STDs

STDs nursing BLOGs” nnursing BLOGs”ursing BLO STDs STD: an STD is a sexually transmitted disease; it may also be called an STI (sexually transmitted infection. - The most common STDs are: Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, human papaloma virus, trichomonaiasis, syphilis, and HIV/AIDS. ● Statistics: -In 2005, 976,445 Chlamydia diagnoses were reported, up from 929,462 in 2004. -The national rate of reported Chlamydia in 2005 was 332.5 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 5.1 percent from 2004 - The Chlamydia case rate per 100,000 population for females in 2005 was more than three times higher than for males -Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the United States, with 339,593 cases reported in 2005 -In 2005, the gonorrhea rate was 115.6 cases per 100,000 population -Between 2004 and 2005, the national P&S syphilis rate increased 11.1 percent, from 2.7 to 3.0 cases per 100,000 population -The overall increase in syphilis rates among adults and adolescents from 2004 to 2005 was driven primarily by increases among males - Other significant statistics: One in five people in the United States has an STD. Two-thirds of all STDs occur in people 25 years of age or younger.One in four new STD infections occur in teenagers. HPV and Chlamydia are the most common STDs in the United States. Less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STD other than HIV / AIDS. Number Affected Chlamydia: 4 millionTrichomoniasis ("trich"): 3 millionGonorrhea ("clap"): 1.1 millionGenital Warts (HPV): 750,000 Genital Herpes 40 million affected, with as many as 500,000 new cases each yearHepatitis B: 300,000Syphilis: 120,000HIV: 1 million affected, with as many as 45,000 new AIDS cases reported each year. Chlamydia - caused by bacterium, chlamydia trachomatis - it is the most frequently reported bacterial STD in the U.S. - chlamydia is transmitted through contact; can be passed during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. - Chlamydia may also be passed to an infant from the mother during birth; this may lead to an infection of the eyes that leads to blindness of the infant - Symptoms: abnormal vaginal discharge, penile discharge, burning with urination, lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, painful intercourse, bleeding between periods in women, and a burning or itching sensation around the opening to the man’s penis. - Complications: o Women: infection may spread to uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other reproductive organs [ovaries]); this may lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertillity, and ectopic pregnancy (the embro implants outsite of the uterus, may be fatal to the female) o Men: may spread to epidiymis (tube that carries sperm from the testes); causes pain, fever, and possible sterility. o Pregnant women: may lead to premature delivery, eye infections which may cause blindness, and infection of respiratory tracts leading to pneumonia. - diagnosis is made through a urine test, or a direct sample of tissue or discharge from the penis or cervix in females. - Treatment consists of antibiotics; A single dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline (twice daily) are the most commonly used treatments Gonorrhea - caused by the bacteria neisseria gonorrhoeae - it is estimated that there is more than 700,000 infections of gonorrhea in the U.S. each year - gonorrhea is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. - It may also be spread to an infant during child birth; this, like chlamydia, may lead to blindness in the infant. - Symptoms: burning on urination, white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis or vagina, men may develop painful or swollen testicles, vaginal bleeding between periods. (often in women, mistaken for bladder infection) - Complications: o Women: pelvic inflammatory disease, sterility, ectopic pregnancy o Men: epididymitis, which can lead to infertility o Both: may spread to blood or joints, may be life threatening - diagnosis is made from tissue/discharge samples or urine test. - Treatment consists of antibiotics. Herpes - caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2; most genital herpes is caused by type 2. o Type 1 is primarily responsible for cold sores or fever blisters o Type 2 is primarily responsible for genital outbreaks § BOTH types may be found either on the mouth or genitals - About 45 million people, 12 and older, have genital herpes - Herpes is spread through contact of the vagina, penis, mouth, or anus; most frequently is spread when an open sore is present, but may be passed when there are no signs of an outbreak - Symptoms: an outbreak of blister-like sores filled with clear fluid usually occurs within two weeks of exposure. Other symptoms include flu-like complaints: fever, swollen glands, ect. - Complications: recurrent painful genital sores, psychological distress, fatal results if passed from mother to infant in labor - diagnosed by visual inspection, sample from sores, or blood test - No cure exist for herpes; some medications such as valtrex reduce symptoms, but the virus remains with the carrier and can be spread Human papillomavirus (HPV) - HPV is caused by the human papillomavirus; which consists of more than 100 different strains - Approximately 20 million people have some form of HPV - Some forms of HPV manifest as genital warts, others cause changes in the cells of the cervix in women leading to cervical cancer - HPV is spread through genital contact; rarely a pregnant woman can pass it to her baby - Symptoms: visible warts (soft, moist, pink of flesh-toned growths) on the genitals, pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, vulva, anus, or penis - complications: cancer, psychological distress - diagnosis is made through a specific test which tests for the virus in the DNA - there is no treatment for HPV; most forms dissipate on their own. If warts are present they may be burned, frozen, or surgically removed. Cancerous or pre-cancerous tissue may be extracted. Trichomoniasis - Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoan infection with Trichomoniasis vaginalis (a motile protozoan) - it