SCABIES
Features/ Symptoms
- Caused by a parasitic mite that burrow into the skin;
- Also known as the “Itch”;
- Severe itching at night;
- Red lines in the skin as the scabies burrow, pencil-like tracks most often in the folds and creases of the skin;
- Commonly in the following areas:
- Breast area;
- Female genital area;
- Inner elbow area;
- Shoulder blades;
- Armpits;
- Waste area;
- Between fingers;
- Buttocks area;
- Behind the knees;
- Inside area of the waist;
- Soles of the feet.
- Ulcers develop after scratching, secondary infection develop on the skin due to scratching with dirty nails.
Progression
A mature female mite burrows into the skin and lay eggs. The eggs hatches within 3-4 days, becomes larva within 3-4 days after hatching and adult mites within 10 days. The mite feed on the blood of the host.
Causes
Scabies is caused by a microscopic (< 1mm) mite called Sarcoptes Scabiei var. hominis. It causes and allergic reaction to the skin as the mite digs burrows below the skin. Can cause secondary infection on the skin due to scratching with dirty nails.
Treatment/ Management
Treated with special shampoo and soap. Clothes, linen and towels should be washed in hot water and left to sun dry. Iron clothes, linen and towels should be iron with a hot iron. Mattress of bed should be put out into the sun.
GENITAL HERPES
Features/ Symptoms
- Fever;
- Swollen glands;
- Perineal pain ;
- Frequent urination;
- Lesions on labia’s, buttocks or thighs;
- Can be purely genital or oral genital due to oral sex;
- Type 1: fever blisters on lips (above waist);
- Type 2: blister below the waist (genital herpes).
Progression
The disease is transmitted during close contact with a person who is shedding the virus. Most genital herpes is due to HSV type 2 although genital contact with oral lesions caused by HSV-1 can also produce genital infection. The infection period is usually 2-20 days before the individual shows signs and symptoms; therefore you can spread the disease without knowing that you are infected.
Causes
Most people get genital herpes by having sex with someone who is having a herpes “outbreak.” This outbreak means that HSV is active. When the virus is active, sores are visible in the genital area. The sores cast off (shed) viruses that can infect another person. However, a person can have an outbreak and have no visible sores at all. People often get genital herpes by having sexual contact with others who don’t know they are infected or who are having outbreaks of herpes without any sores. A person with genital herpes also can infect a sexual partner during oral sex. The virus is spread only rarely, if at all, by touching objects such as a toilet seat or hot tub.
Treatment/ Management
Saltwater bathing or sitting in a warm bath may help a client to pass urine more comfortable. If the lesions are still moist, acyclovir, famciclovir and valaciclovir can be useful (but useless if the lesions are crusting). - Rest, pain- and fever medication are used for treatment. Symptoms are treated symptomatically. In severe cases oral anti-viral medication is prescribed. The virus is recurrent but usually less severe. For frequent and severe reoccurrence, anti-viral treatment is prescribed daily for 6-12 months.
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
Features/ Symptoms
- Fever;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Lower abdominal pain;
- Painful sex;
- May experience severe pain during menstruation;
- Discharge that is yellow/greenish and smells offensive;
- Can be present for a long time without you knowing.
Progression
The disease affects mostly women than men. It may cause chronic pelvic pain, recurrent infection and infertility if left untreated.
Causes
PID is an infection of the women’s pelvic organs. Usually the bacteria that cause Chlamydia and Gonorrhea cause PID. If you have unprotected sex and do not wash and clean your toys properly, you can be infected.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics, usually with Penicillin for 10 days.
NON SPECIFIC URETERITIS
Features/ Symptoms
- Urethral pain and inflammation;
- Painful burning urination;
- Pain shortly after urination;
- Frequent urination; and
- Pelvic pain, vaginal discharge (thick yellow discharge).
Progression
During unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, organisms which cause inflammation can pass into the urethra and a diagnosis of NSU will be given. You can't get NSU from kissing, hugging, sharing baths or towels or from toilet seats, sharing plates, cups or cutlery. WSW can get NSU for example by touching or sharing sex toys that are not protected.
Causes
If left untreated, some causes of NSU can have long-term consequences. This will include painful infection of the female reproductive organs, possible reduced fertility, inflammation of the joints, pelvic inflammatory disease and inflammation of the urethra.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
GENITAL WARTS
Features/ Symptoms
- Small painless bumps growing on genital and anal area;
- Itching and burning; and/or
- Maybe also be inside uterus.
Progression
Develop in moist areas and can become malignant. 1-6 months.
Causes
Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Warts are considered a low cancer-causing potential. Other HPV types have been strongly associated with premalignant changes and cervical cancers in women. Common warts are not the same as genital warts and are caused by different HPV types that infect the skin.
Treatment/ Management
Removed by burning, freezing or minor surgery ;
Wartec solution 2 times daily for 3 days, apply to warts only, keep area clean and dry.
HEPATITIS B
Features/ Symptoms
Hepatitis B can be spread through blood transfusion, sexually transmitted, exchanging of body fluids and sharing of needles. The virus can survive in dry blood for up to 6 weeks. The virus attacks the liver and the illness is recurrent. A person infected with Hepatitis B virus may experience:
- Loss of appetite;
- General tired (malaise);
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Itching all over the body;
- Abdominal pain, pain over the liver area (on the right side of abdomen under the rib cage); and
- Yellowish skin tone and eyes, dark urine (like tea) and pale grey stools.
Progression
Symptoms develop within 30-180 days of exposure to the virus. The symptoms are often compared to flu.
Causes
The Hepatitis B virus is known as a blood-borne virus that is transmitted via exchanging of body fluids. Semen and saliva also carry the virus. The virus can be transmitted whenever any of these body fluids come in contact with broken skin in the mouth, genital organs or rectum. The disease attacks the liver of the host and can cause permanent liver damage, liver cancer and even death.
Treatment/ Management
Hepatitis B is treated symptomatically. Acute Hepatitis B usually goes away by itself and does not require medical treatment. If very severe, symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea may require treatment to restore fluids and electrolytes. There are no medications that can prevent acute hepatitis B from becoming chronic. A vaccination is available as part of prevention.
GONORRHEA
Features/ Symptoms
- Also known as “Drop or Clap”;
- Painful urination;
- Pelvic pain;
- Vaginal discharge, usually yellow/greenish;
- Can be asymptomatic;
- Swollen glands in genital area; and
- Fever.
Progression
1-10 days after infection.
Causes
Gonorrhea is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhea bacteria. The infection is transmitted from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual relations. Without treatment infection will spread to other organs and can cause severe infection of the reproductive organs resulting in infertility. It causes urethritis, cervicitis, gonococcal pharyngitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
CHLAMYDIA
Features/ Symptoms
- Pelvic pain vaginal discharge, white/cloudy water discharge;
- Painful and frequent urination;
- Bleeding after sexual intercourse;
- Asymptomatic.
- Progression
- 1-3 weeks after infection.
Causes
Chlamydia is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. If left untreated Chlamydia can cause severe infection of reproductive organs resulting in infertility.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both parties with a course of antibiotics.
TRICHOMONIASIS
Features/ Symptoms
- Yellow/greenish frothy discharge; and
- Itching around the genitals.
Progression
1 week after infection.
Causes
Trichomoniasis, also known as TV or Trich. If left untreated Trichomoniasis can cause s fever, infection of reproductive organs resulting in infertility and may be passes on to the baby if pregnant.
Treatment/ Management
Treatment of both partners with antibiotics.
CANDIDA
Features/ Symptoms
- Thick white cottage-cheese like discharge;
- Redness or red patches around the labia’s and swelling of the vulva;
- Painful, frequent irritation and itching in and around the genitals;
- Discomfort on passing urine;
- Oral Candida;
- red throat
- difficulty in swallowing
- thrush on the mucosa of the mouth, throat and tongue
- Also known as “Thrush” or “Yeast” infection.
Progression
Most of the time, Candida infections of the mouth, skin, or vagina occur for no apparent reason. A common cause of infection may be the use of antibiotics that destroy beneficial, as well as harmful, microorganisms in the body, permitting Candida to multiply in their place. Candida infections are very common in women.
