All you need to know about STD - Page 2

Big Sexy · #16 16-01-2005, 04:36 PM

Molluscum-Treatment

Although the virus remains in the body, the immune system of a healthy person can usually control the outbreaks causing the blisters to disappear.

Outbreaks can recur, possibly triggered by a weakening of the immune system. The infection usually clears up in 6-18 months without any treatment.

Molluscum is treated by destroying the infected skin. Growths are usually removed using one of the following techniques:

Burning growths off with a potent acid, such as Trichloracetic Acid
Electrical current
Freezing the growths with liquid nitrogen
Laser surgery using a blistering agent, such as Podophyllin which is made from rainforest beetles)
Retin A ® a common acne treatment (often used with children)
Note

Always use a recommended health professional trained in these techniques to prevent damage to the normal surrounding tissue.

Molluscum-Prevention

Abstinence
Latex condoms and gloves may offer some protection if the lesion is on the penis, if they are put on before sex and worn until sexual contact is over
Limited sexual partners to one uninfected person
People infected with molloscum contagiosum are best advised to abstain from sex until the blisters have been successfully removed and healed
Restricting body contact between infected and uninfected people can help reduce the chance of spreading infection
Some skin cancers may look like Molluscum so it is important that any abnormal lumps or bumps be examined
Do not

share towels and washcloths
squeeze the lesions which makes them more contagious
Note

The virus may 'shed' beyond the area protected by the condom
Washing, douching or urinating after sex does not prevent STDs

Molluscum-Prognosis

Persons with weak immune systems may experience outbreaks elsewhere on the body

Big Sexy · #17 16-01-2005, 04:42 PM

LYMPHOGRANULOMA
Source :http://www.urologychannel.com/std/lymphogranuloma.shtml
Source: http://herpes-coldsores.com/std/lymphogranuloma.htm

Lymphogranuloma Overview

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), also known as lymphogranuloma inguinale, tropical bubo, Nicholas-Favre disease, and sixth venereal disease, is an infection caused by a variety of the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It primarily causes painful swelling of the lymph nodes located closest to the site of infection. If left untreated, it can cause serious tissue damage, scarring, rectal or intestinal blockages, and extreme swelling of the genitals (elephantiasis). In severe cases, it attacks the central nervous system.

Incidence and Prevalence of Lymphogranuloma

LGV is relatively rare in the United States and most industrialized countries, where it infects an average of 250 to 400 people a year, mostly men, between the ages of 15 and 24. Prevalence is highest in Southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, hence "tropical bubo."

Causes of Lymphogranuloma

LGV is spread by direct sexual contact with the genitals, rectum, or mouth. Once in the body, bacteria reproduce in the lymph nodes. It may be most closely associated with anal sex and men who have sex with men. Newborns can contract the disease from infected mothers during birth.

Signs and Symptoms of Lymphogranuloma

Sores resembling pimples or blisters may appear where the bacteria entered the body, but not always. They often heal quickly, without leaving a scar. Discharge from the penis or vagina is a common early stage symptom. These signs usually appear within 3 days to 1 month after exposure.

Second-stage symptoms are more pronounced and generally begin 1 to 2 weeks after early-stage symptoms appear. The lymph nodes located closest to the site of infection, usually in the groin, swell and form a painful, pus-filled swelling (bubo). Buboes can grow as large as a lemon, and the skin over them may turn blue. They are usually accompanied by throbbing pain, fever, malaise, or headache. In about 30% of cases, the bubo breaks through the skin, drains continuously, remains open, and becomes infected by other bacteria. A burst bubo can take months to heal completely and often leaves a scar.

Buboes may form near the throat, neck, anus, rectum, and cervix. Involvement of the rectum and anus can cause rectal discharge and cause the lining of the rectum to swell, bleed, and erode. If erosion spreads to the colon, the rectum may swell almost closed. Women may experience backache if buboes form on the cervix or in the upper vagina. Chronic inflammation of the lymph nodes can lead to genital elephantiasis, narrowing of the rectal passage (stricture), perirectal abscess, and abnormal rectal channels or tunnel-like lesions (fistulas).

Lymphogranuloma Diagnosis

Physicians typically diagnose LGV by visual observation and blood tests that identify bacteria and antibodies produced by the body to fight the infection. Blood tests also rule out or identify other STDs, such as herpes, syphilis, chancroid, and gonorrhea. A sample of the discharge may be taken to be cultured.

