New relationships come with a lot of fun moments and hurdles. Getting to know a new partner and most importantly the health status of your new partner is very important. Make STI knowledge go Viral will furnish you with all you need to know.
Amidst the fun dates and outings, important questions such as knowledge of sexually transmitted infections should be talked about.
Sexually transmitted infections are mainly spread by having unprotected sexual intercourse. They are generally called STIs, these infections when they go unnoticed greatly affect the standard of living. It prevents a budding new relationship to blossom.
In this article, we will be discussing some of the commonest sexually transmitted infections to look out for in your new relationship.
Some of these sexually transmitted infections have visible symptoms while others do not and need to be diagnosed by a medical doctor. The following are five Infections you should look out in your relationship
- Human Papilloma Virus Infection
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphillis
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus
 HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS INFECTION(HPV)
This is the commonest sexually transmitted infection. It affects both male and female, with different strains both the low risk and high-risk strains. The high risk strains have higher tendency of causing cervical cancer, they include 16,18,31,33,35,39 while the low risk strains include 6,11,40,42,43,44,61.
HPV can be spread by having skin to skin contact during sexual intercourse, vaginal and anal sex with a partner that is infected.
Having multiple sexual partners is a key risk factor in contracting this infection
In Nigeria, a research done in 2018 showed that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer after breast cancer.
14.8% of cancer death out 70,327 is attributed to cervical caner
Symptoms
The majority of HPV genital strains have no symptoms, but when they do, genital warts are the most prevalent. The appearance of genital warts is harsh and resembles that of cauliflower.
Even while genital warts aren’t harmful, they can nevertheless spread the Human Papillomavirus through skin-to-skin contact and sexual activity.
Symptoms such as trouble swallowing, hoarseness of voice, and bloody coughing may appear in cases of oral Human Papilloma Virus infection that results in oropharyngeal cancer.
Human papilloma virus high risk strains typically do not manifest any signs until they have advanced to the malignant stage. Cervical cancer is the most prevalent. The high-risk variants of the human papilloma virus can also cause malignancies of the throat, anal, vulva, penile, and vaginal regions.
How To Diagnose If Your Partner Has Human Papilloma Virus Infection
A health professional can observe the genital warts when the human papilloma virus infection is symptomatic. The Human Papilloma Virus Test and Pap Smear are the only tests that can be used to determine high risk HPV infection in a lab setting.
The Pap Smear: Women should start getting the Pap Smear around age 21. This test looks for precancerous cells on the cervix, if left untreated, will develop into cancer.
Human Papilloma Virus Test
Finding HPV DNA on cervical cells is the main goal of this test. You can also carry out a Colposcopy.
How do I treat Human Papilloma Virus Infection?
The majority of times, HPV infections are self-limiting, thus there is no therapy for the illness itself. Your doctor will probably schedule frequent exams and tests for you in order to track the infection’s development.
Your doctor may prescribe drugs for the treatment of genital warts, or the warts may be frozen or burned in order to be removed. This may undoubtedly aid in the symptom’s emergence, but it does not address the illness!
Your doctor will either start you on chemotherapy or conduct surgery if the infection has turned into cancer.
How Do I Prevent Human Papilloma Virus Infection
Safe sexual behavior is crucial in preventing HPV infection. You and your partner are encouraged to use condoms correctly and consistently when having sex.
This infection can be avoided with the HPV vaccine. Between the ages of 11 and 12, young boys and girls should receive the Gardasil 9 vaccine.
In a new relationship, you should find out if your partner has had any STIs.
Limit your sexual partners to one.
CHLAMYDIA INFECTION
One of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections is chlamydia. Chlamydia trachomatis is the causative agent. All ages can contract chlamydia infection, but young women are more likely than older people to do so. It is typical among those who are sexually active.
Without the use of condoms or other barrier techniques, chlamydia infection can spread during oral, anal, or other forms of sex.
It spreads via sexual touch, seminal fluid, and vaginal fluid. Contact with the mouth or the genitalia can infect the eye.
Symptoms
Infection with Chlamydia in its early stages has no symptoms. Due to the fact that infected people are asymptomatic, many people are put at risk of contracting this infection. Â Any of the following symptoms may appear in the late stages of the infection:
In Females (Foul smelling discharge from the vagina, Painful urination, Pain during sex and You might experience pain during your periods)
In Males (Pain during urination, Discharges from the penis, Pain in the lower abdomen)
Diagnosis
Chlamydia infection is symptomless most times it is advised that sexually active individuals often go to the hospital to get tested. Your doctor will take samples from your vagina or urine to test you.
Treatment
Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for you to get you treated. Chlamydia infection can be cured if you  adhere to medications.
For untreated Chlamydia infection, women are at risk of Pelvic inflammatory disease which can affect their fertility in the future. It is rare but it can also cause infertility in male.
