STDs Part #1 Sores, rashes, bumps(Chancroid, Herpes,HPV/Warts, Syphilis)

The estimated total number of people living in the US with STD is over sixty-five million. Every year, there are approximately fifteen million new STD cases.

Facts About STDs

• 65 million of people living in the US with STD
• 15 million of new STD cases each year
• 2/3 of all STD's occurs in people 25 yrs of age or younger
• one in four new STD cases occur in teenagers
• cervical cancer in women is linked to HPV
• doctors are required to report newly diagnosed STD cases of gonorrhea, syphilis,chlamydia and hepatitis B to state health departments and the CDC
• one in four Americans have genital herpes, 80% of those with herpes are unaware they have it
• at least one in four Americans will contract an STD at some point in their lives
• 15% of all infertile American women are infertile because of tubal damage caused by untreated STD
• 12% of all infertile American men are infertile because of inflammation of the testicles and sterility caused by untreated STD

CHANCROID 

What is it? A bacterial infection that results in sores on the mouth, throat, lips, anus, tongue, vagina, or penis

How is it contracted? You can get chancroid sores or spread them through skin-to-skin contact with open sores, from hands that have touched a sore, or from sex toys such as a vibrator or dildo that have touched a sore.

Symptoms:Painful open sores on the genitals, and, in some cases, swollen and tender lymph nodes in the groin. Women may be less likely to get the sores; instead, their symptoms may include painful urination or defecation, painful intercourse, rectal bleeding, or vaginal discharge.

Testing: Chancroid lesions can look like syphilis or genital herpes, so a doctor needs to analyze the discharge from the sores to get an accurate diagnosis.

Treatment: Antibiotics are usually effective.

HERPES (Herpes Simplex)

What is it? Two types of a viral infection characterized by periodic outbreaks of painful sores. Stress, sunburn, and certain foods are the primary causes of a herpes outbreak.

How is it contracted? Both herpes simplex virus-1 and virus-2 may be transmitted through sex, or by kissing or touching any affected area. A condom can prevent herpes transmission during vaginal or anal sex, but oral contact with genitals or open sores anywhere can spread the disease. Washing hands can also minimize transmission.

Symptoms: Herpes simplex virus-1 usually shows up as cold sores or blisters. For those who have herpes simplex virus-2, some have no symptoms, while others may show signs of an infection from five to twenty days after having sex with an infected partner. Early symptoms can include a burning sensation in the genitals, low back pain, pain when urinating, and flu-like symptoms. A short while later, small red bumps may appear around the genitals or on the mouth; later these bumps become painful blisters which then crust over, form a scab, and heal.

Testing: Your doctor will examine the sores and test fluid from the blisters.

Treatment: Symptoms can be relieved with medications, but the virus remains with you over your lifetime, and outbreaks may come and go.

HPV / Genital Warts

What is it? Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) - a group of more than 70 viruses, some of which can lead to cervical cancer. Several strains of HPV cause external genital warts. 

How is it contracted? Through oral, anal, and vaginal sex and through skin-to-skin contact. To help prevent infection, use a condom. It's not clear exactly how effective condoms are at protecting against HPV and genital warts, but they will protect you against other STDs, including HIV. 

Symptoms: Many types of HPV have no symptoms, though some cause visible genital warts that may be found in the vagina or urethra or on the cervix, vulva, penis, or anus. Rarely, they are found in the mouth or throat. Warts are often flesh-colored, soft to the touch, and may look like miniature cauliflower florets. They usually grow in more than one area and are often painless, although they may itch.

Testing: Once a woman becomes sexually active, or by age 18, she should get an annual Pap smear to detect any abnormal changes in the cervix. Pap smears are the first line of defense against the HPV family of viruses, which is typically without symptoms. If your Pap test comes back abnormal, your doctor will likely order a second one to confirm the results. A cervical DNA swab test can also be performed to identify which specific HPV virus you have (only a few types of HPV have been linked to cervical cancer and these are usually not the ones that cause genital warts). If HPV is found, a colposcopy -- a test that examines the tissues of the vagina and cervix using a magnifying lens -- is usually ordered.

Treatment: There is no cure for HPV, so treatment aims at controlling outbreaks of warts -- if you have a strain that causes visible warts. If a woman is diagnosed with certain strains of HPV, her doctor may suggest a biopsy of cervical tissue to check for signs of cancer. It is important to note that many women with HPV do not get cervical cancer, but HPV infection is an important risk factor for the disease. Further treatment varies widely depending on what your doctor learns from a colposcopy, DNA testing, and/or a biopsy of cervical tissue.

To treat visible genital warts, there are several chemicals that can be directly applied. Some are prescribed for use at home, others may cause discomfort and must only be used under a doctor's supervision, and some may not be used during pregnancy. Genital warts also may be removed using cryotherapy (freezing), burned off with electrocauterization, or removed with surgery or lasers. In at least 30 percent of treated cases, the warts grow back again.

If you are not treated:Since there are strains of HPV that are linked to cervical cancer, failing to seek treatment can be fatal. But since many types of HPV are basically harmless, they need only be monitored with yearly Pap smears (or more frequently -- every three to six months -- if a result comes back abnormal).

If genital warts are allowed to grow without treatment, they can block the vagina, urethra, or anus, and become very uncomfortable. Depending on where they are on the body, genital warts can cause sores and bleeding. An increase in the size and number of the warts is also more likely during pregnancy and when a person's immune system is compromised by diabetes, an organ transplant, Hodgkin's disease, or HIV/AIDS, among other condition.

SYPHILIS

What is it? A bacterial infection caused by an organism called a spirochete.

How is it contracted? Through oral, anal, or vaginal sex, or via intimate touching or kissing. Mothers can pass it to their babies by touching syphilis sores (chancres) and then touching the baby

Symptoms: During the first stage of a syphilis infection, painless sores or open ulcers may appear on the anus, vagina, penis, or inside the mouth, and occasionally on other parts of the body. During the second stage (roughly three weeks to three months after the first symptoms appear), an infected person may experience flu-like symptoms and possibly hair loss or a rash on the soles and palms -- and in some cases all over the body. There are also latent phases of syphilis infection during which symptoms are absent.

Testing: Diagnosis of syphilis is done through a blood test and/or examination of secretions from chancres.

Treatment: Antibiotic injections or Pills.

If you are not treated: Untreated syphilis can lead to serious damage to the brain and the nervous system; mental deterioration; a loss of balance, vision, and sensation; leg pain; and heart disease. A fetus is at particular risk if the mother doesn't seek treatment; the chances for stillbirth and serious birth defects, including blindness, are very high.

If you are concerned you may have an STD, Come to :

MD Care

400 Westfield Ave

Elizabeth, NJ

(908) 691-3800