Treatment for Lymphogranuloma

A 3-week course of antibiotics, usually tetracycline, doxycycline, or erythromycin, is prescribed to kill bacteria. Buboes may remain after infection is cured and are usually surgically drained with a needle. Surgical repair of fistulas and erosion may be necessary. In cases of elephantiasis, plastic surgery may be helpful. Physicians routinely observe patients for about 6 months after treatment.

Big Sexy · #18 16-01-2005, 04:45 PM

Vulvovaginitis (Vaginitis)

Vulvovaginitis is inflammation or infection of the vulva and vagina.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Vulvovaginitis can affect women of all ages and is extremely common. It can be caused by bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and other parasites. Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also cause vulvovaginitis, as can various chemicals found in bubble baths, soaps, and perfumes. Environmental factors such as poor hygiene and allergens may also cause this condition.

Candida albicans, which causes yeast infections, is one of the most common causes of vulvovaginitis in women of all ages. Antibiotic use can lead to yeast infections by killing the normal antifungal bacteria that live in the vagina. Yeast infections typically cause genital itching and a thick, white vaginal discharge, and other symptoms. For more information see: Vaginal yeast infection

Another cause of vulvovaginitis is bacterial vaginosis, an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria in the vagina. Bacterial vaginosis may cause a thin, grey vaginal discharge and a fishy odor.

An STI called trichomonas vaginitis infection is another common cause. This infection leads to genital itching, a vaginal odor, and a heavy vaginal discharge, which may be yellow-grey or green in color.

Bubble baths, soaps, vaginal contraceptives, feminine sprays, and perfumes can cause irritating itchy rashes in the genital area, while tight-fitting or nonabsorbent clothing sometimes cause heat rashes.

Irritated tissue is more susceptible to infection than normal tissue, and many infection-causing organisms thrive in environments that are warm, damp, and dark. Not only can these factors contribute to the cause of vulvovaginitis, they frequently prolong the recovery period.

A lack of estrogen in postmenopausal women can result in vaginal dryness and thinning of vaginal and vulvar skin, which may also lead to or worsen genital itching and burning.

Some skin conditions can cause itching and chronic irritation of the vulvar area. Foreign bodies, such as lost tampons, can also cause vulvar irritation and itching and strong smelling discharge.

Nonspecific vulvovaginitis (where specific cause cannot be identified) can be seen in all age groups, but it occurs most commonly in young girls before puberty. Once puberty begins, the vagina becomes more acidic, which tends to help prevent infections.

Nonspecific vulvovaginitis can occur in girls with poor genital hygiene and is characterized by a foul-smelling, brownish-green discharge and irritation of the labia and vaginal opening. This condition is often associated with an overgrowth of a type of bacteria that is typically found in the stool. These bacteria are sometimes spread from the rectum to the vaginal area by wiping from back to front after using the bathroom.

Sexual abuse should be considered in children with unusual infections and recurrent episodes of unexplained vulvovaginitis. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the organism that causes gonorrhea, produces gonococcal vulvovaginitis in young girls who have sexual exposure. Gonorrhea-related vaginitis is considered a sexually transmitted illness. If lab tests confirm this diagnosis, young girls should be evaluated for sexual abuse.

Symptoms

* Irritation and itching of the genital area
* Inflammation (irritation, redness, and swelling) of the labia majora, labia minora, or perineal area
* Vaginal discharge
* Foul vaginal odor
* Discomfort or burning when urinating

Signs and tests

If you have been diagnosed with a yeast infection in the past, you can try treatment with over-the-counter products. However, if your symptoms do not completely disappear in about a week, contact your health care provider. Many other infections have similar symptoms.

The health care provider will perform a pelvic examination. This may show red, tender areas on the vulva or vagina.

A wet prep (microscopic evaluation of vaginal discharge) is usually done to identify a vaginal infection or overgrowth of yeast or bacteria. In some cases, a culture of the vaginal discharge may identify the organism causing the infection.

A biopsy of the irritated area on the vulva may be recommended if there are no signs of infection.
Treatment

Treatment depends on what is causing the infection. Treatment may include:

* Antibiotics taken by mouth or applied to the skin
* Antifungal cream
* Antibacterial cream
* Cortisone cream
* Antihistamine, if the irritation is due to an allergic reaction
* Estrogen cream, if the irritation and inflammation is due to low levels of estrogen

Proper cleansing is important and may help prevent irritation, particularly in those with infections caused by bacteria normally found in stool. Sitz baths may be recommended.

