Sexually Transmitted Diseases

YEAST INFECTION IN MEN (Balanitis)

• What is it? Men can get yeast infection of the genitals. Yeast organisms are a common cause of infection of the tip of the penis, a condition called balanitis.

• How is it contracted? Almost from anywhere; nevertheless, one is more likely to get balanitis if you:

o Are uncircumcised

o Have diabetes

• Incubation Period: Anywhere from 12 hours to five days

• Symptoms: Itching or burning of the tip of the penis or the foreskin. A red rash on the affected areas

• Testing: Physical examination of the red rash in the affected area.

• Treatment: If you're uncircumcised, you can help prevent balanitis by practicing good hygiene. Each day, gently pull back (retract) the foreskin on your penis and clean the skin with soap and water. Then dry the skin carefully. You may also apply an antifungal cream periodically to prevent recurrence.

Treatment of balanitis includes:

o Cleaning under the foreskin of the penis

o Applying antifungal creams at least twice a day

o Recurrent balanitis: Diflucan 150 mg one single dose

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS (BV)

• What is bacterial vaginosis? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) results from overgrowth of one of several organisms that are normally present in the vagina, upsetting the natural balance of vaginal bacteria. More than one in six women in the

United States

has bacterial vaginosis, though many aren't aware of having it.

• How is bacterial vaginosis contracted? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) results from an overgrowth of organisms that are normally present in the vagina. Usually, "good" bacteria outnumber "bad" bacteria in your vagina. But if bad bacteria become too numerous, they upset the balance and bacterial vaginosis results. This type of vaginitis (bacterial vaginosis) can spread during sexual intercourse, but it also occurs in people who aren't sexually active. Women with new or multiple sex partners, as well as women who douche or use an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control, have a higher risk of bacterial vaginosis.

• Bacterial vaginosis incubation period: Anywhere from 12 hours to five days

• Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis: You may develop a grayish-white, foul-smelling discharge. The odor, often described as fish-like, may be more obvious after sexual intercourse.

• Testing for bacterial vaginosis: Your doctor may take a sample of a cervical or vaginal discharge for laboratory analysis

• Treatment of bacterial vaginosis: Antibiotics - Metronidazole 500mg 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days.

• If you are not treated: Bacterial vaginosis is usually not serious. In some cases, however, it can cause infections in the uterus and fallopian tubes. It is important to treat bacterial vaginosis, especially before having an IUD inserted, an abortion, or tests done on the uterine lining. Both trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis have been linked to an increased risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

VAGINAL YEAST INFECTION

• What is it? A naturally occurring fungus called Candida albicans (C. albicans) usually causes this type of vaginitis. An estimated three out of four women will have a yeast infection in their lifetime.

• How is it contracted? Yeast infections occur when certain internal or external factors change the normal environment of your vagina and trigger an overgrowth of a microscopic fungus — the most common being a fungus called Candida albicans (C. albicans). Besides causing most vaginal yeast infections, C. albicans also causes infections in other moist areas of your body, such as your mouth (thrush), skin folds and fingernail beds. The fungi can also cause diaper rash.

• Factors that increase your risk of yeast infections include:

o Medications such as antibiotics and steroids

o Uncontrolled diabetes

o Hormonal changes, such as those associated with pregnancy and birth control pills

o Bubble baths, vaginal contraceptives, damp or tightfitting clothing and feminine hygiene products such as sprays and deodorants don't cause yeast infections, but they may increase your susceptibility to infection.

• Incubation Period: Anywhere from 12 hours to five days

• Symptoms: The main symptom is itching, but you may have a white, thick discharge that resemblescottage cheese.

• Testing: Your doctor may take a sample of a cervical or vaginal discharge for laboratory analysis.

• Treatment: Antibiotics - Diflucan 150 mg one single dose .

• If you are not treated: Generally, vaginal yeast infections don't cause serious complications. If it is not treated the itch may persist.

TRICHOMONIASIS (trick-oh-mo-NEYE-ah-s)

I. What is Trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis, (also called "trich") is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that affects both men and women. Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalisand is a cause of vaginal infections in women and urethral infections in men. Trichomoniasis is an STD that affects approximately 5 million people in the US every year. Trichomoniasis is one of the most common, curable causes of vaginal infections in women.

II. How is Trichomoniasis contracted?

Trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact, as all other STD's. Transmission can occur even if a person does not have symptoms of infection. Women contract trichomoniasis from infected male or female partners while men usually contract it only from female partners. Using condoms and/or dental dams provide some protection. Their use is strongly encouraged, but is not 100% safe. Trichomoniasis can also survive on infected objects like sheets, towels, and underwear and could be transmitted by sharing them.

III. Trichomoniasis Incubation Period

If symptoms appear, it usually takes from 3 to 28 days for them to develop.

IV. Trichomoniasis Symptoms

Many people with trichomoniasis experience no symptoms. If there are symptoms, the most common trichomoniasis symptoms include:

Trichomoniasis Symptoms in Women

o Genital itching and/or burning

o Vaginal or vulval redness

o Frothy yellow-green vaginal discharge with a strong odor

o Blood spotting

o Frequent and/or painful urination

o Discomfort during intercourse

o Abdominal pain

A woman might also find that the above symptoms worsen after menstruation and that the symptoms may be confused with an yeast infection. This fact emphasizes the importance of always having an yeast infection diagnosed properly, because it might not be an yeast infection.

Trichomoniasis Symptoms in Men

Men are usually asymptomatic, but if a man has symptoms, they can include:

o Unusual penile discharge

o Painful urination

o Burning sensation after ejaculation

o Tingling inside the penis.

V. Testing

A medical provider will take a swab of fluid from a male's urethra or from a female's vagina and will examine it under a microscope to see if trichomoniasis is present.

VI. Treatment

Antibiotics - Metronidazole 500mg 2-3 times a day for 7-10 days. It is especially important that both partners are treated at the same time because an infected man, even a man who has never had symptoms or whose symptoms have stopped, can continue to infect a female partner until he has been treated. Anyone being treated for trichomoniasis should avoid sex until they and their sex partners have completed the treatment.

VII. If you are not treated

As mentioned above, trichomoniasis is one of the most common and most curable STD's. The symptoms are more annoying than they are threatening to your health. The genital inflammation caused by trichomoniasis might however, increase a person's risk of acquiring HIV infection if s/he is exposed to HIV or might also increase the chances of transmitting HIV infection to a sex partner. In rare case, trichomoniasis in pregnant women may cause a premature rupture of the membranes and early delivery.

SYPHILIS (SIFF-i-lis)

• 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.

• Incubation Period: One week to three months

• 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: Antibiotics -Benzathine penicillin G 2.4 mU intramuscular injection or Doxycycline 100 mg by mouth 2-3 times a days for 14 days.

• 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.