular system (heart & blood vessels)

 The neurological system

 Other major organs of the body

 Complications may lead to death

Genital Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus - HSV)

 Two types: HSV-1, causing cold sores, and HSV-2, causing genital herpes.

 It is a viral infection causing outbreaks of painful sores and blisters.

 Spread through direct vaginal, oral or anal sexual contact with an infected partner.

 Also transmitted by receiving oral sex from a partner with a history of cold sores.

 Symptoms can be treated with antiviral medications, but NO CURE.

♧ Signs & Symptoms

 The person may feel a tingling or burning sensation where the virus first entered the skin.

 Painful sores (external or internal)

 Inflammation and redness

 Fever

 Muscular pain

 Tender lymph nodes

♧ Birth Acquired Herpes

 Intrauterine herpes (baby) can cause severe brain damage, eye diseases e.g. inflammation of the retina, and skin lesions.

 Birth acquired herpes can produce localized disease. Infants may develop only a localized skin infection consisting of small fluid-filled blisters (vesicles) that rupture, crust over, and finally heal, often leaving a mild scar behind.

 A 2nd type of birth acquired herpes infection leads to encephalitis, inflammation of the brain that can result in seizures and later neurological problems. If untreated, may lead to death.

 3rd type, disseminated herpes infection, is the most dangerous. The herpes virus can affect many different internal organs including the liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain. There may or may not be vesicles on the skin. This type of infection is frequently fatal.

Hepatitis B (HBV)

 Virus that attacks the liver.

 Most infected people (90%) naturally produce antibodies to fight the disease, but some develop chronic HBV and will carry the virus for the rest of their life.

 Chronic infection can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, and cancer.

 There is NO CURE, but vaccination can prevent infection.

Human Papilloma Virus or HPV (Genital Warts)

 One of the most common STIs.

 About 75% of people will have at least one HPV infection during their lifetime.

 There are over 100 types of HPV.

 Low-risk HPV types cause genital warts.

 High-risk HPV types may cause cancer of the cervix.

 There is NO CURE, but vaccination is available to prevent certain types of HPV.

HIV/AIDS

 HIV is a virus that destroys the immune system over time, robbing the body of its ability to fight other infections and illnesses.

 Once the immune system is weakened, other infections occur and AIDS develops (the fatal stage of HIV infection).

 The virus is present in blood, semen, vaginal secretions & breast milk.

♤ When should I get tested?

Once you become sexually active, you need a check-up & STI testing once a year

You also need an STI test if:

 You didn’t use a condom or the condom broke.

 Your partner has an STI.

 Your partner is having sex with someone else.

 You have ever injected drugs.

 You or your partner have any STI symptoms.

 You have been raped.

♧ Signs & Symptoms

 2 to 4 weeks after exposure, some people experience mild flu-like symptoms that last a few weeks, then disappear.

 Many people have NO symptoms until years after exposure.

 The only way to know is to get TESTED!

STI Prevention

 Abstain from sexual intercourse (only method that is 100% effective).

 Don’t share needles or other drug-use equipment.

 Have only 1 mutually faithful, uninfected sexual partner.

 Get tested for STI’s before having sex.

 Use a latex condom.

 Avoid alcohol & other drugs.

THANK YOU