Organic Revolution
10th September 2006, 08:35
Chlamydia (cla-MIH-dee-a h)
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterium. It can cause sterility in women and men. In women, it infects the cervix and can spread to the urethra, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It can cause bladder infections and serious pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and sterility. In men, chlamydia infects the urethra and may spread to the testicles, causing epididymitis, which can cause sterility.
Chlamydia can also lead to reactive arthritis - especially in young men. One in three men who develop reactive arthritis become permanently disabled. In infants, chlamydia can cause pneumonia, eye infections, and blindness. Chlamydia is the most common and most invisible sexually transmitted bacterial infection in America. At least three million American men and women become infected every year.
Common symptoms:
*
discharge from the penis or vagina
*
pain or burning while urinating, frequent urination
*
excessive vaginal bleeding
*
painful intercourse for women
*
spotting between periods or after intercourse
*
abdominal pain, nausea, fever
*
inflammation of the rectum or cervix
*
swelling or pain in the testicles
Symptoms appear in seven to 21 days - if they appear. If your partner is a man, and he has a urinary tract infections, you may have chlamydia.
Seventy-five percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. Many women discover they have chlamydia only because their partners are found to be infected. Other women discover that they must have had it for some time when they are treated for the infertility that it can cause.
How chlamydia is spread:
*
vaginal and anal intercourse
*
from the birth canal to the fetus
*
rarely, from the hand to the eye
Diagnosis:
* Can be confused with gonorrhea and other conditions. Examination of tissue samples or urine is necessary for correct diagnosis.
Treatment
* Both partners can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Follow-up testing may be suggested three to four months after treatment.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with chlamydia.
Gonorrhea (gone-o-RHEE-a)
Gonorrhea is a bacterium that can cause sterility, arthritis, and heart problems. In women, gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in ectopic pregnancy or sterility. During pregnancy, gonorrhea infections can cause premature labor and stillbirth. To prevent serious eye infections that can be caused by gonorrhea, drops of antibiotics are routinely put into the eyes of newborn babies immediately after delivery. About 650,000 new cases of gonorrhea are reported every year in the U.S.
Common symptoms
* for women: frequent, often burning urination; menstrual irregularities, pelvic or lower abdominal pain; pain during sex or pelvic examination; a yellowish or yellow-green discharge from the vagina; swelling or tenderness of the vulva; and even arthritic pain.
* for men: a pus-like discharge from the urethra or pain during urination
Eighty percent of the women and 10 percent of the men with gonorrhea show no symptoms. If they appear at all, symptoms occur in women within 10 days. It takes from 1-14 days for symptoms to appear in men.
How gonorrhea is spread:
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse.
Diagnosis:
* microscopic examination of urethral or vaginal discharges; cultures taken from the cervix, throat, urethra, or rectum. Urine tests are also available.
Treatment:
* Both partners can be successfully treated with oral antibiotics. Often people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia. They must be treated for both infections at the same time.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with gonorrhea.
Herpes (HER-peez)
There are two forms of genital herpes - herpes simplex virus-1 and herpes simplex virus-2. Although herpes?1 is most often associated with cold sores and fever blisters, both forms of herpes may be sexually transmitted. In fact, most adults have herpes simplex virus (HSV), either type 1 or type 2, or both. During pregnancy, herpes may cause miscarriage or stillbirth. If active herpes infections are present during childbirth, newborn infants may suffer serious health damage, including developmental disabilities and, rarely, death. Transmission to a newborn is more common during the first episode of the herpes infection and less common during recurrent herpes outbreaks. More than 45 million Americans have been diagnosed with genital herpes. At least one million new cases are diagnosed every year. Like many other viruses, the HSV remains in the body for life.
Common symptoms
* a recurring rash with clusters of itchy or painful blistery sores appearing on the vagina, cervix, penis, mouth, anus, buttocks, or elsewhere on the body
* painful ulcerations that occur when blisters break open
* the first outbreak may cause pain and discomfort around the infected area, itching, burning sensations during urination, swollen glands in the groin, fever, headache, and a general run-down feeling.
Symptoms usually appear from two-20 days after infection - but it may be years before an outbreak occurs.
Recurrences are sometimes related to emotional, physical, or health stresses. During recurrences, it is important to observe strict rules of day-to-day hygiene. Wash hands frequently and do not touch the sores. If the sores are touched inadvertently, wash hands immediately. Be particularly careful when handling contact lenses and touching the eyes.
How HSV is spread
* touching, sexual intimacy - including kissing
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse
HSV may be passed from one partner to another, or from one part of the body to another, whenever contact is made with an active herpes virus. Oral sex play can pass herpes from the mouth to the genitals or from the genitals to the mouth.
