Understanding Sexually Transmitted Infections Comparative Chart Use this comparative chart to help you understand and identify the different types of STIs and how you can protect yourself from them. Dental Dam Male Condom Sexually transmitted infections, or “STIs” for short, are viral, bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections that are contracted from person to person during sexual activity. Infections can be transferred through exchanges of body uids like blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. Dierent types of sexual activities that transfer infections include oral, vaginal or anal intercourse, as well as skin-to-skin contact. Protect yourself from STIs. It is important to use a latex condom for any sexual activity and to use a dental dam for oral sex. If you have sexual relations with multiple partners, make sure you always use a condom and get tested regularly. It’s never too late to take action. If you have tested positive for an STI, make sure you seek treatment from your health-care professional as soon as possible. You will also be Female Condom asked to contact all the partners you have been sexually active with, to avoid spreading the infection. It is important to treat STIs right away, as many are easily curable, but may cause infertility or even death if left untreated. Pregnant and lactating women with STIs may require dierent forms of treatment to prevent harm to their fetuses or newborns. Dual protection consists of using a condom with any other form of contraception (like the pill, the patch or the ring) to protect against STIs and to increase contraceptive eectiveness to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. Latex condoms are eective in preventing most STIs. The chart below lists all the sexually transmitted infections. Viral infections are the most problematic because they are chronic infections which usually require ongoing treatment. Bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections are typically cleared up by the use of prescription medication. Viral Genital Herpes (HSV) Hepatitis B (Hep B) Human Immunodeciency Virus (HIV-AIDS) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Bacterial Chlamydia (LGV) Gonorrhea (the Clap) Syphilis (the Great Imitator) Parasitic Pubic Lice (Crabs) Scabies (Mites) Trichomoniasis (Trich) Fungal Yeast Infection (Candida) GENITAL HERPES or “HSV” Viral How is it TRANSMITTED? What are the SIGNS and SYMPTOMS? What are possible CONSIDERATIONS? What are the TREATMENT options? Did you KNOW? • Genital herpes is a viral • Not all infected people develop symptoms • Increased risk of transmitting or becoming • Antiviral medications—acyclovir, • There are two types of Herpes infection transmitted • Symptoms may emerge 2 to 21 days after infected with HIV famciclovir and valacyclovir—to simplex virus: through direct vaginal, oral initial infection; usually after 6 • Avoid sexual activity from the start of be started as early as possible o HSV-1, traditionally associated or anal sexual contact with • Prior to an outbreak, the infected person burning/tingling symptoms until all lesions have following the onset of symptoms with cold sores an infected partner may feel a tingling or burning sensation completely healed • Suppressive therapy, which o HSV-2, traditionally associated • By receiving oral sex from a where the virus first entered the skin • Pay attention to personal hygiene to inhibits viral reproduction and with anogenital herpes partner with a history of or—in the case of a recurrence—where avoid fomite transmission reduces outbreaks, can be • The virus may cause a single cold sores there were lesions • Be aware of the potential for recurrences; considered for patients with outbreak or recurrences over time • Through asymptomatic watch for signs and symptoms as they may frequent outbreaks (6 or more • Recurrences may be triggered by: shedding (transmission of During an outbreak: not be obvious times per year) o The menstrual cycle in women the virus when there are no • Painful sores (external or internal) • Condoms and drug therapy can reduce but not • Other considerations for o Emotional stress symptoms or lesions) • Inflammation and redness eliminate the risk of transmission. Condoms have management during an outbreak: o Illness (especially fever) • From an infected woman to • Fever limited effectiveness at preventing infection as they o Pain relievers and laxatives o Sexual intercourse her infant during pregnancy • Muscular pain do not cover the entire genital area o Hospitalization, should urine o Surgery or birth • Tender lymph nodes • Though chronic in nature, herpes is a manageable retention become a problem o Exposure to sun (including • Less commonly, through • An outbreak resolves in 17 days for men infection. Counselling may be useful to help with tanning beds) fomite transmission-contact