A comprehensive guide for men and women: how to protect yourself from contracting sexually transmitted infections (during sex). The likelihood of contracting an STD How are STDs transmitted?

They are quite widely known to everyone due to the way they are distributed. They plague humanity for many centuries, perhaps even millennia, leading to serious illness, infertility, deformities of newborns and untimely deaths. Doctors have learned to cope well with some infections, but some of them can still either be cured in the early stages of the disease or are still able to resist our efforts.

Before formulating a complete list of STIs, you need to find out what they are, how they threaten people and how they affect the body.

Sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are transmitted from one sexual partner to another, uninfected one, through unprotected sexual intercourse in any form. Pathogens can be viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.Quite often a mixed form of infection is observed, especially in people who are promiscuous without protection, prone to antisocial behavior, drug addiction, and alcoholism.

Not understanding the risk of contracting some types of STIs can be costly. They can lead to chronic inflammatory processes in the human genital area, cause miscarriage or impotence and prostatitis in men, damage to the immune system, which can cause severe diseases, even fatal.

Some infections only affect the reproductive system, but they can also “spread” throughout the body and cause irreparable harm to health, affecting even the spinal cord and humans.

The only reliable protection against STIs may be caution and attentiveness when choosing a sexual partner, high-quality protection and timely, comprehensive treatment if an infection is detected. Both partners need to be treated.

List of STIs: types, description and signs

Sexual infections include diseases that enter the human body from the outside, from an infected partner, and those whose pathogens normally constantly live on our skin and mucous membranes without causing any harm. These microorganisms are called opportunistic flora.

As long as the body is healthy, and the immune system resists the onslaught of infection and maintains the number of microorganisms at a low, harmless level, the disease does not occur. But during sexual contact with a carrier of the same type or when immunity decreases, the number of pathogens increases sharply and the person becomes ill. Such diseases include the well-known thrush, or candidiasis. Its pathogens are constantly present in the body of every person, but the disease occurs only when a number of conditions coincide.

A number of pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases respond quite well to treatment with modern drugs, but it is better to do this as early as possible, before the infection causes serious inflammatory processes.

As a result, adhesions may occur that threaten a woman with infertility, lesions, unpleasant external rashes and even cancerous tumors. There are some STIs that, when left untreated, can be fatal. This is , and . With timely and correct treatment, the life of such patients can be extended for quite a significant time.

Useful video - Signs of STDs.

The concept of STIs, or (sexually transmitted diseases) is somewhat broader than the concept of sexually transmitted diseases. “Diseases of Venus” are included in the list of sexually transmitted infections as its component.

Full list of STIs:

