What are the symptoms, diagnostic methods, and treatment options for STDs?

Sexually transmitted diseases

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or venereal diseases (DV) occur due to the transfer of infectious organisms during sexual contact. STDs occur due to harmful bacteria, parasites, yeasts, and viruses. Sometimes STDs occur due to the spread of organisms from a mother to a baby during delivery or while breastfeeding through the use of non-sterile drug needles and during blood transfusions.

Some specific types of STDs are:

Bacterial-related STDs

• Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)

• Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhea)

• Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)

• Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)

Virus-related STDs

• Crabs, also known as pubic lice

• Hepatitis B and D and, infrequently, A *, C *, E * (hepatitis viruses, types AE)

• Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus)

• Genital warts (human papillomavirus [HPV])

• HIV / AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV virus])

• Molluscum contagiosum * (poxvirus)

Protozoan-related STDs

• Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis)

Parasite-related STDs

• Pubic lice or crabs (Pediculosis pubis)

Mushroom-related STDs

• Yeast infections (Candida albicans)

Genital areas are generally moist and warm and are ideal environments for the growth of yeast, viruses, and bacteria, etc.

Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

• Painful sores on the genitals.

• Rashes, fever, headache and cough, sore joints

• Recurrent outbreaks of blister-like sores on the genitals

• Fatigue, night sweats, chills.

• Sore throat, swollen lymph nodes

• Weightloss

• Diarrhea

• Strong vaginal odor

• Vaginal itching or irritation and pain when urinating

• Serious AIDS complications, including unusual infections or cancers, weight loss, intellectual decline (dementia), and death

During transmission, the chances of transmission of the disease depend on the donor carrying the infection and the carrier. For example, in the case of herpes, the probability of transmission of HSV 2 is:

• Male herpes to no female herpes = 10%

• Female herpes to no male herpes = 4%.

Some STDs, such as genital herpes and HIV, which cause AIDS, cannot be cured, but can only be controlled with medications.

For the treatment of STDs,

• Antibiotics are most commonly preferred in case of bacterial infection.

• for viruses, you are given antiviral drugs or antiretroviral therapy

Diagnostic methods

• Blood test: Blood tests help confirm the diagnosis of HIV and AIDS, or sometimes the late stage of syphilis.
• Urine samples: Sometimes STDs can be confirmed with a urine sample.
• Fluid samples: For active genital ulcers, fluid and samples of the sores are collected for analysis and diagnosis of the type of infection. In some cases, laboratory testing of samples from a genital sore or discharge is used to diagnose some STIs (sexually transmitted infections).

• Pregnant women are screened to avoid passing the infection to the baby.

Treatment and prevention of STDs

• Antibiotics: Antibiotics can cure many sexually transmitted bacterial and parasitic infections, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. But there is always the possibility that the infection will reoccur.
• Antiviral drugs: Antiviral drugs reduce the risk of infection, but there is still a chance that the infection will reoccur. Antiviral drugs can keep HIV infection under control for many years, but the virus persists and can still be transmitted, although the risk is lower.

• The sooner a treatment is administered, the more effective it is.

• Health professionals refer to safer sex to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, such as using condoms during sexual activity. But the safest sexual methods cannot always provide complete protection against an STI.

• Avoid contact during transfer and exposure to bodily fluids, such as transfusions of blood and other blood products, sharing injection needles, sharing tattoo needles, etc.

• Abstinence is avoiding or interrupting any sexual act with an affected person and is the most effective way to avoid an STI.

• Monogamy with an uninfected partner: A long-term monogamous relationship with one person reduces the risk of contracting an STI.