and 23 days for women, on average relationship issues o Use of certain medications with contaminated objects • Atypical signs and symptoms (without • Advise your ob/gyn of your history of infection; such as towels lesions): genital pain, urethritis, aseptic precautions can be taken during pregnancy and meningitis or cervicitis delivery to minimize risk of transmission to the baby HEPATITIS B or “Hep B” Viral How is it TRANSMITTED? What are the SIGNS and SYMPTOMS? What are possible CONSIDERATIONS? What are the TREATMENT options? Did you KNOW? • Hepatitis B is a viral infection • In up to 50% of people, there are no • All sexual and household contacts of • There is no cure for hepatitis B, but a vaccine to prevent • Hep B is a virus that affects transmitted through anal, outward signs of infection people with hepatitis B should be the infection is available the liver and is found in vaginal or oral sex with an • Up to 8 weeks after exposure to the advised to be vaccinated to • Most individuals recover from hepatitis B infection fully blood and body fluids infected person virus, some people experience prevent infection within about 6 months including the vaginal • Through exposure to flu-like symptoms including: • Chronic hepatitis B can lead to severe • Individuals who are acutely infected with hepatitis B should secretions, semen, breast infected blood or blood o Tiredness liver damage including cirrhosis abstain from sexual activity until their partner(s) have been milk and saliva of infected products (for example, o Nausea and vomiting (scarring of the liver) and cancer screened and immunized if needed individuals injection drug use with o Decreased appetite • Babies born to mothers with • Household contacts should also be screened and • Most infected people (90%) shared equipment, o Rash hepatitis B are at a high risk of immunized if needed naturally produce antibodies accidental exposure or o Joint pain becoming chronic carriers; they • If an individual is exposed, an injection of antibodies may to fight the disease, but needlestick) o Yellowing of the eyes and skin should receive an injection of be given (up to 7 days after a needlestick injury and up to some develop chronic • Occasionally from contact (in rare cases) antibodies immediately after birth, 14 days after sexual contact), followed by the hepatitis B hepatitis B; they carry the with shared household items followed by the vaccine vaccine to help prevent infection. Infants born to infected virus all their lives and are (such as toothbrushes or mothers should receive an injection of antibodies infectious for life razors) immediately after birth followed by the vaccine within • Chronic infection can • During childbirth 12 hours significantly damage (transmission from mother • Individuals with acute (non chronic) infections usually the liver to infant) do not need antiviral medications • Hepatitis B is most common • Individuals who develop chronic hepatitis B infection in developing countries require liver function monitoring and may benefit from treatment with interferon or an antiviral medication HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS or “HIV-AIDS” Viral How is it TRANSMITTED? What are the SIGNS and SYMPTOMS? What are possible CONSIDERATIONS? What are the TREATMENT options? Did you KNOW? HIV is a viral infection that is transmitted when • Two to 4 weeks after exposure, some • Once AIDS has set in, other afflictions may • No cure exists for HIV-AIDS. • The virus destroys cells the body fluids of an infected person (blood, infected individuals may experience mild occur such as: Treatments are continually critical to a person’s semen, pre-semen, vaginal secretions, breast flu-like symptoms that last a few weeks o Infections: pneumocytis jiroveci (previously evolving, helping people living immune system, robbing milk) enter the blood stream of another then disappear known as PCP), cytomegalovirus (CMV) with HIV-AIDS control the virus the body of its ability to individual— specifically, from: • For most people, symptoms don’t emerge causing loss of vision, candidiasis and its symptoms fight other infections • Unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex until years after exposure (esophageal, lungs, bronchial, vaginal), • Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) helps and illnesses • Use of contaminated sex toys • Once the immune system is weakened, the mycobacterium avium complex, slow the progression of the • HIV weakens the immune • Shared needles or other drug equipment following may develop: mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and can help the system over time (months (for example, water, cookers or crack pipes) o Frequent fever or sweats o Cancers: cervical, anal, kaposi sarcoma immune system restore itself to years) until other • HIV-infected blood or blood products o Joint or muscle