CANDIDA
Features/Symptoms
- Irritation, itching or burning sensation around tip of penis or under foreskin;
- Redness or red patches around the penis and under foreskin;
- Cottage-cheese like discharge under foreskin (if present); not common in men;
- Discomfort on passing urine;
- Oral Candida;
- Also known as “Thrush” or “Yeast” infection.
Progression
Candida albicans causes inflammation (redness and swelling) on the tip of the penis, and can spread to the anus as well. If engaging in unprotected oral sex, the yeast infection can spread to the mouth and digestive system.
Causes
In some cases, Candida infections of the mouth, skin, or genitals can occur for no apparent reason. A common cause of infection may be the use of antibiotics that destroy beneficial, as well as harmful, microorganisms in the body, permitting Candida to multiply in their place. In most other cases it is transmitted sexually.
Treatment/Management
Topical ointment, oral solution, and in severe cases, anti-fungal drugs. Common in people infected with HIV.
CHANCROID
Features/Symptoms
- First sign maybe one or more sores in genital area;
- Sores are surrounded by narrow red borders that become filled with puss;
- Eventually sores rapture leaving painful open wounds;
- Painful swollen glands appear in the genital area.
Progression
Symptoms develop 3-10 days after infection. The ulcer begins as a tender, elevated bump, or papule, that becomes a pus-filled, open sore with eroded or ragged edges. If left untreated, severe infection of the genitals will occur and may facilitate the transmission of HIV.
Causes
Chancroid is a highly contagious yet curable sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by exposure to the bacteria Haemophilus ducreyi.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
CHLAMYDIA
Features/Symptoms
- White/cloudy water discharge from penis;
- Painful urination;
- Painful testicles;
- Asymptomatic, meaning no symptoms present;
Progression
Symptoms develop 1-3 weeks after infection. If left untreated, Chlamydia can cause severe infection of reproductive organs resulting in infertility.
Causes
Chlamydia is caused exposure to the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
Treatment/Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
GENITAL AND ANAL WARTS
Features/Symptoms
Small painless bumps growing on genital and anal area;
- Itching and burning;
- Maybe also inside urethra of men;
Progression
- Develop in moist areas and can become malignant (1-6 months).
Causes
Genital warts are caused by exposure to the human papilloma virus (HPV). Warts are considered a low cancer-causing potential. Common warts are not the same as genital warts and are caused by different HPV types that infect the skin.
Treatment/Management
- Removal by burning, freezing or minor surgery
- Wartec solution 2 times daily for 3 days - apply to warts only, keep area clean and dry
GENITAL HERPES
Features/Symptoms
- Fever;
- Swollen glands;
- Perineal pain;
- Frequent urination;
- Lesions on Prepuce (foreskin), shaft of penis, buttock or thighs;
- Can be purely genital or oral-genital due to oral sex;
- Type 1: fever blisters on lips (above waist);
- Type 2: blister below the waist (genital herpes).
Progression
The disease is transmitted during close contact with a person who is infected with the virus. Most genital herpes is due to HSV type 2, although genital contact with oral lesions caused by HSV-1 can also produce genital infection. The infection period is usually 2-20 days before the individual shows signs and symptoms, and can therefore spread the disease without knowing about being infected.
Causes
Most people get genital herpes by having sex with someone who is experiencing a herpes “outbreak”. This outbreak literally means that the HSV is active. When the virus is active, sores are visible in the genital area. The sores cast off (shed) viruses that can infect another person. However, a person can have an outbreak and have no visible sores at all. People often get genital herpes by having sexual contact with others who don’t know they are infected or who are experiencing an outbreak of herpes without any visible sores. A person with genital herpes can also infect a sexual partner during oral sex. The virus is spread only rarely, if at all, by touching objects such as a toilet seat or hot tub.
Treatment/Management
Saltwater bathing or sitting in a warm bath may help a client to pass urine more comfortable. If the lesions are still moist, acyclovir, famciclovir and valaciclovir can be useful (but useless if the lesions are crusting). Rest, pain and fever medication are used for management purposes. Symptoms are treated symptomatically. In severe cases oral anti-viral medication is prescribed. The virus can re-occur but is usually less severe. For frequent and severe re-occurrence, anti-viral treatment is prescribed daily for 6-12 months.
GONOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS
Features/Symptoms
- Difficulty in swallowing;
- Fever;
- Sore throat;
- Tender, swollen glands in the neck;
- Abnormal sense of taste;
- Headache;
- Joint stiffness;
- Muscle pain;
- Nasal congestion;
- Nasal discharge;
- Neck pain.
Progression
Severe infection of the throat and the disease can spread to other regions.
Causes
This is common among gay men. The Gonnococcal bacteria is spread through oral sex with infected genitals, usually Gonorrhea.
Treatment/Management
Diagnosing can only be done by taking a throat swab. Treatment of both parties is with antibiotics.
GONORRHEA
Features/Symptoms
- Also known as “Drop or Clap”;
- Painful urination;
- Discharge or drip from penis, usually yellow/greenish;
- Can be asymptomatic (meaning no symptoms present);
- Swollen glands in genital area.
Progression
Symptoms develop 1-10 days after infection. Without treatment, infection will spread to other organs and can cause severe infection of genitals resulting in infertility. It causes urethritis, cervicitis, epididymitis, pharyngitis, proctitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Causes
Gonorrhea is caused by exposure to the Neisseria gonorrhea bacteria. The infection is transmitted from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual relations.
Treatment/Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
HEPATITIS A
Features/Symptoms
- Onset is gradual;
- Headache;
- General Malaise (general tiredness);
- Weight loss;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Slight fever;
- Abdominal discomfort;
- Jaundice set in on 5th day (yellow skin tone);
- Dark urine and grey stools.
Progression
Development takes approximately 1-7 weeks. Can cause permanent liver damage, liver cancer and even death
Causes
Hepatitis A is spread through exposure to contaminated feaces, by digesting foods and liquids that are contaminated.
Treatment/Management
- Bed rest and low-fat diet, treated symptomatically.
- It is a virus, and so can’t be treated with antibiotics.
HEPATITIS B
Features/Symptoms
Same as Hepatitis A (usually recurrent). The symptoms are often compared to flu.
Progression
Symptoms develop within 30-180 days of exposure to the virus. The disease attacks the liver of the host. It can cause permanent liver damage, liver cancer and even death.
Causes
The hepatitis B virus is known as a blood-borne virus that is transmitted via blood transfusion, sexual transmission, exchange in body fluids and sharing of needles. Semen and saliva also carry the virus. The virus can be transmitted whenever any of these body fluids come in contact with broken skin in the mouth, genital organs or rectum.
Treatment/Management
This is treated symptomatically. Acute hepatitis B usually goes away by itself and does not require medical treatment. If very severe, symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea may require treatment to restore fluids and electrolytes. There are no medications that can prevent acute hepatitis B from becoming chronic.
NON-SPECIFIC URETHRITIS
Features/Symptoms
- Urethral pain;
- Painful urination;
- Pain shortly after urination;
- Frequent urination;
- Urinary Discharge;
- Urethra inflammation.
Progression
If left untreated, some causes of NSU can have long-term consequences. This will include painful infection in the testicles, possible reduced fertility, inflammation of the joints, pelvic inflammatory disease and inflammation of the urethra.
Causes
During unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, organisms which cause inflammation can pass into the urethra and a diagnosis of NSU will be given. You can't get NSU from kissing, hugging, sharing baths or towels or from toilet seats, sharing plates, cups or cutlery.
Treatment/Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
Features/Symptoms
- Fever;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Lower abdominal pain;
- Painful sex;
- Can be present for a long time without knowing.
Progression
Although the disease affects women more than men, it may cause chronic pelvic pain, recurrent infection and infertility in men.
Causes
Usually the bacteria that causes Chlamydia and Gonorrhea causes PID.
Treatment/Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics, usually Penicillin, for 10 days.
PUBIC LICE
Features/Symptoms
- Also known as “Crabs”;
- Usually passed from one person to another through body contact;
- Pubic lice can spread through sharing clothing, towels and bedding;
- Itching in the affected areas or pubic hair;
- Black powdery dropping from lice in underwear;
- Brown egg on pubic hair or other hair;
- Irritation and redness from scratching in affected area;
- Sky blue spots or tiny speck of blood on the skin.