Syphilis is caused by treponema pallidum, or spirochete, has three stages and can be congenital. Capable of affecting the skin, mucous membranes, soft and bone tissues, and the central nervous system. It is easily transmitted not only through sexual intercourse, but also through blood and household contact with the personal belongings of an infected patient who is a carrier of treponema. It manifests itself as a rash, ulcers, and specific formations - chancre and gumma. Secondary and tertiary syphilis can occur in a latent form. If left untreated, it leads to numerous health and mental problems, and then death.
Gonorrhea is caused by gonococci and affects the mucous membranes of the urethra and, and when the disease spreads, the bladder, conjunctival membranes, pharynx, and oral mucosa. It manifests itself as purulent discharge, burning sensation and pain with frequent visits to the bathroom. Can be acute or chronic.
Trichomoniasis is very common in all countries of the world and can be transmitted through household means. In men, it manifests itself as painful urination and bloody discharge. Women experience severe redness of the vulva, burning, itching, copious discharge, and pain during sexual intercourse.
is caused by chlamydia and has a very secretive “character”. Due to the absence of external manifestations, the level of infection spread is very high. In advanced forms, women may experience itching, pain and burning, as well as unpleasant-smelling discharge. Men mainly experience burning and itching when urinating.
Mycoplasmosis is provoked by opportunistic microorganisms, mycoplasmas, and more often affects women, causing vaginosis and inflammatory diseases of the internal genital organs.
can be transmitted not only sexually, but also during childbirth from mother to newborn. It almost always passes without pronounced symptoms, but with a large number of ureaplasmas in men, signs of prostatitis may appear and classic symptoms of infection may occur - itching, burning and pain.
Gardnerellosis is a type of bacterial vaginosis associated with the “displacement” of lactobacilli and their replacement with gardnerella and some other microorganisms. It has several ways of appearance, not only sexually. A very common condition.
Candidiasis, or thrush, is also extremely common and can occur without external influence, such as the use of antibiotics. It manifests itself as abundant cheesy discharge, severe itching, irritation and inflammation. It can affect not only the genitals, but also the oral cavity.
The human papillomavirus () is transmitted sexually and domestically, has many varieties, some of which can cause cancer and, others provoke the formation of genital warts on the genital and anal mucous membranes. It manifests itself as the appearance of wart-like formations on the skin and mucous membranes, which can be single or turn into continuous affected areas.
Cytomegalovirus spreads through sexual and household contacts and through various bodily fluids. It is asymptomatic, especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it affects.
It spreads not only through sexual contact, but also through any contact with infected blood. It develops slowly and attacks the immune system, causing AIDS. Patients most often die from secondary infections, for example, from pneumonia, since the patient’s immune system, killed by the virus, does not resist.
also have many ways of spread, including sexually. With these dangerous diseases, a change in structure and functioning occurs, which is manifested by a series of characteristic symptoms.
Lymphogranuloma venereum affects the skin and lymph nodes of an infected person. It is rare in Europe and the Russian Federation, since the main region of its distribution is Africa and South America. Asia and India. Caused by a special type of chlamydia, it manifests itself as blisters, ulcers, inflammation of the lymph nodes, fever, headache and indigestion.

As can be seen from the list, some infections are of a viral nature (CMV, herpes, papillomatosis and condylomatosis, hepatitis, HIV and others), fungal (candidiasis), bacterial (gonorrhea), or provoked by protozoan microorganisms (ureaplasmosis, mycoplasmosis and others). Accordingly, treatment should be tailored to the specific pathogen. For mixed infections, combined treatment is used.

In many cases, infections may be asymptomatic. If you have had unprotected oral sex with an unverified partner, it is worth taking tests that will help identify the pathogen, if any.

Incubation period for oral STIs depends on the type of pathogen, its quantity and the state of the immune system. It can last from several hours to several months. Infection can be suspected when a sore throat appears, a rash and sores appear on the lips or oral mucosa.

Rashes in the mouth due to oral STIs often confused with stomatitis.

But over time it turns out that they do not respond to standard therapy. In such cases, it is worth taking an oral throat swab for STIs.

Plaques and mouth ulcers from oral STIs are also often confused with other diseases. In many cases, they resemble a common sore throat or pharyngitis. If within 2-3 days of standard therapy prescribed by the therapist, your health does not improve, you should think about the fact that this is not a common cold, but a sexually transmitted disease.

Can STIs acquired orally occur without affecting the genitals? Yes, they can. Not always and not all infections spread throughout the body. The pathology may be local in nature.

Which doctor should I contact if I suspect an oral STI?

These diseases, as well as other forms of urogenital infections, are dealt with by a venereologist. Having assessed the visible clinical symptoms, the doctor will prescribe additional examinations that will help refute or confirm the diagnosis.

What to do if you suspect a disease? The first thing to do is to avoid sexual intercourse in any form and consult a venereologist. To clarify the diagnosis, you will need to undergo laboratory diagnostics. Since visually in most cases it is impossible to identify the pathogen.

What smear and blood tests are used for oral STIs?

The examination that is prescribed to all patients is a mucosal smear. The biomaterial is collected from the affected area, where the concentration of the pathogen is maximum. Sowing on a nutrient medium allows you to detect the pathogen and determine its sensitivity to antibiotics.

As with other forms of urogenital infections, if you have an oral infection, you can get a blood test.

Detection of antibodies to a particular pathogen and determination of their titer will make it possible to judge the duration of infection and the activity of the process. Blood and other biomaterials can be examined using the PCR method. Which directly allows you to detect the genetic material of viruses and bacteria.

