Chlamydia

An often symptomless condition that infects around 10% of sexually active teenagers. Some women notice a heavier vaginal discharge and abdominal pain; men often have a discharge from their penis. Chlamydial infection is caused by a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, and can be transmitted during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual contact with an infected partner. If quickly treated with antibiotics it is unlikely to do any damage, but can cause Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious complication of chlamydial infection, which is a major cause of infertility among women of childbearing age and can cause blockages in the fallopian tubes and ectopic pregnancies.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), similar to the type that causes common skin warts. Over twenty types of HPV cause invisible infections, warts or flat lesions in the genital area. HPV usually spreads during sexual intercourse with an infected partner. Symptoms of genital warts usually appear from three weeks to eight months after exposure. The visible genital warts look like regular warts, starting as small, painless, hard spots that often appear on the bottom of the vaginal opening. Warts also occur on the labia, vulva, inside the vagina, on the cervix or around the anus, where they can be mistaken for hemorrhoids. In Men warts occur on the head of the penis (often under the foreskin), on the shaft of the penis or occasionally on the scrotum.

Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is caused by a bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, that grows and multiplies quickly in moist, warm areas of the body including the reproductive tract, the oral cavity, and the rectum. Although in women the cervix usually is the initial site of infection, the disease can spread to and infect the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can scar or damage cells lining the fallopian tubes, resulting in infertility in as many as 10 percent of women affected, and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy. The disease is most commonly spread during sexual intercourse – vaginal, oral, and anal. Gonorrhoea can be passed from an infected woman to her newborn infant during delivery, causing eye infections in the baby.

If symptoms of gonorrhoea develop, they usually appear within two to 10 days after sexual contact with an infected partner, although a small percentage of patients may be infected for several months without showing symptoms. The initial symptoms in women include a painful or burning sensation when urinating and/or vaginal discharge that is yellow or bloody. More advanced symptoms, which indicate progression to PID, include abdominal pain, bleeding between menstrual periods, vomiting, or fever. Men are more often symptomatic than women. They usually have a discharge from the penis and a burning sensation during urination that may be severe. Symptoms of rectal infection include discharge, anal itching, and sometimes painful bowel movements. Because penicillin-resistant cases of gonorrhoea are common, other antibiotics are used to treat most patients with gonococcal infections.

Herpes

The human herpes viruses, which include Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, human cytomegalovirus, Varicella-Zoster virus, and the Epstein-Barr Virus, either cause or are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases. Indeed, the herpesviruses are multipotential, having the abilitly to cause more than one kind of disease.

Herpes Type I, which is transmitted by oral and respiratory secretions, affects the skin and mucous membranes and commonly produces cold sores or fever blisters. Herpes Type II primarily effects the genital area and is transmitted by sexual contact. However, cross-infection may result from orogenital sex. After the first infection, a patient is a carrier susceptible to recurrent infections, which may be provoked by fever, menses, stress, heat, and cold. However in recurrent infections, the patient usually has no constitutional signs and symptoms. Herpes is equally common in males and females.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a complex sexually transmitted disease (STD). It consists of three stages, and can be deadly if not treated properly.

During the first stage of syphilis, the bacterium begins to take effect from about 10-90 days after sexual contact. A chancre will form on the penis, inside of the vagina, on the mouth, hands, or any other place the bacterium has entered the body. The chancre is usually firm, round, small and painless. It will last about 1-5 weeks and will heal on its own. If not treated, the infection will progress to the second stage.

Stage two begins when areas of the skin break into a rash that does not usually itch. They can appear as the chancre is fading, or they can not appear for a few weeks. Rashes often appear on the hands or the bottoms of the feet, and resemble a "rough copper penny". The rashes may also appear as a mere acne breakout, moist warts in the groin area, whitish blotches in the mouth, or pus filled bumps. These rashes typically last for a period of about 2-6 weeks, and will disappear on their own. Other than rashes, symptoms of the second stage may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches and tiredness. A person can pass the disease when any of the first or second stage symptoms are present.

Stage three is the "hidden" stage, and it begins when the secondary symptoms disappear. If the person has not been treated, syphilis is still in the body. The bacterium is still present and begins to damage internal organs such as the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Later stage signs may include: poor coordination and muscle movements; paralysis; no longer feeling of pain; gradual blindness; dementia; personality changes; impotency; shooting pains; blockage or swelling of blood vessels; tumors on the skin, bones, or other organs; severs pain the belly; repeated vomiting; damage to knee joints; and deep sores on the soles of the feet. This damage may cause death over time.

Syphilis is spread though sexual contact. This includes oral, anal or vaginal sex. When a person comes in direct contact with a syphilis sore, the bacterium Treponema Pallidum is transferred and begins to infect them. Syphilis can also be passed from mother to unborn child. The disease cannot be spread by toilet seats, door knobs, swimming pools, hot tubs, bath tubs, shared clothing, or eating utensils.

There is a cure for syphilis. One dose of the antibiotic penicillin will cure a person who has had the disease for less than a year. A person who has had syphilis for more than a year will need more doses. A newborn diagnosed with syphilis needs daily penicillin treatment for 10 days. Penicillin only kills the bacterium and prevents further damage, but it does not fix the damage that has already been done. A person who is being treated must abstain from sexual contact until their sores are completely healed.

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