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Archive for March 27, 2009

TRICHOMONAS: HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 5:15 am

Trichomonas infection is acquired through sexual contact with a partner who is infected, most often through heterosexual (vagina-penis) contact, but women who have sex with other women can transfer the infection through the use of sex toys. The throat and the anal or rectal area are not sites of infec-tion, so the infection is not transmitted through oral sex or anal intercourse. Although Trichomonas can exist for several hours in body fluids outside the body, and therefore the possibility exists that transmission may take place by nonsexual means, there are no documented cases of transmission by toilet seats or towels. Once genital secretions dry, they are not infectious to others. As noted in the previous section, a mother who is infected may transmit the infection to her child during delivery.

Having unprotected vaginal intercourse with a partner who is infected can transmit trichomoniasis, even if the infected partner does not have any symptoms. Using condoms correctly and consistently helps prevent transmission.

For women who have sex with other women, vaginal fluid exchange can lead to infection. Testing prior to sexual contact, the use of condoms on sex toys for each partner, or not sharing sex toys at all can decrease the risk of infection.

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(posted in Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction)

HISTORY OF HIV INFECTION

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 4:59 am

From the beginning HIV infection has been politicized as have few other diseases: those infected with HIV were denied access to insurance and health care, lost jobs and housing, and became the targets of social stigma. Many people have not sought testing out of fear of these very real consequences. As we progress through the second decade of HIV infection and approach the twenty-first century, there are signs of positive change in our attitudes toward the disease and those infected with it, but there is still much work to be done. On the medical front, as we gain a clearer understanding of how this virus works and how we can better prevent and treat infection with it, hope grows that the turn of the century will bring further breakthroughs and a cure. As of this moment, there is no cure, although recent advances with medications to treat HIV infection have been very promising. Through the continued efforts of the medical community and governmental bodies to keep HIV research a top priority, and through education and the teaching of safer sex practices, there is hope of stemming the tide of this epidemic throughout the world.

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(posted in Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction)

STD GENITAL WARTS: THE PAP SMEAR

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 4:42 am

The Pap smear is recommended as a yearly screen for all women over the age of eighteen, or earlier if a woman becomes sexually active at a younger age. Even if a woman has delayed having a Pap smear for several years, she should have this very important health screen as soon as possible, because it can detect precancerous changes early, so that treatment can be initiated that will prevent or cure cancer. For women who have a history of external warts (or women who have partners with a history of external warts) and a normal Pap smear, the recommended schedule for Pap smears is no different than for any sexually active woman, because most sexually active women have the warts virus even if they have never had symptoms.

In menstruating women, the best time for a Pap smear is between one and two weeks after a menstrual period. Results are not as reliable if the test is performed during menstruation. For best results, a woman should not have intercourse and should not use intravaginal creams within two days of having the test.

A woman who has had a hysterectomy that involved the removal of the cervix for a reason other than cervical or uterine cancer does not need to get yearly Pap smears. If her ovaries were not removed, then a yearly examination to determine the size of the ovaries is still recommended.

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(posted in Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction)

THE RISKS FROM UNPROTECTED ORAL SEX MAY BE ACCEPTABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT NOT FOR OTHERS.

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 4:27 am

The risks from unprotected oral sex may be acceptable for some people but not for others. Use of a condom or dental dam is recommended, to afford some protection against STD transmission via oral sex if your partner has not been screened for infections or has a chronic STD.

Oral-anal contact, known as anakhgus or rimming, is a sexual practice common among men who have sex with other men, but heterosexual couples can also find pleasure in this type of sexual contact. This practice involves placing your mouth to a partner’s anal area. Again, precautions must be taken to prevent the transmission of infection, not only with the organisms that cause STDs (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV) that can be transmitted through genital contact, but also with hepatitis A and all the infectious intestinal organisms, such as salmonella and giardia, that can be transmitted through contaminated feces in the anal area. Once again, if you are unsure of your partner’s status for these infections, it’s a good idea to use a barrier method during oral-anal contact. The barriers used are the same as those used for oral-genital contact, and they are described later in this section.

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(posted in Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction)

SYMPTOMS IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN: MOUTH AND THROAT SORES AND LESIONS

Friday, March 27, 2009 | 4:09 am

Several sexually transmitted infections can cause lesions or sores in the mouth or throat.

Aphthous ulcers. At one time or another, everyone gets aphthous ulcers—those painful little ulcers that commonly occur on the inside of the lips or on the gums, last a few days to a few weeks, and then disappear on their own. Many people confuse these with herpes lesions, but they are different. Although the cause of aphthous ulcers is not known, they are not transmitted sexually.

Cancer. Oral cancer can occur anywhere in the mouth, but the most common location is under the tongue. It is much more common among smokers or people who chew tobacco. The most common symptom is a painless, nonhealing sore or ulcer in the mouth.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia. Although they cannot be transmitted by kissing, gonorrhea and chlamydia can develop in the throat in someone who performs oral sex on a partner who has an infection in the genital area. Infections such as these in the throat are more common in a woman or man performing oral sex on a man (where there is penis-to-throat contact) than in a man or woman performing oral sex on a woman. These infections usually do not cause symptoms in the throat. Occasionally, though, there can be a sore throat and redness and white or yellow patches on the back of the throat. These symptoms are similar to those of a “strep throat,” caused by a bacterial group called the group A streptococci, which is not sexually transmitted. However, the treatment is different for streptococcus and the STDs, so testing must be performed to reach a definitive diagnosis if a person with a sore throat has a history of performing unprotected oral sex.

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(posted in Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction)

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