STD/STI

What is an STD?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) — or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — are generally acquired by sexual contact. The bacteria, viruses or parasites that cause sexually transmitted diseases may pass from person to person in blood, semen, or vaginal and other bodily fluids. Sometimes these infections can be transmitted non sexually, such as from mothers to their infants during pregnancy or childbirth, or through blood transfusions or shared needles. STIs don’t always cause symptoms. It’s possible to contract sexually transmitted infections from people who seem perfectly healthy and may not even know they have an infection.

What causes STDs?

STDs can be caused by over 20 different types of organisms, including

• Viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B, herpes simplex and human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Bacteria such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis
• Parasites like Trichomonas

When to see a doctor

See a doctor immediately if:

• You are sexually active and may have been exposed to an STI
• You have signs and symptoms of an STI
• For your own safety (screening)

The symptoms of STDs vary with the type of infection, but they commonly include:

• Discharge from the penis or vagina.
• Itching around the genitalia.
• Pain experienced during sexual intercourse or while urinating. The pain may be of a stabbing or burning nature or dull pain in the pelvic area.
• Chancre sores due to syphilis are typically painless, red sores present around the genital area, anus, mouth, tongue or throat
• Pain in and around the anus. Similarly, there may be sores and pain in the mouth in those who have oral sex with an infected person.
• There may be blisters around the genital area that turn into scabs.
• There may also be soft, flesh-colored warts around the genital area.
• There may be a scaly rash over the palms of the hand and soles of the feet or the trunk.
• In the case of hepatitis, urine may appear dark and stools light and chalky color. The whites of the eyes, nail beds and skin may also become a yellowish color.
• General symptoms of some STIs include fever, weakness, body and muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.
• In people with HIV infection that has progressed to AIDS, weight loss, recurrent infections, night sweats, and tiredness may be present.

Depending on the type of infection, the STD may present either soon after exposure, within a few days, or may take years to manifest.

STD treatment options

STDs can have varied effects on the body.

There are a number of treatment options, depending on the condition, including:

• antibiotics
• antivirals 
• topical medications
• surgery
• laser

You may also be advised to make lifestyle alterations, such as abstaining from sex until treatment is complete.

Remember that, with most STDs, it’s not possible to undo any damage that the disease has already caused. And some STDs, such as genital warts and AIDS, aren’t curable.

Tips for STD prevention

The best way to avoid an STD is to prevent STIs. And the only foolproof way to do that is to avoid sexual contact.

But there are ways to make sex safer and reduce the risk of contracting an STI:

• Have an open discussion about sexual history with a new partner before engaging in any sexual activity, and decide what you’re each comfortable with.
• Get tested regularlyfor STIs, especially if you have a new partner or multiple partners. Ask any partners to do the same.
• Use a condomproperly during vaginal, anal, and oral sex to help prevent STIs that spread through fluids. Dental dams can also provide protection during oral sex.
• Consider getting vaccinated for HPVand hepatitis B.
• If you’re at a higher risk for contracting HIV, think about taking PrEP medicationevery day.

PAPILLOMA VIRUS

What is HPV?

HPV is the most common STI. There were about 43 million HPV infections in 2018, many among people in their late teens and early 20s. There are many different types of HPV. Some types can cause health problems, including genital warts and cancers. But there are vaccines that can stop these health problems from happening. HPV is a different virus than HIV and HSV (herpes).

How is HPV spread?

You can get HPV by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has the virus. It is most commonly spread during vaginal or anal sex. It also spreads through close skin-to-skin touching during sex. A person with HPV can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.

If you are sexually active, you can get HPV, even if you have had sex with only one person. You also can develop symptoms years after having sex with someone who has the infection. This makes it hard to know when you first got it.

Does HPV cause health problems?

In most cases (9 out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.

Genital warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They can be small or large, raised or flat, or shaped like a cauliflower. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose warts by looking at the genital area.

Does HPV cause cancer?

HPV can cause cervical and other cancers, including cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus. It can also cause cancer in the back of the throat (called oropharyngeal cancer). This can include the base of the tongue and tonsils.

Cancer often takes years, even decades, to develop after a person gets HPV. Genital warts and cancers result from different types of HPV.

There is no way to know who will develop cancer or other health problems from HPV. People with weak immune systems (including those with HIV) may be less able to fight off HPV. They may also be more likely to develop health problems from HPV.

How can I avoid HPV and the health problems it can cause?

You can do several things to lower your chances of getting HPV.

Get vaccinated. The HPV vaccine is safe and effective. It can protect against diseases (including cancers) caused by HPV when given in the recommended age groups. (See “Who should get vaccinated?” below.)

Get screened for cervical cancer. Routine screening for women aged 21 to 65 years old can prevent cervical cancer.

If you are sexually active:

• Use condoms the right wayevery time you have sex. This can lower your chances of getting HPV. But HPV can infect areas the condom does not cover. So, condoms may not fully protect against getting HPV; and
• Be in a mutually monogamous relationship – or have sex only with someone who only has sex with you.

How do I know if I have HPV?

There is no test to find out a person’s “HPV status.” Also, there is no approved HPV test to find HPV in the mouth or throat.

There are HPV tests that can screen for cervical cancer. Healthcare providers only use these tests for screening women aged 30 years and older. HPV tests are not recommended to screen men, adolescents, or women under the age of 30 years.

Most people with HPV do not know they have the infection. They never develop symptoms or health problems from it. Some people find out they have HPV when they get genital warts. Women may find out they have HPV when they get an abnormal Pap test result (during cervical cancer screening). Others may only find out once they’ve developed more serious problems from HPV, such as cancers.

How common is HPV and health problems that develop from HPV?

HPV (the virus): CDC estimates that there were 43 million HPV infections in 2018. In that same year, there were 13 million new infections. HPV is so common that almost every sexually active person will get HPV at some point if they don’t get vaccinated.

Health problems related to HPV include genital warts and cervical cancer.

Genital warts: Prior to HPV vaccines, genital warts caused by HPV affected roughly 340,000 to 360,000 people yearly. About one in 100 sexually active adults in the U.S. has genital warts at any given time.

Cervical cancer: Every year, nearly 12,000 women living in the U.S. will have cervical cancer. More than 4,000 women die from cervical cancer—even with screening and treatment.

There are other conditions and cancers caused by HPV that occur in people living in the United States. Every year, about 19,400 women and 12,100 men experience cancers caused by HPV.

*These figures only look at the number of people who sought care for genital warts. This could be less than the actual number of people who get genital warts.

What we can do for you

NurseRhome has a full screening for STD and Papilloma virus by an STI check up.

STI Check up is a set of blood, microbiological and molecular exams for the research of the main bacteria, virus and protozoa which are responsible for males and females STI. 

We conceived to kinds of check ups

– Basic Check up

– Superior check up

The basic one allows to diagnose infections caused by HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and includes VDRL (Syphilis).

The superior one assesses the presence of bacteria which are responsible of the urogenital or anorectal tract infections (urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, gonorrhoea, herpes genitalia) (mettere link di whatsapp)

Given that STD are often asymptomatic and the clinical picture is atypical the best strategy to adopt is prevention through information and education about responsible sexual behaviours 

When the test is recommended?

– When you have symptoms

– When you have casua sexual intercourse without protections

– When your partner tested positive for an STD

– When you’re pregnant or you’re planning to be

– As an annual check

How to test

If you choose the Basic check up a simple blood collection is needed.

If you choose the Superior check up you need to do a blood collection and a swab (vaginal or urethral)

Where can I test?

NurseRhome gives you the opportunity to test directly at home with all the privacy you need.