Sexually Transmitted

Infections, HIV & AIDS

Sarina Shen

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

(STD)
Infectious diseases transmitted with some form of
intimate, usually sexual, contact
Sexual intercourse
Oral-genital contact
Hand-genital contact
Anal intercourse

Chlamydia
If symptoms are present,
Males: painful and difficult urination, frequent urination
and a watery pus-like discharge from the penis
Females: yellowish discharge, spotting between
periods and occasional spotting after intercourse
This infection in
women can
damage the
cervix or fallopian
tubes, causing
sterility and can
lead to pelvic
inflammatory
disease

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

A term used to describe the various infections of the female
reproductive tract
Nonsexual causes
such as vaginal
douching, smoking,
and drugs are also
common

Gonorrhea (the clap)

Caused by a bacteria that usually infects the urethra, genital
tract, pharynx, and rectum but may spread to the eyes or other
areas of the body via the hands or fluids
Male symptoms: white milky discharge from the penis with
painful, burning urination
Female symptoms: very few
experience a discharge or
burning sensation with a
possible fever

Syphilis
Caused by a bacterium that is transferred only by direct sexual contact because
it dies upon exposure to air, dryness, or cold
Primary syphilis
Development of a chancre (painless sore that oozes with bacteria) that
disappears in 3 to 6 weeks
Secondary syphilis
A rash or white patches on the skin or mucus membranes of the mouth,
throat, or genitals appears along with possible hair loss, lymph node
enlargement, fever and headaches
Symptoms again will disappear
Latent syphilis
Organism begins to invade the bodys other organs
Infectious lesions may again reappear
Late syphilis
Heart and nervous system damage, blindness, deafness, paralysis,
senility and insanity

Pubic Lice (crabs)

Small parasites that are usually transmitted during
sexual contact
They attach to pubic hair where they deposit their eggs
(nits)
When crab lice feed they can inject saliva into the host,
causing itching

Genital Warts
Caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
The virus penetrates the skin and mucous membranes
of the genitals or anus through sexual contact
Can be treated with topical medications
or removed by being
frozen with liquid
nitrogen
Large warts may
require surgical
removal

Candidiasis (yeast infection)

This yeast like fungus normally inhabits the vaginal tract in
most women
Under certain conditions, when the normal chemical balance
of the vagina is disturbed, these organisms multiply and cause
problems
Symptoms include severe itching and burning of the vagina
and vulva, swelling of the vulva and a white, cheesy discharge

Trichomoniasis (trich)
Caused by a protozoan
Symptoms include a foamy,
yellowish, unpleasant smelling
discharge with a burning
sensation, itching, and painful
urination
Usually spread by sexual
contact, but can also be
spread by toilet seats, wet
towels, or other items that
have discharge fluid on them

Herpes
Genital herpes is caused by the herpes
simplex virus (HSV)
Symptoms include a redness at the site of
infection followed by a blister filled with clear
fluid containing the virus
The blister will crust over, dry up and
disappear and the virus will travel to a nerve in
the area and stay dormant until the virus
becomes reactivated

HIV / AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the slow acting virus
that causes AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease that
causes the immune system to become inoperative

Transmitting HIV
Engaging in High-Risk Behaviors
Unprotected sex, multiple partners

Exchange of Body Fluids

Vaginal or anal intercourse, deep wet kissing

Blood Transfusions prior to 1985

Since 1985, all donated blood is tested

Injecting Drugs
Sharing or using contaminated needles and syringes

Mother-to-Infant (Perinatal)
In the womb or exposure during delivery

HIV Symptoms
A person may go months or years
before any symptoms appear
A person may experience infections, colds, sore throats, fever,
tiredness, nausea, night sweats and other non-life threatening
conditions
Meanwhile, their immune system gradually weakens until they
are diagnosed with AIDS.

HIV Testing
ELISA is a blood test that detects the presence of antibodies
to the HIV virus
Western blot is a test more accurate than the ELISA to
confirm the presence of HIV antibodies

AIDS Treatments
Current treatments combine different drugs
Older drugs worked by preventing the virus from infecting new
cells
There are many side effects to the different drugs and getting
the right combination and dosage is difficult

Preventing STDs
Latex condoms are the only form of contraception now available
that are highly effective in protecting against the transmission of
HIV and other STDs
Condoms give good disease protection for vaginal sex and can
also reduce the risk of disease transmission in
oral and anal sex
Condoms may not be
100% effective, a lot
depends on knowing
the right way to buy,
store and use them