Venereal diseases are prevalent mainly among people of reproductive age. This is the main way of transmission of infection - sexual. However, in some cases, infection can occur in a contact and household way.
What are sexually transmitted diseases?
Diseases transmitted sexually, it is customary to call venereal in honor of the goddess of love of Venus. In medicine, often used and another abbreviation - STI (infection, predominantly sexually transmitted). It more specifically reflects the possible modes of infection: the disease passes from person to person with sexual intercourse, but for other infections, other options are possible.
In medicine, a separate direction has been allocated - venereology - a science that deals with the study of diseases that are transmitted through sexual intercourse. Doctors who conduct therapeutic measures against these diseases are usually called venereologists. These specialists are engaged in treating pathologies of the reproductive system in both men and women.
How are sexually transmitted diseases transmitted?
As noted above, infection with a venereal disease occurs with unprotected sex. In this case, the method of copulation often determines a particular form of pathology, the location of its manifestations. Transmission is possible with any type of contact, heterosexual and homosexual. The risk of infection increases dramatically in a group sexual intercourse, the lack of mechanical contraceptive means.
It is worth noting that infection with a venereal disease can occur outside of sexual contact. Infection occurs with close contact with the patient or carrier, sexual caresses involving the genitals, mouth, rectum. The causative agent, getting on the mucosa of these organs, penetrates into the bloodstream, after which the disease develops with characteristic symptoms.
Sexual infections - types
Depending on the type of pathogen, it is customary to distinguish the following types of venereal diseases:
- Bacterial sexual infections. These diseases include pathologies that are provoked by pathogenic microorganisms: syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis.
- Viral Sexual Infections. The pathogen has an extracellular organization (virus), has increased contagiosity. Among the diseases of this type: HPV, genital herpes, HIV.
- Parasitic sexual infections. These include pubic pediculosis (fthiracy), scabies.
Sex infections - list
Venerology describes a variety of diseases, the main way of transmission is sexual. However, some are so rare that doctors do not know about their existence. It should be noted that in some cases venereal diseases are geographically determined - they occur in certain climatic conditions, in countries. Among the common pathologies, it is necessary to distinguish the following sexual infections:
- gonorrhea ;
- syphilis;
- chancroid;
- chlamydia ;
- venereal lymphogranuloma ;
- genital herpes;
- trichomoniasis ;
- human papillomavirus.
What are the most dangerous venereal diseases?
The causative agents of venereal diseases penetrate the blood and are spread all over the body, affecting other organs. Untimely initiation of therapy leads to the development of chronic forms, generalized damage to the body. Even after the course of therapy and the disappearance of symptoms of pathology, the development of complications of a venereal infection is possible. Because of this, patients are forced to see a doctor for a certain period, undergo periodic examinations.
After the transferred sexual infections the following consequences are possible:
- chronic inflammatory diseases of the genital organs;
- upsetting of reproductive function;
- infertility .
In some cases, infection in the reproductive system can lead to a disease such as a venereal sarcoma. This pathology is characterized by an oncological process in the reproductive system, which first affects the sex glands. With blood flow, cancer cells spread throughout the body, resulting in the formation of metastases in other organs and systems.
Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases
Often, the presence of a venereal disease can be assumed on the basis of characteristic features. However, many sexual infections have a latent (latent) period, when a person does not bother. This fact significantly complicates the diagnostic process, delaying the initiation of therapy. Among the obvious manifestations are the following signs of sexually transmitted diseases:
- increased frequency of urination;
- the appearance of pain when urinating;
- painful sensations during intercourse;
- discharge from the genital tract;
- the appearance of a rash on the genitals;
- hyperemia of the genital mucosa;
- swelling of the genital organs;
- the appearance of blood in the urine;
- unpleasant odor in the groin area.
Venereal diseases in men
Venereal diseases, the symptoms of which are named above, are more common in men in reproductive age. Increased sexual activity, the presence of several partners, random connections increases the risk of sexual infection. It is worth considering that the condom does not guarantee full protection, but only reduces the probability of transmission of infection. As for the symptoms, they may appear somewhat later than in women.
This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the male reproductive system. The urethra in the stronger sex is longer and has several bends, so the genitourinary system is protected from getting most pathogens from outside. These features explain the fact that sexual infections in men are more often hidden. The main manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases include:
- pain, itching and burning in the penis;
- painful urination;
- change in the transparency of urine;
- sores, rash, warts in the genital area and groin;
- swelling of the scrotum, redness;
- fever.
Venereal diseases in women
Sex infections in women in most cases are accompanied by a sharp onset. Find them easier than men. Often it all begins with the appearance of soreness and vaginal discharge. By their nature, experienced venereologists can pre-diagnose with high accuracy even before the tests. Urethra in women is short, so the first symptoms appear only a few days after infection. Venereal diseases in women are manifested as follows:
- change in the volume, nature, color and smell of vaginal discharge, thick, foaming, with an admixture of blood and an unpleasant odor, they often accompany sexual infections;
- itching, tingling, burning and pain in the vulva;
- a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, in the pelvic region;
- painful sensations in sex;
- the appearance of burning, pain, or itching in the process of urination;
- bloody discharge after sexual contact;
- blisters, ulcers, rashes, warts on small and large labia;
- temperature increase.
Venereal diseases - diagnosis
To determine the exact cause, the doctor prescribes tests for venereal diseases. Among the main laboratory methods for detecting sexual infections:
- Bakposev - the collection of biomaterial with further placement in a favorable environment. After a while, the sample is microscopized and the type of pathogen is determined. The method takes time: an analysis response can be expected from 3 days to several weeks.
- The serological method is the detection in the serum of blood of specific proteins, antibodies that appear in response to infection. An example of this type of study is ELISA (enzyme immunoassay).
- Method of setting allergic tests - the patient is injected intradermally with a drug with weakened pathogens of a particular disease or antigens to them.
- PCR (polymerase chain reaction). The method is to copy the DNA fragment of the pathogen. It allows to determine the presence of the disease, even if the infection does not manifest itself in any way.
Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
Therapy is completely dependent on the type of pathogen. In general, the treatment is aimed at destroying the pathogen. Depending on the type of pathogen, the following groups of drugs are used to cure venereal infections:
- antibiotics (Spectinomycin, Azithromycin, Tetracycline);
- immunomodulators for activation of the immune response of the body (Gepon, Immunomax, Immunal);
- antiviral agents (Acyclovir, Kagocel, Cycloferon);
- hepatoprotectors are used to support the liver in its severe lesions (Essentiale);
- antiparasitic (20% aqueous emulsion of benzyl benzoate, Permethrin);
- antifungal agents (isoconazole, clotrimazole, miconazole).
Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases
Preventing sexually transmitted diseases is easier than curing. Prevention of sexual infections includes:
- Exclusion of casual sex.
- Use of barrier methods of contraception.
- Compliance with hygiene rules.
- Visit the gynecologist (2 times a year) and the urologist (once a year).