| Diseases transmitted by bacteria |
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 Chlamydia. More... |
| Chlamydia |
Description
Chlamydia is one of the most frequent sexually transmitted diseases; in Germany the number of new infections is estimated to be around one million per year. The infection can be transmitted by mucosa contact in vaginal intercourse, oral or anal sex. The bacteria can form colonies in different places, e.g. in the cervix, urethra, bowels or anus, but also in the eyes or in the mouth. |
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Symptoms
Symptoms like pain in urinating or slimy and pyic fluid discharging from penis or vagina usually appear one or several weeks after an infection has occurred. Men may develop painful swellings of the testicles, women may get pain in the lower belly or unclear pain and bleedings during intercourse. If the infection happens by oral sex, the infected partner may develop throat pain; following anal sex, you may notice unusual discharges from the intestines. If the germs reach the eyes, e. g. by touching them with your hands, one can also develop conjuncitivits (pinkeye).
The tricky thing with chlamydia is that the infection is often not accompanied by symptoms at all. Because of this, the infection is often not noticed.
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Consequences
An unnoticed infection with chlamydia can even lead to sterility. Actually, chlamydia is the most frequent cause for sterility in women. In men, sterility is at risk as well if a chlamydia infection with chlamydia is left untreated. |
 Protection
The risk to pick up chlamydia is remarkable reduced if condoms are used during sexual activity. And this is how safe sex works... |
 Healing
If you should have caught chlamydia, the infection can be treated with antibiotics. It is important that the partner receives treatment as well. Antibiotics can only be prescribed by a physician; thus it is very important that you see a doctor if you suspect you may have been infected. |
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| Gonorrhoea („The Clap“). More... |
| Gonorrhoea („The Clap“) |
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Description
Another disease transmitted by bacteria is gonorrhoea, also sometimes called “the clap”. It is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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Symptoms
Usually the infection with gonorrhoea becomes noticeable some days later by burning while urinating or unnatural discharges. These symptoms may be very weak, but the infection can be transmitted to other people all the same. This occurs especially frequently with mouth infections (by oral sex) or infections of the intestines (by anal sex).
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Consequences
Untreated gonorrhoea leads to inflammations. Women tend to develop these in the fallopian tubes, the ovaries and the mucosa of the womb (uterus). Men tend to get inflammations in the spermatic cord, the prostate and the epididymis. This can lead to sterility in women and men. In severe cases, the whole body can become affected; the patient develops fever, joint pains and rashes. |
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Protection and healing
Condomes provide an effective protection against gonorrhoea. And this is how safe sex works...
If one catches an infection anyway, gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics. If it is treated early, it heals completely. The partner needs to be treated as well.
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| Syphilis (Lues). More... |
| Syphilis (Lues) |
Description
Syphilis is another sexually transmitted disease which is transmitted by bacteria. |
Symptoms and consequences. If left untreated, syphilis progresses through three stades.
Stade 1
(about 3 weeks after infection) |
At the place where the bacterium penetrated (penis, labia, mouth, anus) a painless sore called chancre develops. In the surrounding of the chancre, the lymph nodes are swelling. The chancre heals and disappears after some weeks – this is a reason why the infection is so often left unnoticed or ignored. |
Stade 2
(eight weeks to two years
after infection) |
Rashes appear that don’t hurt or itch; additionally fever and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms also disappear after a while. |
| Stade 3 (several years after infection) |
Inner organs (e. g. liver), the nervous system and the bones deteriorate severely. |
Since the end of the nineties, syphilis infections have been increasing remarkably. It is absolutely important to take symptoms serious in any case, even when they are not joined by pain or itching. Every contact with the bacteria can actually lead to an infection – if the carrier has sores in the mouth, the infection can even be transmitted during kissing.
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Healing
Syphilis can be treated and healed in every stade with antibiotics. Organ damages in the third stade, however, can’t be reversed any more. Partners need to receive treatment as well. |
Protection
The best way is to use condoms during sex, as they provide protection against a transmission. And this is how safe sex works... |
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| Diseases transmitted by viruses |
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| Hepatitis B. More... |
| Hepatitis B |
Description
Hepatitis B is one of the most frequent infectious diseases in the world. The virus is contained in all bodily fluids and is therefore also transmitted by semen and vaginal fluid in sexual intercourse. The virus can be transmitted as well if semen comes into the mouth. Hepatitis B can even be transmitted by saliva (spittle) during kissing. |
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Symptoms
One to six months after infection, a flu-like condition develops. These complaints are often very weak, and the infection is not noticed.
