Sexually Transmitted Diseases are caused by the microorganisms that live on human skin or in their body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids. These microorganisms when passed from an infected person to a healthy person can make that healthy person sick. The sources of entry of these microorganisms are via skin, blood, body fluids through sexual intercourse involving mouth, vagina, anal, open sores, wounds or cuts. Signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted infections include skin rashes, burning sensation during urination, genital ulcers, and discharges from penis and vagina and in females most common sign is the abdominal pain. Types of STDs are: Chlamydia, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Human Papilloma virus, cancroid, Trichomonas’s, Herpes, Scabies, Bacterial Vaginosis, Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases.
The approach to Sexually Transmitted Infection diagnosis and management is to treat the signs and symptoms of a group of diseases that have attacked the body. These diseases are preventable and curable if treated on time. Patient education, counselling, laboratory tests are the points that are taken into consideration in such cases.
Symptoms
- Sores or bumps in the oral, genitals or rectal area.
- Intermittent fever and body-ache
- Painful or burning urination
- Unusual vaginal bleeding
- Discharge from the private parts
- Rash over the hands or feet or other parts of body
- Pain in the lower abdominal region
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Odor in vaginal discharge
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Causes/ Origin of sexually transmitted diseases
- Viruses (genital herpes, human papillomavirus, HIV, AIDS)
- Parasites (trichomoniasis)
- Bacteria (syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia)
Through intimate intercourse,it is also possible to get infected without intimate contact. For Example-Shigella, giardia intestinalis, includes the hepatitis A, B, and C, etc
Risk factors
- Having unprotected sexual activity/ intercourse
- Having intercourse with multiple partners
- Having a history of STI
- Complications
- Hair loss
- Sores or bumps anywhere on the body
- Arthritis
- Recurrent genital sores
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Generalized skin rash
- Infertility
- Redness, Scrotal pain and swelling
- Eye inflammation
- Pelvic pain
- Certain cancers: like HPV-associated cervical, rectal cancers, etc.