Progression
Lice can spread to other regions were hair is present e.g. armpit. Infection can cause secondary infection on the skin, due to scratching with dirty nails.
Causes
Female lice lay about 30 to 90 eggs or so during their lifetime. Eggs hatch after about six to eight days. Young lice then pass through three more stages before becoming adults. The period from egg to adult requires about 23 days. Adults will not live beyond 24 hours after being removed from a human host.
Treatment/Management
This is treated with special lotion and shampoo. Pubic hair should be combed to get rid of lice and eggs. A preferable method is to shave off all body hair. Clothes, linen and towels should be washed with hot water, sun dried, and ironed with a hot iron. Your mattress should be put out to dry in the sun.
SCABIES
Features/Symptoms
- Caused by a parasitic mite that burrow under the skin;
- Also known as the “Itch”;
- Severe itching at night;
- Red lines on the skin as the scabies burrow, pencil-like tracks most often in the folds and creases of the skin;
- Commonly in the following areas:
- Breast area
- Genital area
- Inner elbow area
- Shoulder blades
- Armpits
- Waste area
- Between fingers
- Butt area
- Behind the knees
- Soles of the feet
- Ulcers develop after scratching, secondary infection develops on the skin due to scratching with dirty nails.
Progression
A mature female mite burrows into the skin and lay eggs. The eggs hatches within 3-4 days, becomes larva within 3-4 days after hatching and becomes an adult mite within 10 days. The mite feed on the blood of the host. This can cause secondary infection on the skin due to scratching with dirty nails.
Causes
Scabies is caused by a microscopic (< 1mm) mite called Sarcoptes Scabiei var. hominis.
Treatment/Management
This can be treated with special shampoo and soap. Clothes, linen and towels should be washed in hot water and left to sun dry. Clothes, linen and towels should then be ironed with a hot iron. Your mattress should be put out into the sun.
SYPHILIS
Features/Symptoms
- Primary Syphilis:
- Lesions form around genital area;
- Lesion are raised, and form firm red border;
- Lesions develop a dark pink color;
- Develop swollen glands;
- Although lesions generally heal, without treatment the disease will progress.
- Secondary Syphilis:
- Once the primary lesions have healed, new symptoms will appear;
- Secondary lesions normally form on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet;
- Secondary lesions can also form in other areas;
- Other symptoms include a sore throat, low-grade fever, headache and a rash;
- The rash does not itch and is usually not uncomfortable;
- Without treatment the disease will continue to progress.
- Latent Syphilis:
- About 25% of clients may experience a re-occurrence of some of the secondary symptoms;
- In most cases, the latent stage is asymptomatic;
- Latent syphilis may stay with clients for life or late syphilis may appear.
- Late Syphilis:
- Late syphilis may emerge in any area of the body as late as 30 to 50 years;
- Late syphilis may take the form of late benign syphilis, cardiovascular syphilis or neurosyphilitic disease
Progression
- Primary Stage: 1-3 months;
- Secondary Stage: 3-6 months;
- Latent Stage: 6 months – 2 years.
Without treatment, syphilis can cause irreversible damage to the brain, nerves, and body tissues.
Causes
Syphilis is a disease caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. The bacteria penetrate chafed skin or the mucous membranes. Men are more vulnerable to contracting syphilis than women.
Treatment/Management
Syphilis is easy to cure in its early stages. A single intramuscular injection of penicillin (an antibiotic) will cure a person who has been infected with syphilis for less than a year. Additional doses are needed to treat someone who has been infected with syphilis for longer than a year. For people who are allergic to penicillin, other antibiotics are available to treat syphilis. There are no home remedies or over-the-counter drugs that will cure syphilis. Treatment will kill the syphilis bacterium and prevent further damage, but it will not repair the other physical damage caused.
STI TESTING PRACTICES
All people that are sexually active are at risk of contracting an STI. If you have more than one partner, the risk of contracting an STI increases. Some of the STI’s are asymptomatic (no visible symptoms) and can have serious health consequences if not treated. To ensure optimum sexual health you should consult with your doctor or health care professional at least every 6 months for a screening. Your health care professional will conduct a physical examination, urine test and possible drawing of blood for STI screening.
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