Chlamydia
Type: Bacterial
Modes of Transmission:
Vaginal and anal sex, can be transmitted to the newborn
during birth.
Symptoms: Up to 75% of
cases in women and 25% of cases in men are asymptomatic.
Symptoms may include abnormal genital discharge, and
burning during urination in both men and women. Women may
also experience lower abdominal pain or pain during
intercourse, and men may experience swelling or pain in
the testicles.
Treatment: Infection can
be cured with antibiotics. However, it cannot undo the
damage done prior to treatment.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: If untreated in women, up to 30% will
experience pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID) which in turn often leads
to ectopic pregnancy,
infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. In men, if
untreated, chlamydia can cause epididymitis, an
inflammation of a testicle (where sperm are stored), which
may result in sterility. Infected individuals are at
greater risk of contracting HIV if exposed to the virus.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Premature birth; infant pneumonia
and neonatal eye infections may result from transmission
of the disease during delivery.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal and anal sex with an infected person is the
only 100% effective means of prevention. Latex condoms can
reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the
disease.
Gonorrhea
Type: Bacterial
Modes of Transmission:
Vaginal, anal or oral sex, can be transmitted to the
newborn during birth.
Symptoms: Though some
cases may be asymptomatic, when symptoms do appear, they
are often mild and usually appear within 2-10 days after
exposure. The symptoms include discharge from the penis,
vagina, or rectum and burning or itching during urination.
Treatment: Infection can
be cured with antibiotics. However, it cannot undo the
damage done prior to treatment.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: Untreated in women, the disease is a
major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease which can lead
to ectopic
pregnancy, infertility and
chronic pelvic pain. It can cause sterility in men.
Untreated gonorrhea can infect the joints, heart valves
and/or the brain.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Gonorrhea can cause blindness and
systemic diseases such as meningitis and septic arthritis
in infants infected during delivery. To prevent blindness,
all newborns delivered in hospitals have their eves
treated with medication specific for gonorrhea.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is
the only 100% effective means of prevention. Latex condoms
can reduce but not eliminate the risk of contracting the
disease during sex.
Hepatitis B (HBV)
Type: Viral
Mode of Transmission:
Vaginal, oral and especially anal sex; sharing
contaminated drug needles; piercing the skin with
contaminated instruments such as those used in medical
procedures, skin piercing / tattooing; and receiving contaminated blood or
blood products through transfusions. Hepatitis B can be
transmitted to the newborn during pregnancy.
Symptoms: About one-third
of people with HBV are asymptomatic. When symptoms are
present they include fever, headache, muscle aches,
fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms
of liver involvement include dark urine, abdominal pain,
yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.
Treatment: There is no
known cure. Most infections clear up by themselves within
4-8 weeks. Some individuals become chronically infected.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: For those individuals who are
chronically infected, the disease can lead to cirrhosis,
liver cancer and immune system disorders.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Pregnant women can transmit the
disease to their unborn children. Some 90% of infants
infected at birth become chronic carriers and are at risk
of liver disease and liver cancer. They are also capable
of transmitting the virus. Infants of infected mothers can
be given immunoglobulin and vaccinated at birth,
potentially eliminating the risk of chronic infection.
Prevention: Abstaining
from sex with an infected person, especially anal sex,
where body fluids, blood, semen or vaginal secretions are
likely to be exchanged, is the only 100% effective means
of preventing the sexual transmission of Hepatitis B.
Latex condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of
contracting the disease during sex. Avoid illicit IV drug
use and sharing drug needles. Ensure all tools used
in piercing and tattooing are sterile and/or used on only
one person. Discuss with health care
providers precautions that are taken to avoid transmission
of Hepatitis B, especially when receiving blood products
or blood transfusions. A vaccine is available and is
recommended for those at risk of contracting Hepatitis B.
Additionally, the vaccine has been added to the routine
pediatric immunization schedule recommended by the
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Genital Herpes (HSV-2)
Type: Viral
Modes of Transmission:
Herpes is spread by direct sexual skin-to-skin contact
with the infected site during vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Another strain of the virus, Herpes Simplex Type 1 (HSV-1)
is most commonly spread by nonsexual contact and usually
causes sores on the lips. However, HSV-1 can also be
transmitted through oral sex and can cause genital
infections. HSV can be transmitted to the newborn during
birth.
Symptoms: Symptoms are
often very mild and may include an itching or burning
sensation; pain in the legs, buttocks or genital area; or
vaginal discharge. Blisters or painful open sores may
appear, usually in the genital area, buttocks, anus, and
thighs, although they can erupt anywhere. Sores heal after
several weeks but may recur.
Treatment: There is no
known cure. An anti-viral drug is usually effective in
reducing the frequency and duration of HSV-2 outbreaks.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: An infected person with sores present
has an increased risk that exposure to HIV will lead to
infection because the sores provide an entry point for
HIV.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Women who develop a first episode
of genital herpes curing pregnancy may be at higher risk
for premature delivery. Outbreaks present during labor
usually indicate the need for a cesarean delivery because
infection passed to the newborn during childbirth may
result in possible death or serious brain damage.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is
the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual
transmission of genital herpes. Latex condoms can reduce
but not eliminate the risk of contracting the disease
during sex. However, it is still possible to contract
genital herpes, even though using a condom, via sores in
the genital area.
More Information:
Click
here for frequently asked questions about herpes and
the latest developments in diagnosis.
HIV/AIDS
Type: Viral
Modes of Transmission:
Vaginal, oral and especially anal sex; infected blood or
blood products; sharing drug needles with an infected
person; and from infected mother to infant in during
pregnancy,
during birth, or while breastfeeding.