It is often helpful to allow more air to reach the genital area. You can do this by:

* Wearing cotton underwear (rather than nylon) or underwear that has a cotton lining in the crotch area. This increases air flow and decreases moisture.
* Removing underwear at bedtime.

Note: If a sexually transmitted infection is diagnosed, it is very important that any other sexual partners receive treatment, even if they do not have symptoms. If your sexual partner is infected but not treated, you risk becoming infected over and over again.

Expectations (prognosis)

Proper treatment of an infection is usually very effective.

Complications

* Discomfort that does not go away
* Skin infection (from scratching)
* Complications due to the cause of the condition (such as gonorrhea and candida infection)

Prevention

Use of a condom during sexual intercourse can prevent most sexually transmitted vaginal infections. Proper fitting and adequately absorbent clothing, combined with good hygiene of the genital area, also prevents many cases of noninfectious vulvovaginitis.

Children should be taught how to properly clean the genital area while bathing or showering. Proper wiping after using the toilet will also help (girls should always wipe from the front to the back to avoid introducing bacteria from the rectum to the vaginal area).

Hands should be washed thoroughly before and after using the bathroom.

Big Sexy · #19 16-01-2005, 04:46 PM

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid.htm

What is PID?

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) refers to infection of the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus) and other reproductive organs that causes symptoms such as lower abdominal pain. It is a serious complication of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially chlamydia and gonorrhea. PID can damage the fallopian tubes and tissues in and near the uterus and ovaries. PID can lead to serious consequences including infertility, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tube or elsewhere outside of the womb), abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.

How common is PID?

Each year in the United States, it is estimated that more than 750,000 women experience an episode of acute PID. Up to 10-15% of these women may become infertile as a result of PID. A large proportion of the ectopic pregnancies occurring every year are due to the consequences of PID.

How do women get PID?

PID occurs when bacteria move upward from a woman's vagina or cervix (opening to the uterus) into her reproductive organs. Many different organisms can cause PID, but many cases are associated with gonorrhea and chlamydia, two very common bacterial STDs. A prior episode of PID increases the risk of another episode because the reproductive organs may be damaged during the initial bout of infection.

Sexually active women in their childbearing years are most at risk, and those under age 25 are more likely to develop PID than those older than 25. This is partly because the cervix of teenage girls and young women is not fully matured, increasing their susceptibility to the STDs that are linked to PID.

The more sex partners a woman has, the greater her risk of developing PID. Also, a woman whose partner has more than one sex partner is at greater risk of developing PID, because of the potential for more exposure to infectious agents.

Women who douche may have a higher risk of developing PID compared with women who do not douche. Research has shown that douching changes the vaginal flora (organisms that live in the vagina) in harmful ways, and can force bacteria into the upper reproductive organs from the vagina.

Women who have an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted may have a slightly increased risk of PID near the time of insertion compared with women using other contraceptives or no contraceptive at all. However, this risk is greatly reduced if a woman is tested and, if necessary, treated for STDs before an IUD is inserted.

What are the signs and symptoms of PID?

Symptoms of PID vary from mild to severe. When PID is caused by chlamydial infection, a woman may be more likely to experience only mild symptoms even when serious damage is being done to her reproductive organs. Chlamydia can also cause fallopian tube infection without any symptoms. Because of vague symptoms, PID often goes unrecognized by women and their health care providers. Women who have symptoms of PID most commonly have lower abdominal pain. Other signs and symptoms include fever, unusual vaginal discharge that may have a foul odor, painful intercourse, painful urination, irregular menstrual bleeding, and pain in the right upper abdomen (rare).

What are the complications of PID?

Prompt and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications of PID, including permanent damage to the female reproductive organs. Infection-causing bacteria can silently invade the fallopian tubes, causing normal tissue to turn into scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks or interrupts the normal movement of eggs into the uterus. If the fallopian tubes are totally blocked by scar tissue, sperm cannot fertilize an egg, and the woman becomes infertile. Infertility also can occur if the fallopian tubes are partially blocked or even slightly damaged. Up to 10-15% of women with PID may become infertile, and if a woman has multiple episodes of PID, her chances of becoming infertile increase.