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Consequences
In 90% of all cases hepatitis B heals completely, and the affected persons will stay immune against the virus for the rest of their life. In the remaining 10% of the infected persons, the disease becomes chronic, the virus stays active in the body and leads to a permanent deterioration of the liver. Sometimes the result may be liver cirrhosis (liver shrinkage) or liver cancer. |
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Protection
The risk of infection is reduced by using condoms, but cannot be completely excluded as there are various ways of transmission (other bodily fluids like saliva etc.). And this is how safe sex works...
 Vaccination provides the most effective protection. In Germany, it is recommended for babies, adolescents and for members of high-risk groups (medical staff, men who have sex with men) and is in these cases paid for by the health insurance in these cases.
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Healing
An infection with hepatitis B is diagnosed by blood testing. If the disease is chronic, the physician will try, by means of an antiviral therapy, to stop the multiplication of the virus and to alleviate the inflammation. |
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| Herpes. More... |
| Herpes |
Description
Many of us know herpes sores on the lips. They are caused by the virus HSV I (herpes simplex virus type I). Herpes can also afflict the genital region; this is caused by another virus (herpes simplex virus type II, HSV II), but HSV I infections can be transferred to the genital region by oral sex or lack of hygiene as well. |
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Symptoms
Some days after the initial infection, inflammation of the mucosa and rashes appear, which may be accompanied by fever and a swelling of the lymph nodes. The skin burns, itches, reddens and blisters appear. The fluid-filled blisters burst and sores develop. These usually heal in the course of some weeks.
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Consequences
As soon as you have had a herpes infection once, you will stay carrier for the rest of your life. Most people have had a herpes infection once in their life and since then developed antibodies against the virus. But not all people who carry the virus develop the described symptoms. In some people, the sores return regularly. The outbreak can be triggered by factors like stress, UV radiation or exhaustion.
If someone has a weak immune system, the virus may spread to the whole body. Infections are especially problematic in pregnancy, as they can lead to grave diseases in the baby during pregnancy and during birth, e. g. to meningitis (brain fever). |
Protection
Condoms protect against transmission of the virus in vaginal, oral and anal sex. As the virus is so highly contagious, transmission cannot always be avoided. And this is how safe sex works... |
Healing
It is good to know the symptoms and to see a doctor after a possible infection. Herpes can then be treated with antiviral medicaments. |
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| Human Papilloma Virus (Genital and Anal Warts). More... |
| Human Papilloma Virus (Genital and Anal Warts) |
Description
The infection with HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is one of the most frequent sexually transmitted infections. HPV may cause genital and anals warts which look like small pointed or flat warts and usually appear in the vulva, vagina, penis and anus. Some types of HPV may cause cell changes which, after some years, may develop into cancer (cervical, penile, anal cancer). |
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Symptoms
The virus is mostly transmitted in unsafe oral, vaginal or anal sex. After some weeks or months, the first symptoms appear (small warts that may spread quickly, sometimes joined by burning and itching, but often without symptoms). Often, there are no noticeable symptoms at all.
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Consequences
The infection with HPV may cause cancer after some years (most frequently cervical cancer in women, but also anal and penile cancer in men), and this is also the case for infections that do not cause any symptoms or visible warts at all. |
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Protection
Condoms provide protection agaginst the transmission, but only insofar as they prevent skin contact with the affected skin areas, which contain the viruses. Direct contact with the warts must be absolutely avoided. And this is how safe sex works...
Annual cancer screening is especially important for women, but also men should have regular medical exams. In the so-called PAP test, the gynecologist, doctor or nurse will take some cells from the cervix mucosa and have it analyzed. Thus, the state of the mucosa can be checked and infections, cell changes and e. g. the existence of HPV can be detected. In case of treatment, the partner/s may need to receive treatment as well.
But here is good news: a vaccination has been developed against two sorts of the Human Papilloma Virus (types 16 and 18). Since 2007 it is available and recommended for girls aged 12 to 17. The vaccination needs to be realized prior to the first sexual contacts. As there is no vaccination against all sorts of the HPV, the yearly preventive medical checkups should be continued in any case.
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Healing
There is no cure for HPV, but the immune system often fights off the virus in some month’s time. In other cases, one may stay carrier of the virus for longer time or the rest of one’s life. The warts can be treated symptomatically, e. g. by removing them by medicaments and surgical or chemical treatments. Due to its chronic character, the virus may stay in the skin and the warts tend to reappear, thus the treatment may ask a lot of patience from the side of the infected person. |
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| HIV/AIDS. More... |
| HIV/AIDS |
Description
The acronym AIDS means acquired immune deficiency syndrome and is acquired by infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), a virus weakening the human immune system. The HI virus can be transmitted when blood, semen or vaginal fluid containing the virus get onto the mucosa of the vagina or the intestines of another person.