HSV is most contagious from the time the sores are present until they are completely healed and the scabs have fallen off. Some people may be contagious at various times when they have no symptoms. Mucous membranes of the mouth, anus, vagina, penis, and the eyes are especially susceptible to infection.
Diagnosis:
* Can be confused with syphilis, chancroid, and other sexually transmitted infections. Definitive diagnosis is possible by laboratory culturing of fluid samples taken from the sores or by blood test
Treatment:
* No cure. Symptoms can be relieved and the number of recurrences reduced with the drugs valacyclovir, acyclovir, and famciclovir.
Protection:
* Partners should refrain from sexual intimacy from the time they know the blisters are going to recur until after the scabs have completely fallen off the healed sores. Condoms reduce the risk of transmitting the virus between outbreaks.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
(human im-mu-NOH-dee-FISH-en-see virus)
HIV infections weaken the body's ability to fight infection and can cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) - the most advanced stage of HIV disease. HIV is the most dangerous sexually transmitted infection, and it affects people of all ages. It is now the fifth leading cause of death for American women and men between 25 and 44 years old. It is believed that at least 40,000 Americans become infected each year. There have already been more than 700,000 cases reported in the U.S. Like many other viruses, HIV remains in the body for life.
Common symptoms:
* constant or rapid, unexplained weight loss, diarrhea, lack of appetite
* fatigue, persistent fevers, night sweats, dry cough
* lightheadedness, headaches, mental disorders
* a thick, whitish coating of yeast on the tongue or mouth - "thrush"
* severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections
* chronic PID
* purplish growths on the skin.
There may be no symptoms for 10 years or more. In one 20-year-long study, about five percent of men with HIV have not yet developed symptoms.
How HIV is spread:
* in blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk
* anal and vaginal intercourse - less commonly transmitted through oral sex
* sharing contaminated needles for injecting IV drugs
* transfusion of contaminated blood products
* childbirth
* breast-feeding
* accidental pricks with contaminated needles in the course of health care.
Diagnosis:
There are blood, urine, and saliva tests to detect HIV antibodies. Diagnosis of AIDS is based on the presence of one or more of a variety of conditions and "opportunistic" infections related to HIV infection.
Treatment:
* No cure or vaccine. HIV infection and many AIDS-related conditions - such as various pneumonias, cancers, and infections that take advantage of weakened immune systems - can be managed to some extent with different treatments. However, at this time, no one has recovered from AIDS. Although people with AIDS are living longer, it is still considered fatal.
Protection:
* Condoms offer good protection against infection with HIV.
Syphilis (SIFF-i-lis)
Untreated, the syphilis organism - spirochete- can remain in the body for life and lead to disfigurement, neurologic disorder, or death. There are 70,000 new cases each year in the U.S.
Common symptoms:
Syphilis has several phases that may overlap one another. They do not always follow in the same sequence. Symptoms vary with each phase, but there are no symptoms most of the time.
Primary Phase:
*
Painless sores or open, wet ulcers - chancres - often appear from three weeks to 90 days after infection. They last three to six weeks. They appear on the genitals, in the vagina, on the cervix, lips, mouth, or anus. Swollen glands may also occur during the primary phase.
Secondary Phase:
*
Other symptoms often appear from three to six weeks after the sores appear. They may come and go for up to two years. They include body rashes that last from two to six weeks - often on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. There are many other symptoms, including: mild fever, fatigue, sore throat, hair loss, weight loss, swollen glands, headache, and muscle pains.
Latent Phase:
* No symptoms. Latent phases occur between other phases.
Late Phase:
*
One-third of untreated people with syphilis suffer serious damage to the nervous system, heart, brain, or other organs, and death may result.
How syphilis is spread:
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse
* kissing
* to the fetus, during pregnancy
Syphilis is especially contagious when sores are present early in the disease - the liquid that oozes from them is very infectious. People are usually not contagious during the latent phases of the first four years of syphilis infections. Untreated syphilis remains latent for many years or a lifetime, but can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus.
The effect of syphilis on a fetus is very serious. If untreated, the risks of stillbirth or serious birth defects are high. Birth defects include damage to the heart, brain, and skeleton as well as blindness. It is very important for pregnant women to consider testing for syphilis early, and, sometimes, throughout their pregnancies. Pregnant women with syphilis can be treated to prevent damage to the fetus.
Diagnosis:
* microscopic examination of fluid from sores
* blood tests
* examination of spinal fluid
Treatment:
*
Antibiotics are successful for both partners - but damage caused by the disease in the later phases cannot be undone.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with syphilis during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterium. It can cause sterility in women and men. In women, it infects the cervix and can spread to the urethra, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It can cause bladder infections and serious pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and sterility. In men, chlamydia infects the urethra and may spread to the testicles, causing epididymitis, which can cause sterility.
