Gonorrhea
Syphilis
There are three stages of Syphilis: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Syphilis. Primary Syphilis consists of penetration of treponemas through the mucus membrane,and chancre development and persistence for 4-6 weeks which is highly infectious. Secondary Syphilis presents with an increase in temperature, enlarged lymph nodes, rash, and ulcers. This stage lasts several weeks. Primary and Secondary Syphilis will subside even if left untreated. Tertiary Syphilis consists of irreparable damage to the cardiovascular and nervous systems and damage of the ascending aorta. This may lead to an aortic aneurysm, degeneration of the spinal cord, mental deterioration and/or eventual paralysis. The late stages of the disease may appear up to 20 years after the initial infection.
Congenital Syphilis: A syphilitic mother can transmit to her unborn child. This could lead to death of the fetus, or a child born with congenital syphilis. An infected mother should be treated as soon as possible, as transmission is more likely during the first trimester.
Diagnosis and Treatment: Syphilis can be diagnosed through serologic tests or microscopic examination of treponemas. Syphilis can be treated with penicillin and other antibiotics, which stop the progression of the disease. (Crowley, 2014)
Gonorrhea is one of the most common communicable diseases. The mucosal surfaces are infected first and symptoms of the infection occur approximately one week after exposure.
Gonorrhea in the Female: The mucosa of the uterine cervix and urethra are infected. The cervical infection causes vaginal discharge, pain and burning on urination. Some women may not present with symptoms but still may spread the infection. The infection may spread to the fallopian tubes, leading to acute salpingitis. This can cause abdominal pain, tenderness, elevated temperature and leukocytosis. This could lead to ectopic pregnancy.
Gonorrhea in the Male: The mucosa of the anterior urethra is inflammed and discharge occurs. Usually the male presents with few or no symptoms. An infection that spreads may lead to sterility due to scarring of the duct system blocking sperm transport.
Extragenital Gonorrhea: Infection of the rectum causes pain, tenderness, bloody discharge due to infection from vaginal secretions or anal intercourse. Infection of the pharynx and tonsils result from oral sex acts.
Diagnosis and Treatment: Diagnosis can be made through a culture of the infected area or from the bloodstream. Treatment used to be successful with penicillin, but strains have become resistant to penicillin and other antibiotics, making treatment more difficult.
(Crowley, 2014)
Genital tract chlamydial infections, caused by chlamydia trachomatis are the most common STD. Approximately 3-4 million new cases are extimated each year. In women, symptoms of infection include vaginal discharge and complications that may lead to infertility. In men, symptoms inculde inflammation of the urethra, frequency and burning upon urination. Many people do not present with symptoms, leading to increased infection of sexual partners.
Diagnosis and Treatment: New diagnostic tests have increased the ability of physicians to recognize chlamydia in patients who have few symptoms. Nucleic acid amplification tests can be used to diagnose an infection by identifying characteristic grouds of chlamydial nucleic acids. Chlamydia can be treated with tetracycline antibiotics. (Crowley, 2014)
Herpes simplex virus type 1: Most likely to affect oral mucous membrane, causing fever blisters and is contracted in childhood.
Herpes simplex virus type 2: Usually infects the genital tract and is contracted post-puperty.
Lesions caused by viral infection normally occur in the first week and appear as clusters of small vesicles that rupture and cause ulcers. Lymph nodes of the afffected area are also usually swollen and tender. The ulcers heal slowly in a few weeks but the virus persists in the tissue and periodically flare up, causing recurrent infections. When an individual has active lesions, they may readily infect others, and it is possible to spread the infection even if no symptoms of infections are present.
Diagnosis and Treatment: Herpes diagnosis can be made via a culture of the virus from the ulcer or vesicle. Herpes is treated through antiviral drugs to reduce the severity and symptoms of the infection, but there is no cure for the virus. (Crowley, 2014)
Chlamydia
Herpes
Communicable Diseases
A communicable disease is transmitted from person to person by direct or indirect methods. Direct transmission occurs through physical contact or by droplet spread. Indirect transmission occurs through means such as contaminated water or by insects. Communicable diseases may be controlled through immunization, identification, isolation, and treatment.
(Crowley, 2014)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections/AIDS
HIV invades CD4+ cells and becomes part of cell DNA causing the individual to be infected for life. The virus proliferates in infected cells and sheds virus particles leading to the virus being present in the blood and bodily fluids. The body then forms anti-HIV antibodies which are markers of infection, but aren't protective. Progressive destruction of helper T cells then causes compromised cell-mediated immunity. Immune defenses then collapse and lead to opportunistic infections (an infection that is caused by an organism that is usually nonpathogenic) and neoplasms. Impaired cell-mediated immunity leads to increased susceptibility to infection, and a predisposition to various malignant tumors. It is estimated that over one million people in the U.S. are infected with HIV.
Transmission occurs through blood and bodily fluids, such as breast milk, seminal fluid, vervical and vaginal secretions, etc., through sexual transmission, through mother to infant transmission, and through transmission by blood products, such as needles and syringes, and blood transfusions.
Diagnosis and Treatment: Although there is no cure, presently, the multiplication of the virus and the progression of the disease can be slowed. Intensive treatment of HIV is through highly active antiretroviral therapy, involving taking multiple drugs, taken on a precise schedule to slow the progression of the disease. However, this treatment often leads to varied side effects. Effective antiviral therapy can reduce virus mulplication and the amount of virus in circulation, as well as help the immune system recover. (Crowley, 2014)