GONORRHEA
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection and it is common among individuals who engage in unprotected sexual intercourse. It is caused by the bacterium Neisseria Gonorrhea.
This infection affects both genders and common in individuals with multiple sexual partners and new partners.
It is spread through unprotected vaginal, penile intercourse, anal and oral sex. It can be rarely transmitted by having contact with objects infected with the bacteria.
Gonorrhea can be prevented by having sex with condoms correctly and consistently.
Having one sex partner is key to the prevention of all sexually transmitted infections
Symptoms
Gonorrhea is most times is symptomless in females, but most males infected with gonorrhea painful urination and burning sensation, this unpleasant symptom usually bring most infected people to the hospital.
Females
- There could be pain in the lower abdomen
- Painful urination
- There could be vaginal discharge
- There could also be vaginal bleeding in between periods
- fever
Males
- A burning sensation during urination
- Painful urination
- Penile pain
- fever
Diagnosis
Gonorrhea is most times symptomless and it is advised that individuals who practice unsafe sex should be tested regularly.
Your doctor will collect samples from you and carry out either the Gram stain or polymerase chain reaction test to confirm a diagnosis.
Treatment
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection and it can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by your doctor.
Antibiotics such as Azithromycin are used to treat the infection. It is recommended that your partner is also get treated at same time, if they are infected.
Untreated Gonorrhea infection can lead to infertility to both male and female. It also poses a risk to the baby of an infected pregnant woman.
SYPHILIS
Syphilis is caused by the bacteria Treponema Pallidus. It is a common sexually transmitted infection among individuals who practice unsafe sex. It can also be transmitted via kissing when there is a lesion, anal or oral sex have also ben implicated.
Symptoms
Syphilis present in one of the four different phases;
- The primary,
- Secondary,
- Latent
- Tertiary phase
Primary Syphilis:
Chancre development during this stage is distinctive. Through contact with an infectious lesion on an infected person, it is contracted. The Chancre is firm, painless, and develops a skin ulcer.
Secondary Syphilis:
This stage frequently follows the initial infection. It primarily affects mucous membranes and skin. On the trunk and extremities, there appears to be a symmetrical reddish rash. Rashes may be accompanied by other symptoms including a sore throat, fever, or fatigue.
Latent Phase:
After two years from the primary infection, this phase—which is largely asymptomatic—occurs. If it is not properly treated, this phase could advance to the tertiary phase. Both the early and late phases of the latent phase exist; the latter might endure for several years.
Tertiary Phase:
This phase usually occurs between three to fifteen years after the initial infection. It is the extreme form of syphilis and the individual is no longer infectious at this stage. There are three forms of this phase;
- The gummatous form,
- Cardiovascular syphilis
You need to get treated immediately you get infected to avoid complications of the tertiary syphilis. These complications include formation of inflammatory cells in the form of tumors on the skin, bones and liver. It could also result to cardiovascular and nervous problems such as aortic aneurysm and meningitis respectively.
Diagnosis
You need to visit the hospital to get test if you observe any of the symptoms .A blood test or Dark field microscopy of serous fluid from a lesion will be carried out to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
You need to visit a doctor to get treated if you are infected. Syphilis is treated with antibiotics. Intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin is used for the early stage of infection. For the late infection, Intravenous Penicillin is given.
It is advised that your partner is also treated.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTION (HIV)
HIV is a very common sexually transmitted disease. This disease condition weakens your immune system and makes it possible for other infections to survive.
It is transmitted through unprotected sex but could also be contacted through the transfer of blood products, sharing of infected sharp instruments.
Symptoms
HIV is in three phases, the acute infection, latent and AIDS. The acute phase symptoms include, fever, sore throat, weight loss, lymph node enlargement and skin rashes
In the latent phase, the immune system fight against the virus thereby reducing the viral load.
Although, the infected individual can still transmit the virus to another person. The lymph nodes become persistently swollen and this progresses to AIDS.
AIDS:
This is the chronic and last stage of HIV.The symptoms include pneumocystis, encephalitis, tuberculosis, tumors, chronic diarrhea and esophagitis.
Diagnosis
Apart from the symptoms visible, you can visit the hospital to confirm the diagnosis. The tests include Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot test, polymerase chain testing.
TREATMENT
HIV is treated with a combination of different medications. This treatment is known as the highly active  anti-retroviral therapy(HAART).
It is life long and its purpose is to reduce the viral load. Your doctor will prescribe the drugs suitable for you.
These are just few of the sexually transmitted infections. You and your partner should practice safe sex by use of condoms and other barrier methods to prevent contacting them.
Multiple sexual partners should be avoided and you and your partner will enjoy a relationship free of diseases.
Conclusion: None of the Above diseases is a death sentence, please always visit your doctor for prompt medical attention, because erly intervention is the key to healthy living.
