If you ask question about who suffers from sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and how widespread they are, most people will answer, that these diseases are famous among prostitutes, homosexuals, in general “sexually promissory persons”, and such overwhelming minority. And they will be wrong.
Of course, large number of sexual partners increases risk of infection, but only those, who have never had sexual intercourse can fully insure against STD. And that is conditional – some of STD can be infected in other ways.
Is number of sexual partners important?
Number of sexual partners is also conditional thing. Nowadays there are almost no situations, when people have lost their virginity with each other and remain faithful for rest of their lives. At the same time, risk of infection increases with increase in number of not only their sexual partners, but also partners of their partners, partners of partners of their partners, and so on.
What infections are sexually transmitted?
Is it amazing? No, if you remember that STD aren`t limited to all known HIV infections, syphilis and gonorrhea. In addition to them, this group includes chlamydia, soft chancre, inguinal granuloma, genital herpes, human papillomavirus infection, trichomoniasis, molluscum contagiosum, and number of other diseases. In addition, sexually transmitted infections can affect other organs, such as some viral hepatitis.
Moreover, many genital infections don`t have acute onset with pronounced manifestations, which is why patient doesn`t go to doctor for a long time and isn`t treated, continuing to infect his sexual partners. Often there are also cases of asymptomatic carriage in which person doesn`t get sick himself, but serves as source of infection.
How to treat STD?
Nevertheless, modern specialists believe, that they have developed an approach, that allows them providing necessary amount of assistance to maximum number of applicants. It begins with examination for STD – all patients are offered to be tested for sexually transmitted infections, and for whole range of STD. This makes it possible to identify even sluggish, “hidden” infections outside period of exacerbations, as well as asymptomatic carriage.
Success of diagnostics is ensured by correct taking of tests under supervision of clinic employee and most sensitive techniques, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunological and microbiological studies.
How is STD diagnosed?
Additional methods help to clarify extent of individual organs infection and body as a whole: general blood and urine tests, ultrasound of pelvic organs, etc. They also help identify possible contraindications to appointment of certain drugs.
And, only when diagnosis is finally clear, individualized treatment regimen is developed (both medication and non-drug) and actual STD treatment begins. And it begins, not only for patient, but also for his sexual partner, because otherwise all efforts will be in vain.
Who can treat STD?
You shouldn`t believe charlatans, who promise to cure everything in three days or “one session” – it just doesn`t happen. By the way, private clinics that take on treatment of HIV infection, viral hepatitis and syphilis aren`t credible. By law, these infections can be dealt with only by public medical institutions, and contacting people engaged in illegal activities is more expensive.
Is STD treatment effective?
Such an approach makes it possible to achieve complete elimination of STD in approximately 90% of patients (unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve 100% result with absolutely all sexually transmitted infections, even with current medicine level).
Increase chances of success allows timely treatment to doctor. And since, as mentioned above, many STD develop gradually without marked symptoms, all sexually active people, who care about their health and their partner are recommended to be periodically examined for these diseases.