Tag: antibiotic treatment

Chlamydia: Understanding the Silent and Impactful STI

JiangRuoan

– Chlamydia is a common STD that can cause infection among both men and women.
– Chlamydia can cause permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive system and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy.
– Chlamydia can be spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, even without ejaculation.
– The only way to completely avoid STDs is to not have sex, but using condoms and being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship can lower the risk.
– Sexually active people, especially young individuals and gay/bisexual men, are at a higher risk of getting chlamydia.
– Pregnant people with chlamydia can pass the infection to their babies during childbirth, which can lead to eye infection or pneumonia.
– Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems such as abnormal vaginal discharge and burning sensation when urinating in women, and discharge from the penis and burning sensation when urinating in men.
– Testing and treatment are essential to prevent health problems associated with chlamydia.
– Chlamydia can cause pain and swelling in testicles, pain and bleeding in rectum.
– Symptoms in women include unusual sore, smelly discharge, burning when peeing, bleeding between periods.
– Chlamydia can be diagnosed through laboratory tests using urine or vaginal samples.
– Chlamydia can be cured with proper treatment, but it won’t undo any permanent damage.
– Repeat infection with chlamydia is common, so testing should be done again after treatment.
– It is advised to wait until completion of treatment before having sex again (7 days for single dose, complete all doses for 7-day treatment).
– Untreated chlamydia in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring of fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, long-term pelvic/abdominal pain.
– Men rarely have health problems from chlamydia, but it can cause fever and pain in testicle tubes, leading to infertility in rare cases.
– Untreated chlamydia increases the chances of HIV transmission.

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Syphilis: History, Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention Explained

JiangRuoan

– Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems without treatment.
– Syphilis is spread through direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, and can also be transmitted from a mother with syphilis to her unborn baby.
– Syphilis cannot be spread through casual contact with objects like toilet seats or doorknobs.
– To reduce the risk of getting syphilis, one can abstain from sex or be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and does not have syphilis. Using condoms correctly every time during sex can also help prevent transmission.
– People at risk for syphilis include sexually active individuals without condom use with a partner who has syphilis, gay or bisexual men, individuals with HIV, those taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, and those with partners who have tested positive for syphilis.
– Pregnant people should be tested for syphilis at their first prenatal visit, and some may need additional testing during the third trimester and at delivery.
– Untreated syphilis during pregnancy can result in low birth weight, premature birth, stillbirth, and serious health problems such as cataracts, deafness, seizures, and death for the baby.
– Syphilis has four stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary) and each stage has different signs and symptoms.
– Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
– Symptoms of syphilis may include painless sores on or around the genitals, anus, mouth, lips, or rectum.
– The secondary stage of syphilis can involve skin rashes and sores in the mouth, vagina, or anus.
– During the latent stage, there are no visible signs or symptoms of syphilis, but the infection persists in the body.
– Without treatment, syphilis can progress to tertiary stage, affecting various organ systems, including the heart, blood vessels, brain, and nervous system.
– Tertiary syphilis can cause serious damage to internal organs and potentially lead to death.
– Syphilis can spread to the brain and nervous system (neurosyphilis), the eye (ocular syphilis), or the ear (otosyphilis).
– Neurosyphilis may cause severe headaches, muscle weakness, changes in mental state, and dementia.
– Ocular syphilis can lead to eye pain, redness, vision changes, or blindness.
– Otosyphilis may cause hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and dizziness or vertigo.
– Syphilis can be diagnosed through blood tests or by testing fluid from a syphilis sore.
– Treatment for syphilis is necessary to prevent the infection from progressing and may not undo any damage caused by the infection.
– Receiving treatment for syphilis does not protect against getting it again.
– Laboratory tests are necessary to confirm the presence of syphilis.
– Follow-up testing by a healthcare provider is needed to ensure the success of treatment.
– Syphilis sores can be difficult to see in certain areas such as the vagina, anus, mouth, or under the foreskin.
– Getting syphilis again is possible if sex partners do not receive testing and treatment.

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