List of STDs and Their Symptoms
The most common types of STDs in the world includes
chlamydia,
genital warts,
genital herpes,
gonorrhoea,
hepatitis B&C,
Syphilis
HIV.
Then
there are also various other STD infections of the urinary tract and
the genitals which can cause annoying symptoms but are easy to cure. The
sooner your infection is diagnosed, the better are your chances of
getting it treated and cured.
1. Chlamydia
Chlamydia
is the most common STD in the world It is also easily curable -
chlamydia treatment usually consists of a single dose antibiotic. About
50% of men and 70% of women don’t have any symptoms for years (if at
all). When symptoms appear, people often suffer from abnormal
vaginal discharge and
vaginal bleeding, discharge from the tip of the joystick and pain when peeing or during sex.
When
left untreated, chlamydia can lead to infertility in women and men.
When you’re infected with chlamydia, other STDs may also be present.
2. Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea
is often caught alongside chlamydia. About 1 in 3 women infected with
gonorrhoea also has chlamydia. The bacteria that cause gonorrhoea need
to be inside the human body to survive. For this reason, you can only
catch it through sexual activity (and not through contact with
objects/swimming etc).
The symptoms of gonorrhoea include the same irregular discharge as the one caused by chlamydia (from the
vagina or joystick). As with chlamydia,
many
infected patients won’t develop any symptoms even though the infection
can cause damage to women’s reproductive system in the long run. Men,
however, sometimes suffer from infections of the urinary tract and
associated symptoms when infected with chlamydia: painful urination and
discharge from the joystick. If untreated, the bacteria can spread to
the
rest of the body, often infecting the skin or muscle joints.
Gonorrhea treatment normally involves a course of the antibiotic
cefixime.
3. Genital Herpes
Over 80% of people who are
infected with genital herpes, don’t know they have the virus. Most of
them will never find out - it’s quite common for patients to live a
lifetime without knowing about their infection or suffering from any
symptoms. However, they can pass the virus to another partner who can
then develop symptoms. Asymptomatic patients tend not to use protection
(condoms) every time they have sex, unlike patients who know they have
herpes. Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus. The
symptoms are
soreness of the infected area and/or painful blisters
around the genitals. Most people are able to recognise recurrent
episodes due to the itching and tingling sensation in the genitals that
they feel a few hours
before the blisters appear. This is the best
time to start an antiviral treatment , right before the virus starts
producing genital herpes blisters. In general, the first herpes outbreak
is the most severe one and lasts much longer than any episode that
follows – up to 2-3 weeks. Over time, outbreaks of genital herpes tend
to get milder.
4. Genital Warts
Genital warts (also known
as anogenital warts) are located in or around the anus and genital area.
They’re caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) which often doesn’t
cause any symptoms at all, and sometimes shows only years after
infection. Genital warts appear as little bumps that sometime form
clusters with a
cauliflower shape. Since they come in different sizes
treatment ranges from antiviral creams (e.g. Warticon ) to surgery
(e.g. laser, cryosurgery). While they are not dangerous, they are easily
transmitted and require
immediate treatment. As far as symptoms go,
genital warts are sometimes itchy and in rare cases they can be painful.
Women can suffer from irregular
vaginal bleeding or discharge.
5. Syphilis
Syphilis
is one of the oldest infections on this list of STDs. While, nowadays,
syphilis is fairly easy to treat with antibiotics, if left untreated the
infection can cause severe symptoms (e.g. contagious ulcers on the
genitals, anus and mouth; then infection of the brain, eyes or ears) and
is potentially life-threatening. In the early stages, like many types
of STDs, the symptoms of syphilis are hard to recognise and it can take
several months before they appear. However, as soon as the bacteria
enter your body, the illness progresses – in three stages – with the
symptoms getting worse at each stage..
6. Hepatitis B
As
for hepatitis B, it is a virus that attacks the liver (like hepatitis
C) and is passed through sexual contact and blood (e.g. via needles).
The symptoms of hepatitis B start with a short acute infection to which
everyone responds differently: a few will develop chronic hepatitis B
and others will develop liver severe dysfunction. The majority of people
actually develop their own antibodies against the virus and are
protected from further infections. Yet, 5 in 100 people who are infected
will suffer from serious consequences from the virus.
Note that
hepatitis A and C can also be passed on through sexual activity but it
remains quite rare, so we won’t include them in this list of STDs. If
you have had unprotected sex you may need to go to a GUM clinic and get
tested for hepatitis.
7. HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Finally,
HIV is the last item on this list of the different STD infections. It
is caused by a virus that attacks your immune system. Basically you
don’t die from HIV, but from any benign infection that your body can’t
cope with. This is the final stage where HIV results in your body to
suffer from AIDS – the Acquired Immunodeficiency Symptom (i.e. your
immune system is down). Like Hepatitis B, HIV can be transmitted through
blood exchange (for example sharing needles) or sex. It can also be
transmitted to the new- born by a pregnant woman. And like Hepatitis B
and other types of STDs, the first symptoms are difficult to recognise
as they can feel like the flu (with muscle pain, sore throat), sometimes
in combination with vomiting and diarrhoea.
This fever tends to
develop within 2-4 weeks after the virus has entered the body, but it
can sometimes take several months. Most patients will only suffer from
AIDS about 10 years later as they start losing weight and suffer from
uncommon infections and cancers. There is no cure or vaccine for HIV at
the moment, but early treatment considerably slows down the spread of
the virus in infected patients. There are over 8,000 HIV-positive people
in the UK, and an estimated 30% of them are not aware of their
condition.
8. Crabs
Pubic lice (crabs) is another example,
which is neither an infection nor a disease but just tiny bugs (lice)
that settle in your pubic hair to lay their eggs and reproduce. They are
transmitted during intimate contact between two pubic areas. Many
people don’t have any symptoms, but some do suffer from itchy genitals
and inflammation. You can only get rid of them with special treatment
for lice (shampoos, lotions & creams).
9. Trichomoniasis (Trich)
Trichomonas
is a germ causing a benign infection known as trichomoniasis. It’s a
treatable infection which is cured with a simple course of antibiotics.
The symptoms it causes are common STD symptoms, namely an abnormal
discharge from the genitals and pain when urinating or when having sex.
Not Strictly STDs…
There
is also a whole range of infections that are sometimes considered to be
STDs, but they are not strictly speaking STDs. Although they are
sometimes transmitted during sex they may be genital infections that are
aggravated by sexual activity.
10. These STD infections are easily curable and include:
Bacterial vaginosis (smelly discharge) in women;
Water
warts caused by a virus which leads to liquid-filled warts around the
genitals. These warts are relatively contagious and can be transmitted
by skin contact and exchanging towels and clothes; Chancroid, caused by a
bacteria and results in bump-like warts that
turn into painful
ulcers. The symptoms are very similar to genital warts. The advantage of
broad spectrum antibiotics such as azithromycin is that while they’re
specifically prescribed for certain types of STDs (e.g.
chlamydia),
they can also be used to treat other STD-related infections (e.g.
chancroid). By getting tested and treated, you can sometimes cure many
types of STDs at the same time.
source
https://www.dred.com/uk/list-of-stds.html
