How well do you remember high school Sex Ed?  Sarah Stefanson gives you a refresher on STIs.It might have been a while since you took a look at the variety of sexually transmitted infections that you may be exposed to through your sexual relations.  Most of us probably haven’t gone over the information since Sex Ed in high school.  Well, a lot has changed since then.  Back in high school, you probably referred to them as Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), but now they are commonly called Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), since the infection precedes the disease that may result.

STIs are divided into four categories:  bacterial, parasitic, viral and fungal infections.


Bacterial Infections

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a very common STI, especially among the age group of 15 to 24 in Canada.  Women are twice as likely to carry Chlamydia, and the complications resulting from the infection may be much more serious for females.  Unfortunately, symptoms are also less obvious in women than in men.  For women, signs of an infection may include a burning sensation during urination, unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding unconnected to menstruation or during/after intercourse, pain during menstruation or intercourse, pain in the abdomen or lower back and, occasionally, fever and chills.  Almost half of men will not experience symptoms, but when they are present, they include itching, pain during urination, discharge and possibly swelling of the testicles.  Chlamydia can also infect the rectum, the throat or be passed by touching the eyes after touching an infected area.  Unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex can pass chlamydia to your partner, so using condoms regularly will greatly reduce your chances of contracting it.  The infection can be cured with antibiotics.

Gonorrhea

Also known as ‘The Clap’, gonorrhea is on the rise in Canada and is becoming resistant to some antibiotic treatments.  It is passed through vaginal, anal and oral sex and can be passed from mother to baby during birth.  Consistent condom use can prevent infection.  Symptoms are often mild or non-existent.  Gonorrhea can infect the throat, rectum, penis or cervix and may result in pain during urination, vaginal or penile discharge, vaginal bleeding, swollen testicles, painful bowel movements or sore throat.  A dose of oral antibiotics can get rid of the virus.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a very rare STI spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex.  It is often very difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can imitate other diseases.  The condition has four stages: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary.  The first two are the most contagious, while the latter two cause the most damage.  The first indication of a syphilis infection is an open sore at the point of infection, which heals on its own and is painless.  In the secondary stage, the infection produces flu-like symptoms including hair loss, rashes, muscle and joint pain, and swollen glands.  If allowed to proceed to the latent stage, no symptoms will appear for a period of one to 30 years, but the infection is still present.  Tertiary syphilis will occur in 40 per cent of untreated cases and this is when the real damage is done.  Major health complications can occur including serious sores, cardiovascular issues, mental health problems, damage to organs and even death.  Syphilis can be diagnosed through a blood test or by swabbing an active sore and is treated with antibiotics.


Parasitic Infections

Crabs / Pubic Lice

Pubic lice are microscopic bugs that attach themselves to the base of pubic hairs and plunge their heads into the skin so they can live off human blood.  They also lay their egg sacs at the base of the public hair.  They differ from regular lice by the crab-like arms and bodies.  A substance they secrete into the skin causes intense itching and the bites can result in patches of skin turning bluish-grey in colour.  Crabs move from body to body by close contact.  They can also live for a day or two in the clothing, bedding and towels belonging to an infected person.  In order to get rid of a crab infestation, purchase a non-prescription shampoo from a drugstore or clinic designed to kill the bugs usually with just one washing.  You must also thoroughly wash or vacuum any surfaces that may have been infected by crabs.

Scabies

Parasitic mites called scabies are passed from person to person just like pubic lice, either by direct contact or from an infected person’s clothing, bedding, towels or other personal items on which scabies can live for up to three days.  Once on the skin, scabies look for warm areas including between the fingers, under the nails, in folds of skin on the elbows, wrists, buttocks, knees, shoulder blades, waist, breasts and penis.  Then, they burrow into the skin to lay eggs under the surface.  The larvae hatch and continue on to other parts of the body, which spreads the infection.  Once scabies is diagnosed, a lotion is prescribed to be used on the entire body, while all personal items must be thoroughly cleansed.

Trichomoniasis (Trich)

Microscopic parasites called Trichomonas vaginalis can infect the vagina, urethra, bladder or cervix of women and the urethra of men, as well as under the foreskin of uncircumcised men, potentially causing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in women.  In rare cases when symptoms do exist, they include discharge, irritation or redness on the tip of the penis and painful urination for men, and vaginal discharge, odour, itchiness or irritation, and painful intercourse or urination for women.  It is spread through unprotected sex and treated with antibiotics.

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safe sex

In Part 2, we’ll go through viral and fungal sexually transmitted infections such as herpes, HIV, HPV, Hepatitis B and yeast infections.

Source:
sexualityandu.ca