How to treat STIs with oral infection

Treatment should be comprehensive and consist of etiotropic, local therapy and measures aimed at maintaining immunity. For bacterial infections, antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment. Trust the choice of drug to your doctor.

Since this depends not only on the type of infection, but also on the specific strain of the pathogen and the activity of the process.

What are the most effective oral antibiotics for STIs?

It's difficult to answer. The result will be given by the medicine that is suitable in a particular situation. Unfortunately, there is no universal recipe for treating all urogenital infections. If the causative agent is a virus, antibiotics are not indicated at all. Except in cases of secondary bacterial infection. Local therapy consists of rinsing and treating the oral cavity with antiseptic solutions. This helps prevent complications and speed up recovery.

Is it possible to have sex while treating an STI orally?

Unprotected - definitely not. If the pathogen is in the oral cavity, there is no guarantee that it has not penetrated the genital tract. During the treatment period, it is better to avoid any types of intimacy.

Prevention of STIs transmitted orally

Now you know that you can get HIV and other STIs orally. To prevent infection, you should avoid promiscuity and use a condom during all oral contacts. If intimacy does occur, to prevent STIs orally, you can use Miramistin for rinsing or other antiseptics. This will reduce the risk of infection, but will not prevent it, so you should be examined by a venereologist as soon as possible.

If you suspect oral infection with an STI, contact a competent venereologist.

STDs are sexually transmitted sexually transmitted diseases. The causative agent of the infectious process in most cases enters the body through direct contact of the genitals. But not every sexual contact leads to infection.

Chances of contracting an STD varies and depends on a significant number of factors.

Factors affecting the risk of contracting STDs

Today, about 40 species of specific bacteria, protozoan unicellular microorganisms and viruses that are sexually transmitted are known. The likelihood of infection depends on several factors: Having sex with a new sexual partner without using condoms is the main factor that significantly increases the risk of infection.

The presence of inflammatory pathology of the genitourinary system, including nonspecific infections. Inflammation causes a weakening of local immunity with a sharp decrease in the ability to resist pathogens of sexually transmitted infections. This factor is of great importance in case of infection with microorganisms such as chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, and trichomoniasis.

Microtraumas to the mucous membrane of the genitourinary system significantly increase the risk of contracting viral infections through sexual and parenteral transmission. These include viral hepatitis B and C, HIV infection.

Gender of a person – the likelihood of infection with pathogens of sexually transmitted infections is much higher in women. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure and functioning of the reproductive organs.

Engaging in unconventional sex. Anal sex increases the risk of contracting certain sexually transmitted infections in women or gay men. It is often accompanied by trauma to the rectal mucosa.

When engaging in oral sex, the risk of infection is lower, but the likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted infections remains. The risk is higher in case of damage to the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and pharynx, or the presence of an active inflammatory process.

General immune status of the human body.

Decreased immunity is the cause of the development of an infectious process caused by opportunistic microorganisms (Candida fungi, some types of mycoplasmas).

As well as the number of sexual acts with an infected person.

Probability of contracting an STD after one contact

the highest is for papillomavirus infection, it reaches 75%. In this case, formations on the skin (condylomas) occur in 1-2% of people. The rest are asymptomatic carriers of this infection.

The risk of transmitting other diseases during one sexual contact (these are average figures combining all the factors listed above):

syphilis – 30%
chlamydia – 50%
gonorrhea – 50%
mycoplasmosis – 35%
genital herpes – 20%
HIV – from 0.1 to 1% according to various authors

These values can vary significantly based on the patient’s gender, the condition of the reproductive organs, characteristics of sexual intercourse, etc. A condom reduces the likelihood of infection, but does not eliminate it completely. In 2% of cases it ruptures, in another 1% it slips, opening the entrance gate for infection.

The likelihood of contracting an STD in men and women

In men, the risk of contracting STDs is lower, which is due to the structural features of the reproductive system organs. This applies to viral infections such as hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV AIDS.

The likelihood of contracting an STD in women higher than that of men.