In addition, a partially blocked or slightly damaged fallopian tube may cause a fertilized egg to remain in the fallopian tube. If this fertilized egg begins to grow in the tube as if it were in the uterus, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. As it grows, an ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tube causing severe pain, internal bleeding, and even death.

Scarring in the fallopian tubes and other pelvic structures can also cause chronic pelvic pain (pain that lasts for months or even years). Women with repeated episodes of PID are more likely to suffer infertility, ectopic pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.

How is PID diagnosed?

PID is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are often subtle and mild. Many episodes of PID go undetected because the woman or her health care provider fails to recognize the implications of mild or nonspecific symptoms. Because there are no precise tests for PID, a diagnosis is usually based on clinical findings. If symptoms such as lower abdominal pain are present, a health care provider should perform a physical examination to determine the nature and location of the pain and check for fever, abnormal vaginal or cervical discharge, and for evidence of gonorrheal or chlamydial infection. If the findings suggest PID, treatment is necessary.

The health care provider may also order tests to identify the infection-causing organism (e.g., chlamydial or gonorrheal infection) or to distinguish between PID and other problems with similar symptoms. A pelvic ultrasound is a helpful procedure for diagnosing PID. An ultrasound can view the pelvic area to see whether the fallopian tubes are enlarged or whether an abscess is present. In some cases, a laparoscopy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure in which a thin, rigid tube with a lighted end and camera (laparoscope) is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen. This procedure enables the doctor to view the internal pelvic organs and to take specimens for laboratory studies, if needed.

cont next post

Big Sexy · #20 16-01-2005, 04:50 PM

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/std/pid/stdfact-pid.htm

What is the treatment for PID?

PID can be cured with several types of antibiotics. A health care provider will determine and prescribe the best therapy. However, antibiotic treatment does not reverse any damage that has already occurred to the reproductive organs. If a woman has pelvic pain and other symptoms of PID, it is critical that she seek care immediately. Prompt antibiotic treatment can prevent severe damage to reproductive organs. The longer a woman delays treatment for PID, the more likely she is to become infertile or to have a future ectopic pregnancy because of damage to the fallopian tubes.

Because of the difficulty in identifying organisms infecting the internal reproductive organs and because more than one organism may be responsible for an episode of PID, PID is usually treated with at least two antibiotics that are effective against a wide range of infectious agents. These antibiotics can be given by mouth or by injection. The symptoms may go away before the infection is cured. Even if symptoms go away, the woman should finish taking all of the prescribed medicine. This will help prevent the infection from returning. Women being treated for PID should be re-evaluated by their health care provider three days after starting treatment to be sure the antibiotics are working to cure the infection. In addition, a woman’s sex partner(s) should be treated to decrease the risk of re-infection, even if the partner(s) has no symptoms. Although sex partners may have no symptoms, they may still be infected with the organisms that can cause PID.

Hospitalization to treat PID may be recommended if the woman (1) is severely ill (e.g., nausea, vomiting, and high fever); (2) is pregnant; (3) does not respond to or cannot take oral medication and needs intravenous antibiotics; (4) has an abscess in the fallopian tube or ovary (tubo-ovarian abscess); or (5) needs to be monitored to be sure that her symptoms are not due to another condition that would require emergency surgery (e.g., appendicitis). If symptoms continue or if an abscess does not go away, surgery may be needed. Complications of PID, such as chronic pelvic pain and scarring are difficult to treat, but sometimes they improve with surgery.

How can PID be prevented?

Women can protect themselves from PID by taking action to prevent STDs or by getting early treatment if they do get an STD.

The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.

Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea.

CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing of all sexually active women age 25 or younger, older women with risk factors for chlamydial infections (those who have a new sex partner or multiple sex partners), and all pregnant women. An appropriate sexual risk assessment by a health care provider should always be conducted and may indicate more frequent screening for some women.

Any genital symptoms such as an unusual sore, discharge with odor, burning during urination, or bleeding between menstrual cycles could mean an STD infection. If a woman has any of these symptoms, she should stop having sex and consult a health care provider immediately. Treating STDs early can prevent PID. Women who are told they have an STD and are treated for it should notify all of their recent sex partners so they can see a health care provider and be evaluated for STDs. Sexual activity should not resume until all sex partners have been examined and, if necessary, treated.