Chlamydia can also lead to reactive arthritis - especially in young men. One in three men who develop reactive arthritis become permanently disabled. In infants, chlamydia can cause pneumonia, eye infections, and blindness. Chlamydia is the most common and most invisible sexually transmitted bacterial infection in America. At least three million American men and women become infected every year.
Common symptoms:
*
discharge from the penis or vagina
*
pain or burning while urinating, frequent urination
*
excessive vaginal bleeding
*
painful intercourse for women
*
spotting between periods or after intercourse
*
abdominal pain, nausea, fever
*
inflammation of the rectum or cervix
*
swelling or pain in the testicles
Symptoms appear in seven to 21 days - if they appear. If your partner is a man, and he has a urinary tract infections, you may have chlamydia.
Seventy-five percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. Many women discover they have chlamydia only because their partners are found to be infected. Other women discover that they must have had it for some time when they are treated for the infertility that it can cause.
How chlamydia is spread:
*
vaginal and anal intercourse
*
from the birth canal to the fetus
*
rarely, from the hand to the eye
Diagnosis:
* Can be confused with gonorrhea and other conditions. Examination of tissue samples or urine is necessary for correct diagnosis.
Treatment
* Both partners can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Follow-up testing may be suggested three to four months after treatment.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with chlamydia.
Gonorrhea (gone-o-RHEE-a)
Gonorrhea is a bacterium that can cause sterility, arthritis, and heart problems. In women, gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can result in ectopic pregnancy or sterility. During pregnancy, gonorrhea infections can cause premature labor and stillbirth. To prevent serious eye infections that can be caused by gonorrhea, drops of antibiotics are routinely put into the eyes of newborn babies immediately after delivery. About 650,000 new cases of gonorrhea are reported every year in the U.S.
Common symptoms
* for women: frequent, often burning urination; menstrual irregularities, pelvic or lower abdominal pain; pain during sex or pelvic examination; a yellowish or yellow-green discharge from the vagina; swelling or tenderness of the vulva; and even arthritic pain.
* for men: a pus-like discharge from the urethra or pain during urination
Eighty percent of the women and 10 percent of the men with gonorrhea show no symptoms. If they appear at all, symptoms occur in women within 10 days. It takes from 1-14 days for symptoms to appear in men.
How gonorrhea is spread:
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse.
Diagnosis:
* microscopic examination of urethral or vaginal discharges; cultures taken from the cervix, throat, urethra, or rectum. Urine tests are also available.
Treatment:
* Both partners can be successfully treated with oral antibiotics. Often people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia. They must be treated for both infections at the same time.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with gonorrhea.
Herpes (HER-peez)
There are two forms of genital herpes - herpes simplex virus-1 and herpes simplex virus-2. Although herpes?1 is most often associated with cold sores and fever blisters, both forms of herpes may be sexually transmitted. In fact, most adults have herpes simplex virus (HSV), either type 1 or type 2, or both. During pregnancy, herpes may cause miscarriage or stillbirth. If active herpes infections are present during childbirth, newborn infants may suffer serious health damage, including developmental disabilities and, rarely, death. Transmission to a newborn is more common during the first episode of the herpes infection and less common during recurrent herpes outbreaks. More than 45 million Americans have been diagnosed with genital herpes. At least one million new cases are diagnosed every year. Like many other viruses, the HSV remains in the body for life.
Common symptoms
* a recurring rash with clusters of itchy or painful blistery sores appearing on the vagina, cervix, penis, mouth, anus, buttocks, or elsewhere on the body
* painful ulcerations that occur when blisters break open
* the first outbreak may cause pain and discomfort around the infected area, itching, burning sensations during urination, swollen glands in the groin, fever, headache, and a general run-down feeling.
Symptoms usually appear from two-20 days after infection - but it may be years before an outbreak occurs.
Recurrences are sometimes related to emotional, physical, or health stresses. During recurrences, it is important to observe strict rules of day-to-day hygiene. Wash hands frequently and do not touch the sores. If the sores are touched inadvertently, wash hands immediately. Be particularly careful when handling contact lenses and touching the eyes.
How HSV is spread
* touching, sexual intimacy - including kissing
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse
HSV may be passed from one partner to another, or from one part of the body to another, whenever contact is made with an active herpes virus. Oral sex play can pass herpes from the mouth to the genitals or from the genitals to the mouth.