Symptoms: Some people
experience no symptoms when first infected. Others have
flu-like symptoms including fever, loss of appetite,
weight loss, fatigue and enlarged lymph nodes. The
symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month, and
the virus can remain dormant for years. However, it
continues to weaken the immune system, leaving the
individual increasingly unable to fight opportunistic
infections.
Treatment: There is no
known cure. Antiviral drugs are used to prolong the life
and health of the infected person. other treatments are
used to combat opportunistic infections.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: Virtually everyone who becomes
infected with HIV will eventually develop AIDS and die of
AIDS-related complications.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: 20-30% of infants born to infected
mothers are HIV infected and develop symptoms of AIDS
within one year after birth. Of these babies, 20% die by
the time they are 18 months old. Antiviral drugs given
during pregnancy can greatly reduce the risk to the fetus
of contracting HIV. See Prenatal
Risk Assessment: AIDS for more information about AIDS
and pregnancy.
Prevention: Abstaining
from sex with an infected person, especially anal sex,
where body fluids, blood, semen or vaginal secretions are
likely to be exchanged, is the only 100% effective means
of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV. Latex
condoms can reduce but not eliminate the risk of
contracting the disease during sex. Avoid illicit IV drug
use and sharing drug needles. Discuss with health care
providers precautions that are taken to avoid transmission
of HIV, especially when receiving blood products or blood
transfusion.
Type: Viral
Modes of Transmission:
Vaginal, anal or oral sex.
Symptoms: Painless fleshy,
cauliflower-like warts develop on and inside the genitals,
anus and throat.
Treatment: There is no
known cure. Warts can be suppressed by chemicals,
freezing, laser therapy and surgery.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: HPV is the virus that causes genital
warts. The some strains of the virus are strongly
associated with cervical
cancer as well as cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis
and anus. In fact, HPV is the cause of more than 90
percent of all cervical cancer, which kills about 5,000
American women every year.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Infants exposed to the virus in the
birth canal can develop warts in the throat which can
obstruct the airway and must be removed.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is
the only 100% effective means of prevention. Condoms
provide almost no protection against contracting the
disease during sex. A vaccine is available for women ages
9-26 that helps prevent infection with four of the 27
types of HPV and some causes of cervical cancer.
Syphilis
Type: Bacterial
Modes of Transmission: The
most common way of contracting the disease is through
vaginal, anal or oral sex. However, it can be spread by
non-sexual contact if the sores (chancres) rashes or
mucous patches caused by syphilis come in contact with the
broken skin of a non-infected individual. It can also be
transmitted to the newborn during pregnancy and delivery.
Symptoms: In the initial
phase, the disease produces painless sores or
"chancres" that usually appear on the genitals
but can appear anywhere on the body, If untreated, the
disease progresses to other stages of infection which
include a rash, fever sore throat, hair loss and swollen
glands throughout the body.
Treatment: The disease can
be cured with penicillin; however, damage done to body
organs cannot be reversed.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: If untreated, syphilis may cause
serious damage to the heart, brain, eyes, nervous system,
bones and joints and can lead to death. A person with
active syphilis has an increased risk that exposure to HIV
will lead to infection because the sores (chancres)
provide an entry point for the virus.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: If untreated, a pregnant woman will
usually transmit the disease to the fetus. Stillbirth and
death within the neonatal period occur in 25% of these
cases. 40-70% deliver an infant with active syphilis. If
undetected, damage may occur to the infant's heart, brain
and eyes.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal, anal and oral sex with an infected person is
the only 100% effective means of preventing the sexual
transmission of syphilis. Latex condoms can reduce but not
eliminate the risk of contracting the disease during sex.
However, it is still possible to contract syphilis, even
though using a condom, via sores in the genital area. It
is also important to avoid non-sexual physical contact
with the infectious sores (chancres), rashes or mucous
patches caused by syphilis.
Trichomoniasis
Type: Bacterial. It is
caused by a protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis.
Prevalence: Trichomoniasis
is the most common curable STD in young, sexually active
women. An estimated 5 million new cases occur each year in
women and men.
Modes of Transmission:
Trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact.
Trichomania can also survive on infected objects such as
washcloths, and could possibly be transmitted by sharing
those objects.
Symptoms: Excessive, foamy
diffuse, yellow-green vaginal discharge is common in
women. Difficultly or pain on urination and/or intercourse
is common. There may be vaginal pain and itching or there
may be no symptoms at all. Men may experience inflammation
of the urethra, glans, or foreskin, and/or lesions on the
penis, but most infected men have no symptoms.
Treatment: The disease can
be cured with antibacterial medication. Sex partners
should also be treated.
Possible Consequences for the
Infected Person: The genital inflammation caused by
trichomoniasis might also increase a woman's risk of
acquiring HIV infection if she is exposed to HIV.
Trichomoniasis in a woman who is also infected with HIV
can increase the chances of transmitting HIV infection to
a sex partner.
Possible Consequences for the
Fetus and Newborn: Trichomoniasis in pregnant women
may cause premature rupture of the membranes and preterm
delivery.
Prevention: Abstaining
from vaginal sex with an infected person is the only 100%
effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of
trichomoniasis. Latex condoms and other similar barrier
devices can reduce but not eliminate the risk of
contracting the disease during sex. Avoid sharing towels
and washcloths with others to prevent non-sexual
transmission of the disease.
| For
additional information on Sexually transmitted
disease please visit the Center for Disease Control
website at http://www.cdc.gov/ |
|
|
Chouteau County Department of
Public Health
1020 13th Street
Fort Benton, Montana 59442
Phone: 406-622-3771