The HI virus is transmitted predominately through contact of bodily fluids with vaginal or anal mucosa. The mucosa of the intestines is especially sensitive and can absorb the HI virus directly. This is the reason why the transmission risk is highest with anal sex. The risk is still very high in vaginal intercourse. In oral sex, the transmission happens before all when semen enters the mouth and when the mucosa of the mouth is weakened, e. g. if one has an infection or little wounds.
If someone already has other sexually transmitted diseases, the risk to catch HIV is increased, as the virus can more easily penetrate inflamed skin as for example in an infection with chlamydia or gonorrhoea. |
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Symptoms and consequences
Initially, most people infected with HIV don’t have any symptoms for years, before the immunodeficiency starts to develop.
In an advanced stage, one develops typical infections with germs that do not harm healthy persons at all. In addition, rare tumor diseases may develop.
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Healing
It is still not possible to cure HIV/AIDS, and there is no vaccination either. The virus cannot be removed from the body. That is the reason why a person in whose blood the virus cannot be detected any more, can still transmit the virus. Today, drug therapy is available: the so-called combination therapy suppresses the virus reproduction and thus delays the progression of the disease. Thus, AIDS does not lead to death as quickly as it did formerly, and infected people have the chance to lead a better life. Combination therapy means that the patient takes several drugs together, as the HI virus strains may change and may become resistant against various substances. Another name for this treatment is HAART: highly active anti-retroviral therapy. |
Protection
This very positive development in the medical treatment of HIV/AIDS has unfortunately led to a less careful behaviour in terms of safer sex recently, and thus the number of new infections has increased during the last years. Safer sex is the most effective protection against HIV/AIDS. And this is how safe sex works... |
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| Other diseases |
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| Trichomoniasis. More... |
| Trichomoniasis |
Description
Trichomoniasis is caused by the trichomonad, an endoparasite. They bed in vagina, intestines or urethra. Trichomonads are usually transmitted in unsafe sex, especially in anal sex. The transmission can also happen by commonly used objects like towels or sextoys. |
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Symptoms
Symptoms appear some days to weeks after infection. Men tend to have painful urination and frequent urges to urinate, but sometimes they don’t show any clear symptoms at all. Women usually develop a white or yellowish-green foamy vaginal discharge with an accompanying unpleasant odor. Many women also experience painful sexual intercourse, lower abdominal pain, itching and burning.
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Consequences
The perfidy of an infection with trichomoniasis is that that it increases the risk to catch other sexually transmitted diseases (among which HIV). |
Protection
Condoms provide protection against infection. And this is how safe sex works... |
Healing
If the infection has already happened, trichomoniasis can be treated and healed with antibiotics. It is important that the partner receives examination and treatment as well. |
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| Scabies. More... |
| Scabies |
Description
Scabies is not a classical sexually transmitted disease, as it can be contracted in any kind of more intensive skin contact. It is transmitted by microscopic mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs. |
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Symptoms and consequences
Small spot-like bumps appear on the skin (between the fingers, at the wrist, in the genital region and in the armpits). After some weeks, strong itching, especially at nighttime, comes up as a further symptom. If the bumps become infected by scratching, these places form entry routes for additional infections.
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Protection
Scabies can be avoided through careful hygiene and regular changing of clothes. |
Healing
If someone has been infected, he or she can undergo external chemical treatment. All sex partners and family members need to be treated as well. |
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| Pubic lice („crabs“). More... |
| Pubic lice („crabs“) |
Description
Pubic lice are small insects without wings that bed in the pubic hair and lay eggs called „nits“. In severe cases, they can also be found in armpit hair or other bodily hair. The transmission happens through intensive bodily contact, i. e. also through sexual contact. |
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Symptoms and Consequences
After some days, the infected person develops itching as well as dots and flecks on the skin, caused by lice bits.
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Healing
Treatment is done with shampoos, ointments or lotions. The nits must be removed with a special comb. Clothes and mattresses should be disinfected. |
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If you talk about sexually transmitted diseases, the first thing that will probably come to your mind is HIV/AIDS. There are many other diseases, however, that are very frequent in modern society as well and which can also be transmitted in unsafe sexual intercourse.