HSV is most contagious from the time the sores are present until they are completely healed and the scabs have fallen off. Some people may be contagious at various times when they have no symptoms. Mucous membranes of the mouth, anus, vagina, penis, and the eyes are especially susceptible to infection.
Diagnosis:
* Can be confused with syphilis, chancroid, and other sexually transmitted infections. Definitive diagnosis is possible by laboratory culturing of fluid samples taken from the sores or by blood test
Treatment:
* No cure. Symptoms can be relieved and the number of recurrences reduced with the drugs valacyclovir, acyclovir, and famciclovir.
Protection:
* Partners should refrain from sexual intimacy from the time they know the blisters are going to recur until after the scabs have completely fallen off the healed sores. Condoms reduce the risk of transmitting the virus between outbreaks.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
(human im-mu-NOH-dee-FISH-en-see virus)
HIV infections weaken the body's ability to fight infection and can cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) - the most advanced stage of HIV disease. HIV is the most dangerous sexually transmitted infection, and it affects people of all ages. It is now the fifth leading cause of death for American women and men between 25 and 44 years old. It is believed that at least 40,000 Americans become infected each year. There have already been more than 700,000 cases reported in the U.S. Like many other viruses, HIV remains in the body for life.
Common symptoms:
* constant or rapid, unexplained weight loss, diarrhea, lack of appetite
* fatigue, persistent fevers, night sweats, dry cough
* lightheadedness, headaches, mental disorders
* a thick, whitish coating of yeast on the tongue or mouth - "thrush"
* severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections
* chronic PID
* purplish growths on the skin.
There may be no symptoms for 10 years or more. In one 20-year-long study, about five percent of men with HIV have not yet developed symptoms.
How HIV is spread:
* in blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk
* anal and vaginal intercourse - less commonly transmitted through oral sex
* sharing contaminated needles for injecting IV drugs
* transfusion of contaminated blood products
* childbirth
* breast-feeding
* accidental pricks with contaminated needles in the course of health care.
Diagnosis:
There are blood, urine, and saliva tests to detect HIV antibodies. Diagnosis of AIDS is based on the presence of one or more of a variety of conditions and "opportunistic" infections related to HIV infection.
Treatment:
* No cure or vaccine. HIV infection and many AIDS-related conditions - such as various pneumonias, cancers, and infections that take advantage of weakened immune systems - can be managed to some extent with different treatments. However, at this time, no one has recovered from AIDS. Although people with AIDS are living longer, it is still considered fatal.
Protection:
* Condoms offer good protection against infection with HIV.
Syphilis (SIFF-i-lis)
Untreated, the syphilis organism - spirochete- can remain in the body for life and lead to disfigurement, neurologic disorder, or death. There are 70,000 new cases each year in the U.S.
Common symptoms:
Syphilis has several phases that may overlap one another. They do not always follow in the same sequence. Symptoms vary with each phase, but there are no symptoms most of the time.
Primary Phase:
*
Painless sores or open, wet ulcers - chancres - often appear from three weeks to 90 days after infection. They last three to six weeks. They appear on the genitals, in the vagina, on the cervix, lips, mouth, or anus. Swollen glands may also occur during the primary phase.
Secondary Phase:
*
Other symptoms often appear from three to six weeks after the sores appear. They may come and go for up to two years. They include body rashes that last from two to six weeks - often on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. There are many other symptoms, including: mild fever, fatigue, sore throat, hair loss, weight loss, swollen glands, headache, and muscle pains.
Latent Phase:
* No symptoms. Latent phases occur between other phases.
Late Phase:
*
One-third of untreated people with syphilis suffer serious damage to the nervous system, heart, brain, or other organs, and death may result.
How syphilis is spread:
* vaginal, anal, and oral intercourse
* kissing
* to the fetus, during pregnancy
Syphilis is especially contagious when sores are present early in the disease - the liquid that oozes from them is very infectious. People are usually not contagious during the latent phases of the first four years of syphilis infections. Untreated syphilis remains latent for many years or a lifetime, but can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus.
The effect of syphilis on a fetus is very serious. If untreated, the risks of stillbirth or serious birth defects are high. Birth defects include damage to the heart, brain, and skeleton as well as blindness. It is very important for pregnant women to consider testing for syphilis early, and, sometimes, throughout their pregnancies. Pregnant women with syphilis can be treated to prevent damage to the fetus.
Diagnosis:
* microscopic examination of fluid from sores
* blood tests
* examination of spinal fluid
Treatment:
*
Antibiotics are successful for both partners - but damage caused by the disease in the later phases cannot be undone.
Protection:
* Condoms reduce the risk of infection with syphilis during vaginal, anal, and oral sex.