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 (VD) occur thanks to the transfer of infectious organisms during sexual contact. STDs occur thanks to harmful bacteria, parasites, yeast, and viruses. Sometimes, STDs occur thanks to the spreading of the organisms from a mother to an infant during childbirth or during breast-feeding by the utilization of unsterilized drug needles, and through blood transfusions. Some specific sorts of STDs are: 

Bacteria-related STDs:

 -Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) 

-Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhea) 

-Syphilis (Treponema pallidum) 

-Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi) 

Viruses-related STDs Crabs:

also referred to as pubic lice 

Hepatitis B and D, and sometimes, A*, C*, E* (hepatitis viruses, types A-E) 

Genital herpes (herpes simplex virus) 

Genital warts (human papillomavirus virus [HPV]) 

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

 Molluscum contagiosum* (poxvirus)

 Protozoan-related STDs Trichomoniasis (Trichomonas vaginalis) 

Parasites-related STDs :

Pubic lice or crabs (Pediculosis pubis) 

Fungi-related STDs

- Yeast infections (Candida albicans)

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

 Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

-Painful ulcers on the genitals

-Rashes, fever, headache and cough, achy joints 

-Recurring outbreaks of blister-like sores on the genitals

-Fatigue, night sweats, chills

-Sore throats, swollen lymph nodes

-Weight loss

-Diarrhea

-Strong vaginal odor 

-Vaginal itching or irritation and painful urination

-Serious complications of AIDS including unusual infections or cancers, -weight loss, intellectual deterioration (dementia), and death

 During transmission, the probabilities of disease transfer depend upon the donor carrying the infection and on the carrier. for instance, just in the case of herpes, HSV 2 transmission probability is :

-Herpes male to non-herpes female = 10% 

-Herpes female to non-herpes male = 4%.

 Some STDs, like herpes genitalis and HIV, that cause AIDS can't be cured but can only be controlled with medication.

 For the treatment of STDs,

-Antibiotics are more commonly preferred just in case of bacterial infection 

-for viruses, antiviral medications, or anti-retroviral therapy is given 

Diagnosis methods 

Blood tests: Blood tests help to verify the diagnosis of HIV and AIDS or sometimes the later stage of syphilis.

 Urine samples: Sometimes, STDs are often confirmed with a urine sample.

 Fluid samples: just in case of active genital sores, fluid, and samples from the sores are collected to be tested to diagnose the sort of infection.

 In some cases, laboratory tests of samples from a genital sore or discharge are wont to diagnose some STIs (sexually transmitted infections).

 Pregnant women are screened to avoid the infection transfer to the baby.

Treatment and prevention for STDs 

Antibiotics: Antibiotics can cure many sexually transmitted bacterial and parasitic infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. But, there's always an opportunity that the infection might reoccur. 

Antiviral drugs: 

Antiviral drugs reduce the danger of infection, but there's still an opportunity that the infection can occur again. Antiviral drugs can keep HIV infection in restraint for several years, but the virus persists and may still be transmitted, though the danger is lower. 

-As early treatment is given, the simpler it's .

-Healthcare professionals ask for safer sex to scale back the danger of STDs, like the utilization of condoms during sexual intercourse. But safer sex methods cannot always provide complete protection from an STI. 

-Avoid contact during a transfer of and exposure to bodily fluids, like blood transfusions and other blood products, sharing injection needles, sharing tattoo needles, etc. 

-Abstinence is avoiding or stopping any sexual act with an affected person and is that the best thanks to avoiding an STI. 

-Monogamy to at least one uninfected partner: A long-term, monogamous relationship with one person lowers the danger of contracting an STI.