is the most common curable STD in young, sexually active women with 7.4 million new cases per year. - Trichomoniasis is caused by the protozoan parasite being passed during penis-to-vagina intercourse or vulva-to-vulva. Men usually contract it from infected women - Symptoms: irritation of the inside of the penis, mild discharge, burning after urination or ejaculation, yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor, discomfort during intercourse and urination, irritation and itching of the female genitals, and lower abdominal pain. - May cause pregnant women to give birth prematurely and to low birth weight infants - It is diagnosed through physical examination and laboratory test; small red ulcerations may be present on the vaginal wall or cervix. - Treatment is usually achieved with the drug metronidazole which is taken by mouth in a single dose; re-infection may occur so the partner of the infected should also be given the medication, and at the same time. Syphilis - syphilis is caused by the bacteria treponema pallidum. - It is given the nickname “the great imitator” because its symptoms mimic so many other diseased - Overall rates of infected women are decreasing; however, the rates of men, particularly homosexuals, are in creasing, surpass women by 3.5 times. - Syphilis is passed from direct contact with a syphilis sore; they may be found in or on the vagina, on the penis, anus, or mouth. - Symptoms: occurs in 3 stages o Primary stage: the appearance of a sore (called a chancre) is the first symptom; there may be multiple sores. The time frame between developing syphilis and developing the chancre sore can be anywhere from 10-90 days. The sore is firm, round, small, and painless. It lasts approximately 3-6 weeks, and heals spontaneously. o Secondary stage: this stage is marked by a skin rash and mucous membrane lesions. The rash develops on one or more body parts and dose not itch. It may develop while the chancre is healing or several weeks following. The rash is rough, red to red-brown spots on the palms of hands and soles of feet, and the rash may occur on other body parts with a slightly different appearance. Other symptoms include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patch hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue. Theses signs disappear without treatment. o Latent stage: this stage develops with the disappearance of the secondary stage. It is called the hidden stage because of the lack of obvious symptoms, or the delayed period (can be up to 10 years) for the latent effects to present. If syphilis is left untreated it will ultimately damage internal organs: brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. Latent effects may show as difficulty coordinating muscle movements, paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness, and dementia. These symptoms are serious, often not reversible, and may cause death. - Syphilis can be transmitted to an infant from its mother during birth. This runs the risk of birthing a stillborn baby, a baby that may die shortly after birth, or an infected infant which will manifest the same organ damage as adults if left untreated. - Syphilis is diagnosed by examining a sample from the chancre sore using a dark-field microscope. A blood test also determines a syphilis infection. - Syphilis is easily cured during the early stages, with an intramuscular injection of penicillin (antibiotic). If the infection has been untreated for longer than a year, multiple injections are required. Other antibiotics may be substituted for use in treating syphilis.. HIV/AIDS - HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus; this is the virus that causes AIDS. It is a retrovirus which means it attacks the cells RNA. AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; this is the disease in which the body’s immune system is weakened or shut down so that it cannot fight infection. - Approximately 1 million people in the U.S. are infected, with 40,000 more each year - HIV is transmitted in body fluids that contain: blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. Only if the virus, carried in one of these forms, enters a persons blood stream is that person at risk for infection. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break in the skin - Symptoms: mild, temporary flu-like symptoms, or persistently swollen lymph node glands. - Diagnosis is made through a blood test that may take 3-6 months for results. - treatment: there is no cure for AIDS, but treatments are available; some prevent opportunistic infections (infections that a normal person’s immune system would be able to fight, but because of AIDS it is not), and others are aimed at slowing of stopping viral replication in the body: reverse transcriptase, protease inhibitors, and fusion inhibitors are a few classes of drugs used. The combination of drugs is often used; this cocktail is known as HAART. Prevention: - the only prevention that is 100% useful against all STDs is ABSTINANCE; this means not having sex (including: anal sex, oral sex, or fondling another persons genitals) - if abstaining is not an option, monogamy (meaning ONE sexual partner that you are faithful to) also greatly reduces risk - barrier methods protect against STDs; this means a condom!!! o Condoms with lubricant or spermicide are no more effective than condoms without o If the condom breaks or slips exposure to possible STDs has occurred o The condom must be worn before intercourse (vaginal, anal, or oral) has occurred For more information: STD information and referrals to STD ClinicsCDC-INFO 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)TTY: 1-888-232-6348In English, en Español CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN)P.O. Box 6003Rockville, MD 20849-60031-800-458-52311-888-282-7681 Fax1-800-243-7012 TTYE-mail: info@cdcnpin.org American Social Health Association (ASHA)P. O. Box 13827Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-38271-800-783-9877 Mobile County Health Department: Teen Center www.mobileteencenter.org 248 Cox StMobile, AL 36604(251) 694-3954 References STDs (2007). Retrieved November 1, 2007, from, http://www.coolnurse.com/std.htm