Download 3201-notes on STIS File

HIV/AIDS:
1) Causes:
-AIDS caused by a virus, HIV, which attacks the immune system.
-HIV can be transmitted through sexual contact, sharing
needles (drug users) and blood transfusions.
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
-Stage A (~1 year):
 No symptoms, but can still infect other people
-Stage B (~6-8 years):
 Lymph nodes swell
 Weight loss
 Night sweats
 Fatigue
 Fever
 Diarrhea
 Recurring infections (ex: herpes and thrush)
-Stage C (Full blown AIDS)
 Patient begins suffering from nervous disorders
 Opportunistic diseases (pneumonias, skin cancer)
 With no treatment, the individual will die in 7-9 years
3) Treatment/Cure:
- No cure or vaccine
-People living longer with the disease due to new treatments for
the associated infections
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies:
-children of mothers with HIV may be infected before or during
birth, or through breast-feeding.
Chlamydia:
1) Causes:
- Caused by a bacteria
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
-75% of cases are asymptomatic
- Men:
 Burning sensation while urinating
 Discharge from penis
- Women:
 Vaginal discharge
 Urinary tract infection symptoms (pain during urination,
fever)
 Ulcers/sores on the cervix
 Pelvic Inflammatory disease (PID) which can lead to
blocked oviducts and infertility
3) Treatments/Cures
- Effective tests for Chlamydia which helps early diagnosis
- Can be cured with antibiotics (if caught early enough)
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies
- During birth: can develop inflammation of the eyes or
pneumonia
Hepatitis:
1) Causes:
-3 types of hepatitis, all are viral
 Hepatitis A: usually contracted by drinking water that
has been contaminated with sewage. Spread through
oral/anal contact.
 Hepatitis B: Spread through sexual contact, blood or
body fluids.
 Hepatitis C: Spread through infected needles/syringes.
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
-some carriers are asymptomatic and infect others
-Flu-like
-fever
-headache
-nausea
-decreased appetite
-abdominal pain
-yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
-liver infections (can lead to liver failure, liver cancer, and death)
3) Treatments/Cures:
- Effective and safe vaccines for Hepatitis A and B available
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies:
- Hepatitis viruses can cross the placenta to infect unborn child
Genital Herpes:
1) Causes:
- Viral infection caused by one of two herpes viruses:
 Herpes Simplex 1 (HSV 1): commonly cold sores/fever
blisters on the mouth.
 Herpes Simplex 2 (HSV 2): acquired through sexual
contact, causing genital herpes.
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
-Tingling/itching followed by the appearance of blisters which
rupture and are recurring
-Painful sores take 5 days – 3 weeks to heal
-Flu-like symptoms may accompany the blisters
3) Treatments/Cures:
- No cure
- Antiviral medications which help lower the severity of first
outbreak and help control future outbreaks, but not stop them
completely.
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies:
- If a baby encounters a sore during birth, the resulting
infection can cause blindness, neurological disorders, even
death
Syphilis:
1) Causes:
-caused by a bacteria.
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
- 3 stages
 First Stage: ulcerated sores (chancres) with hard edges
appear at infection site
 Second Stage: rash that usually appears on hands and
feet. During this stage, contact with other persons
spreads the infection.
 Third Stage: infection begins to affect cardiovascular
and nervous system. Can develop into mental illness,
blindness, walk with a shuffle, large ulcers (gummas) on
skin and/or internal organs.
3) Treatment/Cure:
-can be treated effectively with antibiotics (ex. Penicillin)
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies:
- Bacteria can infect developing embryo causing birth defects
and in many cases stillbirths.
Gonorrhea:
1) Cause:
- Caused by a bacteria
2) Symptoms/Side-Effects:
- Some people have no initial symptoms
- Urethra, cervix, rectum and throat infections
- Pain during urination
- Discharge from the urethra
- In women, PID can develop, affecting the oviducts and lead to
infertility
- Infection can spread through blood to joints, heart or brain
3) Treatment/Cure:
- Can be successfully treated with antibiotics
4) Health Risks to Unborn Babies:
-During birth, if a baby comes in contact with the bacteria, an
eye infection can develop that may lead to blindness.