This applies to all infectious diseases with sexual transmission. For example, the risk of contracting gonorrhea after one sexual act is 20% for a man and 70% for a woman.

If you suspect an STD infection, contact the competent venereologists at our medical center.

It lies in the irresponsible sexual behavior of people. Many are not picky with their choice of sexual partners and, moreover, often neglect protective measures.

How do sexually transmitted infections spread?

The ways in which healthy people become infected are varied:

Unprotected genital contact.
Unconventional sex – oral, anal.
Close bodily contact without sexual intercourse itself - petting, naked.
The household route of infection is through hands and objects contaminated with pathogens.
Vertical (from a pregnant woman to a child during pregnancy or childbirth).

Of course, intimate relationships of any kind have the greatest epidemiological significance.

Is there a gender difference?

The gender characteristics of the human body have a certain role. Due to the fact that ejaculate is retained in a woman’s genital tract, the likelihood of contracting any STD for women is very high, even with one-time sexual intercourse.

As for men, the penis during classic vaginal contact is washed with vaginal lubricant. In a sick woman, it can contain quite a lot of pathogens. However, after the act, the penis is withdrawn and contact ends. Thanks to this opportunity, men are slightly less likely to contract STDs.

True, for this it is necessary that the secretion of vaginal lubrication be sufficient. With its deficiency (“dry” sex), microtraumas appear on the penis, through which pathogens easily penetrate into the tissues and bloodstream. Such features are applicable to traditional sex. But if we are talking about oral or anal contacts, then the risks of the partners are equivalent. Regardless of gender and role in the act. Even with a single contact.

What increases your risk of contracting an STD?

Specific numbers probabilities get infected It is impossible to name one type or another. However, certain factors influencing the risk of getting sick are known.

The most significant are:

Type of connection (this was already written a little higher).
The main localization of the process (for example, it is believed that if a partner has gonorrheal urethritis, then oral sex is less dangerous).
The activity of the infection is in the acute phase of an STD; the probability of infection is always significant even with a single contact.
Characteristics of local immunity of the genital organs.
Ejaculation.

The last point is very important and is worth dwelling on in more detail. The seminal fluid of a man infected with sexually transmitted infections is very rich in pathogens. Moreover, some microorganisms bind to sperm and penetrate deeper on their surface than without ejaculation.

In the ejaculating man, the prostate duct makes suction movements and thereby increases the likelihood of infection by those STD pathogens that have penetrated the urethra, but have not yet had time to gain a foothold in it.

A separate group of diseases that can be contracted through sexual contact are called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They are also called infections (STIs). However, there are infections that can be transmitted through other means. For example, through blood, saliva, breast milk, intrauterine, airborne, household.

Diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases

To determine the presence of sexually transmitted viruses in the human body, the doctor takes a smear from the patient’s vagina, cervix and cervical canal.

PCR diagnostics (polymerase chain reaction). Its task is to determine the genetic material of the virus and establish its type, using special equipment and RNA and DNA databases. Such diagnostics make it possible to study various biological fluids of the body.

Microscopy. A specialist determines the pathogen by studying the infection through a microscope.

Bacteriological cultures on a nutrient medium to study the reaction to certain antibiotics.

But not all STIs can be diagnosed using smears. Experts also use other methods for detecting sexually transmitted diseases:

determination of HIV antibodies;
determination of immunoglobulins of various classes;
serological reactions;
determination of antigens.

STI symptoms

It is typical for this type of disease that after contracting the infection and without proper treatment, the patient develops symptoms. Usually these are rashes, increased body temperature, painful sensations when urinating, various discharge from the genitals with a characteristic odor.

Many infections do not appear immediately. The incubation period for some infections can be several years. The main danger of STDs lies in subsequent complications.

It is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner and take preventive measures to avoid the disease progressing to a more severe stage. If treatment is started, the sexually transmitted disease will become chronic.

Precautions

In order to protect yourself from contracting infectious diseases, you need to take the following measures:

use condoms or other means of mechanical contraception;
have only one sexual partner.

If you have unprotected sexual intercourse, or you do not have a regular sexual partner, it is recommended to regularly get tested for STDs.

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