STDs in general are diseases that are transmitted through sexual intercourse. It should be mentioned that those diseases can also be transmitted via oral and anal contacts and are not only concentrated on vaginal contacts. All sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented by mechanical contraception, especially condoms. In the following you will find the most common venereal diseases in order of frequency:
- Sexually transmitted diseases caused by viruses
- Venereal diseases caused by bacteria
- Venereal diseases caused by other pathogens
Sexually transmitted diseases caused by viruses
This disease also belongs to the sexually transmitted diseases and is transmitted directly through contact with the infected area. The pathogens are the herpes simplex viruses (HSV). Since the disease is transmitted not only through sexual intercourse but also through direct contact with infected skin, a condom provides only limited protection.
You should immediately clean the skin thoroughly if you come into contact with a sick person in those areas. If you have this disease, the risk of contracting other venereal diseases increases. In many people the virus slumbers in the body without being noticed.
That is why it is very often transmitted unknowingly. Directly after the infection there are red spots at the places where the pathogen has entered the body and blisters form that itch, hurt or burn, which later give way to small ulcers. These symptoms are accompanied by typical symptoms of flu-like infections such as muscle pain and fever.
After that the virus can rest for months or years until the immune system is weak and the disease can break out again. The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is an extremely widespread sexually transmitted disease worldwide. This disease is mainly transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse but also through contact with infected skin.
The viruses attack the epithelial cells in the skin and mucous membrane. There are high-risk virus types that almost always cause cervical cancer and other cancers in the genital area. For those types there is the prophylactic cervical cancer vaccination, which should be given to young women, as well as a preventive examination by a gynaecologist.
Low-risk types can develop genital warts (condylomas), which are benign growths in the genital area, or cause no symptoms at all. In addition, there are also some that infect the oral cavity, for example through oral sex, and also cause growths there. There is no medication for this disease either.
It is also important that, especially in children who have genital warts, just as with all other venereal diseases, when they occur in a child, one should carefully examine where it comes from, especially with regard to sexual abuse. HIV is unfortunately still a very widespread venereal disease. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the later stage of the disease in which symptoms are already frequent and the number of T-cells as part of the immune system has decreased significantly.
Especially in developing countries there is often a lack of education and sufficient information about contraception and AIDS as well as HIV. In most cases condoms are not used at all, which could prevent the infection of the disease. Besides sexual intercourse, the pathogen can also be transmitted via infected needles, blood in general and at birth.
Homosexuals in particular represent a risk group, since the rate of infection is higher in this group and the risk of infection is higher during anal intercourse than during vaginal intercourse. The first signs are similar to influenza and are therefore often overlooked. Firstly, lymph node swelling, fever and other signs of infection such as night sweats or weight loss usually occur within the first few weeks after initial infection.
This is followed by a symptom-free phase. Only when AIDS occurs do further symptoms appear, as patients are not sufficiently protected against other pathogens by their weakened immune system. Frequently, pneumonia or fungal infections occur.
or lymph node swelling – what are the indications that it is HIV? Hepatitis B is one of the diseases for which one can be vaccinated. Normally, one gets the first vaccination in infancy.
Most people are then protected for life. If you are not sure whether you are still sufficiently protected, a titer determination is always recommended. Hepatitis B is an infectious viral disease that attacks the liver.
The virus is called hepatitis B virus (HBV).This disease is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse, but the bloodstream is also a possible source of infection. In most people, the disease is acute and causes inflammation of the liver and muscle problems, loss of appetite and nausea, which subsides and usually heals completely after a month or more. In some patients, however, the disease becomes chronic, which can lead to irreparable and serious liver damage. Acute hepatitis is usually only treated symptomatically. If the disease is chronic, those drugs are used which prevent more viruses from being produced.
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