Download Chapter 22: Sexually Transmitted Infections and AIDS

Chapter 23: Sexually Transmitted Infections and AIDS
A. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s)
1. Harmful Effects: Physical and Emotional
 Cause pain, discomfort, embarrassment, risk of cancers and
infertility, fatality
 Do not develop an immunity (can be re-infected)
2. Risky Behaviors
 Unprotected sex
 Multiple partners
 Not seeking treatment (don’t know they have one, embarrassment,
symptoms temporarily go away)
 Drug Abuse (sharing needles)
3. Mode of Transmission:
 Blood
 Body fluids such as semen
 Vaginal secretions
 Breast milk
4. Types: (See Chart)
a. Trichomoniasis:
 7 million each year
 Protozoan infecting urinary tract or vagina
 Painful urination, clear discharge from penis, itching,
burning, odor
 Can lead to urethritis or vaginitis
 Prescription meds
b. HPV:
 6 million each year
 Virus
 Many have no symptoms
 Can cause genital warts that can be removed but may
reappear
 Can remain in the body for life
 Can cervical cancer in women
c. Chlamydia:
 3 million each year
 Most common in US
 Bacterial infection treated with antibiotics
 Frequent urination and discharge in males; discharge in
females

Lead to PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) causing infertility
of lung and eye damage to a baby
d. Hepatitis B & C:
 Viral inflammation of the liver
 Fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice
 Can lead to liver cancer or cirrhosis (scarred liver)
 No cure, but meds
 Vaccines in children
e. Gonorrhea:
 Bacterial infection
 Painful urination, pus-like discharge
 Lead to infertility, urethritis, PID
 Can be transmitted to baby (eye drops)
 Antibiotics
f. Genital Herpes:
 Virus
 Painful blisters on or around genitals
 Repeat breakouts
 Meds to dry up blisters
 Can cause blindness or death to a baby delivered vaginally
g. Syphilis:
 Bacterial infection
 Stage 1: chancre – painless sore
 Stage 2: mouth sores or non-itchy skin rash on hands or feet,
flu-like symptoms
 Stage 3: symptoms may disappear, bacteria attack internal
organs
 Stage 4: cause brain damage, paralysis, heart disease and
death
 Antibiotics for stage 1 & 2
 Damage to the baby’s skin, bones, eyes, teeth and liver
5. Treatment:
 Medical check-ups every 6 months for sexual active people
 Seek medical treatment ASAP if infected
 Refrain from sex
 Finish all meds prescribed
 Notify any/all sexual partners
 Bacterial = antibiotics
 Viral = no cure only treat symptoms
6. Emotional Effects
 Embarrassment, fear, “dirty”
 Change in relationship with partner
B. HIV and AIDS
1. Attack on the Immune System
 HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; virus that causes AIDS
 Attacks the Helper T cells (WBC) that prevent you from getting sick by
other organisms
2. Stages of HIV
a. Asymptomatic:
o Flu-like symptoms, feel fine, no symptoms, virus attacks T cells
b. Symptomatic:
o Weight loss, persistent fever, diarrhea, fungal infections; may
not appear for 7-10 years after HIV infection
o Kaposi’s sarcoma: cancer of the blood vessels, intestines,
lymph nodes and lungs due to a species of the Herpes virus
c. AIDS:
o Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
o Helper T cells count hits 200 (ppml) or lower
o Severe symptoms: short-term memory loss, persistent
headaches, high fever, confusion and forgetfulness, seizures and
lack of coordination, persistent or frequent oral infections,
painful swallowing, loss of appetite, night sweats, cough and
shortness of breath, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash, severe
weight loss, chronic diarrhea, lack of energy and muscle
weakness
3. Opportunistic Infections
 Infections that attack a person with a weakened immune system
 Tuberculosis, fungal infections, PCP pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
 These infections usually result in the person’s death
4. Mode of Transmission
 Sexual contact with an infected person’s body fluids (vaginal, oral,
anal) through sores
 Shared needles
 Contact with blood
 Mother to baby (pregnancy, birth, breast feeding); C-section reduces
risk
5. Prevention
 Abstinence (100% effective)
 Avoid drug use
 Universal precautions: medical workers wearing gloves, gowns,
masks, disposing syringes and needles properly
 Sexual fidelity in marriage
 Barrier protection: latex condoms
6. Treatment
 Keep viral load as low as possible and T cell count as high as possible
 HAART: Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy – combination of
drugs that prevents the virus from reproducing
 Side effects include kidney and liver damage
7. People with Disabilities Act
 As is defined as a disability
 HIV/AIDS patients are protected under the law from descrimiation
 Employers cannot discriminate and must make a safe work
environment for all patients