Causes
Candida albicans cause inflammation (redness and swelling) of the labia’s and vagina. A Candida infection can spread to the anus as well. If practicing unprotected oral sex, the yeast infection can spread to the mouth and digestive system.
Treatment/ Management
Topical ointment, oral solution and in severe case anti-fungal drugs. Common in people infected with HIV.
PUBIC LICE
Features/ Symptoms
- Also known as “Crabs”;
- Usually passed from one person to another through close body contact;
- Pubic lice can spread through sharing clothing, towels and bedding;
- Itching in the affected areas or pubic hair;
- Black powdery dropping from lice in underwear;
- Brown egg on pubic hair or other hair;
- Irritation and redness from scratching in affected area; and
- Sky blue spots or tiny speck of blood on the skin.
Progression
Female lice lay about 30 to 90 eggs or so during their lifetime. Eggs hatch after about six to eight days. Young lice then pass through three more stages before becoming adults. The period from egg to adult requires about 23 days. Adults will not live beyond 24 hours after being removed from a human host.
Causes
Lice can cause secondary infection on the skin due to scratching with dirty nails. Lice can spread to other regions were hair is present e.g. armpit.
Treatment/ Management
Pubic lice are treated with special lotion and shampoo. Pubic hair should be combed to get rid of lice and eggs. Preferable method is to shave all body hair. Clothes, linen and towels should be washed with hot water, sun dried and iron with a hot iron. Mattress or bed should be put out in the sun.
SYPHILIS
Features/ Symptoms
Primary Syphilis
- Lesions that form around genital area
- Lesion has a raised, firm red border
- Lesions have generally a dark pink color
- Swollen glands
- Although lesions generally heal on its own, without treatment the disease will progress
- Secondary Syphilis
- Once the primary lesion have healed, new symptoms will affect the client
- Secondary lesions normally form on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- Can also form in other areas
- Other symptoms include a sore throat, low-grade fever, headache and a rash
- Rash does not itch and is not uncomfortable
- Disease progress if left untreated
Latent Syphilis
- About 25% of clients may experience a return of some of the secondary symptoms
- In most cases, the latent stage is asymptomatic
- Latent syphilis may stay with clients for life or late syphilis may appear
Late Syphilis
- Late syphilis may emerge in any area of the body as late as 30 to 50 years
- Late syphilis may take the forms of late benign syphilis, cardiovascular syphilis and neurosyphilitic disease
Progression
- Primary Stage: 1-3 months
- Secondary Stage: 3-6 months
- Latent Stage: 6 months – 2 years
Causes
Syphilis is a disease caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. The bacteria penetrate chafed skin or the mucous membranes. Men are more vulnerable to contracting syphilis than women. Without treatment, syphilis can cause irreversible damage to the brain, nerves, and body tissues.
Treatment/ Management
Syphilis is can be cured in its early stages. A single intramuscular injection of penicillin, an antibiotic, will cure a person who has had syphilis for less than a year. Additional doses are needed to treat someone who has had syphilis for longer than a year. For people who are allergic to penicillin, other antibiotics are available to treat syphilis. There are no home remedies or over-the-counter drugs that will cure syphilis. Treatment will kill the syphilis bacterium and prevent further damage, but it will not repair damage already done.
GONOCOCCAL PHARYNGITIS
Features/ Symptoms
- Difficulty in swallowing;
- Fever;
- Sore throat;
- Tender, swollen glands in the neck;
- Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
- abnormal sense of taste
- headache
- joint stiffness
- muscle pain
- nasal congestion
- nasal discharge
- neck pain.
Progression
The Gonnococcal bacteria are spread through oral sex with infected genitals, usually caused by the same bacteria that cause Gonorrhea.
Causes
Severe infection of the throat and the disease can spread to other regions.
Treatment/ Management
Diagnosing can only be done by taking a throat swab. Both parties should be treated with antibiotics.
NON GONNOCOCCAL URETHERITIS
Features/ Symptoms
- Frequent painful urination and
- Discharge.
Progression
1 – 3 weeks after infection.
Causes
NGU can cause infertility if left un-treated.
Treatment/ Management
Both parties should be treated with antibiotics.
HIV and AIDS
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