We were just kissing

Syphilis:

It may sound like a disease that died out in the 19th century, but syphilis is still well and truly with us, and can have devastating effects if left untreated.

It is also a major problem in our cities.

What is it and how is it passed on?

Syphilis is a bacterial infection, sometimes called 'the pox'. It has several stages: primary and secondary stages, which are very infectious, and the third or latent stage, which occur if the infection is left untreated.

Syphilis is easily passed on through:

vaginal, oral or anal sex
sharing sex toys
intimate close body contact with syphilis sores or rashes
from a mother to her unborn baby

You can't catch syphilis from hugging, sharing baths or towels, or from toilet seats or swimming pools. But you can catch it from kissing near a sore or rash.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of syphilis can be difficult to recognize and can be missed. They can take up to three months to show after sex with an infected person.

Primary stage syphilis:

Three to four weeks after infection, one or more painless sores appear. In women, these may be on the vulva (lips of the vagina), urethra (tube where the urine comes out) or cervix (entrance to the womb). In men, they may be on the penis or foreskin.
Sores can also appear around the anus and mouth in both sexes and are very infectious. They may take up to six weeks to heal.

Secondary stage syphilis:

If the infection isn't treated, three to six weeks after the sores have gone the following symptoms appear: a non-itchy rash that covers the whole body; wart-like growths on the vulva or around the anus; a flu-like illness, including swollen glands, sore throat and headache; white patches in the mouth; patchy hair loss.
These symptoms can last several weeks or months. Second stage syphilis is very infectious.

What happens if it isn't treated?

Latent stage syphilis:

Once the sores and rash have cleared up, there may be no symptoms for many years. This is called third stage or latent syphilis.

Latent syphilis develops about ten years after first infection. It can cause very serious damage to the heart, brain, eyes, other internal organs and nervous system which can be fatal. The individual may suffer blindness, mania and other heart rending issues.

Tertiary Syphilis:

In tertiary syphilis, the spirochetes have continued to reproduce for years. Pockets of damage accumulate in various tissues such as the bones, skin, nervous tissue, heart, and arteries. These lesions are called gummas and are very destructive.

Lesions in the central nervous system produce neurological disease called neurosyphilis which can include tabes dorsalis, general paresis, and optic atrophy. Lesions of the heart, heart valves and aorta can lead to aneurysms, valvular heart disease, and aortitis.

Tertiary syphilis is less frequently seen today than in the past because of early detection and adequate treatment. The incidence of tertiary syphilis is approximately 5 per 100,000 individuals annually in the US.

Symptoms of tertiary syphilis depend on which organ systems have been affected. They vary widely and are difficult to diagnose. In individuals with tertiary syphilis the primary and secondary stages of syphilis usually have been long forgotten. Medical findings of aortic aneurysms and neurological problems require astute diagnostic ability to link them to syphilis. Some of the symptomatic problems are listed below.

Infiltrative tumors of skin, bones, or liver (gumma)
Cardiovascular syphilis which affects the aorta and causes aneurysms or valve disease
Central nervous system disorders (neurosyphilis)

Testing and treatment

Tests shouldn't be painful, but may be uncomfortable. They may include:

blood and urine samples
taking a swab from the sores
examining the genitals and entire body
an internal examination for women

Treatment is simple during the primary and secondary stages, and involves either a single antibiotic injection or two-week course of antibiotic tablets. It can also be treated during the third or latent stage, but any damage done to the body may be irreversible.

Any unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex should be avoided until treatment is completed and the infection has cleared up. Direct contact between the sores and rashes and a partner should also be avoided until treatment is complete.

To avoid re-infection, all sexual partners should also be treated.

All pregnant women in the UK are tested for syphilis.

Treatment can be safely given to pregnant women with no risk to the unborn baby. Left untreated, syphilis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.

is of Gonorrhea bacteria.

This is becoming a major problem for all of us - not just those people who have casual sex - ALL of us!

Anyone who has sex can catch a sexually transmitted disease. Left alone any one of these diseases can have long term and dangerous results.

Gonorrhea

About 50% of all women and 10% of men do not show symptoms of "the Clap"

Any symptoms that do occur may be noticed one to 14 days after infection. Gonorrhoea in the throat rarely shows symptoms.

Symptoms in women:

strong smelling vaginal discharge that may be thin/watery or yellow/green
pain when passing urine
irritation or discharge from the anus
possibly some low abdominal or pelvic tenderness

Symptoms in men:

white, yellow or green discharge from the tip of the penis
inflammation of the testicles and prostate gland
pain when urinating
irritation or discharge from the anus

Testing and treatment

Tests for gonorrhea shouldn't be painful, but they may be uncomfortable. They involve:

giving a sample of urine
a genital examination by a doctor or nurse
taking swabs from the cervix (entrance to the womb), urethra (tube where the urine comes out), throat or rectum

Early treatment is simple and effective and involves a single dose of antibiotics. This is followed by a second test a month later to make sure the infection has gone. If complications occur another treatment may be needed.

It's important not to have unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex until treatment is completed and the infection has cleared up.

Once gonorrhea is successfully treated it won't come back unless a new infection is picked up. To avoid re-infection, any sexual partners should be treated too.

What happens if it isn't treated?

Without treatment, gonorrhoea can spread to other reproductive organs causing damage and serious long-term health problems.

In women, gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to:

blocked fallopian tubes (the tubes which carry the egg from the ovaries to the womb), which can result in reduced fertility or infertility
long-term pelvic pain
ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the womb)

A mother with gonorrhoea can pass an eye infection to her baby at birth. If untreated, this can lead to blindness.

In men, gonorrhoea can lead to:

pain and inflammation of the testicles
inflammation of the prostate gland and infertility

Chlamydia

Signs and symptoms

Around 70% of women and 50% of men who have chlamydia show no symptoms at all; others may have symptoms so mild they aren't noticed.

Symptoms in women:

an unusual vaginal discharge
pain when passing urine
bleeding between periods
pain during sex or bleeding after sex
low abdominal pain

Symptoms in men:

white/cloudy, watery discharge from the tip of the penis
pain or a burning sensation when passing urine
testicular pain and/or swelling

Testing and treatment

The tests for chlamydia aren't usually painful but they may be uncomfortable. Either a urine test is done or a swab is taken from the urethra (the tube where urine comes out), the cervix (entrance to the womb), rectum, throat or eye.

Cervical smear tests and blood tests don't detect infections such as chlamydia.

Chlamydia is simple to treat with antibiotics, either a single dose or a course lasting up to two weeks. To avoid re-infection, any sexual partners should be treated too. If complications occur, another treatment may be needed.

Once chlamydia has been successfully treated, it won't come back unless a new infection is picked up.

In 2000, more than 39,000 cases of chlamydia were diagnosed among 16- to 24-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What happens if it isn't treated?

Without treatment, the infection can spread to other parts of the body causing damage and serious long-term health problems.

In women, chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This can lead to:

ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy outside the womb)
blocked fallopian tubes (the tubes which carry the egg from the ovaries to the womb), which can result in reduced fertility or infertility
long-term pelvic pain
early miscarriage or premature birth

Chlamydia can be safely treated during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but if untreated can cause an eye infection or pneumonia in the baby at birth.

In men, chlamydia can lead to: