STD - Sexually Transmitted Disease

 The Difference Between STI & STD

STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease, whereas STI defied as Sexually Transmitted Infections. All STIs are also STDs.

Essentially, the difference is between a Disease and an Infection. 

• a disease is a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury. There are four main types of disease: infectious diseases, deficiency diseases, hereditary diseases (including both genetic diseases and non-genetic hereditary diseases), and physiological diseases. Diseases can also be classified in other ways, such as communicable versus non-communicable diseases.

 

• an infections is the invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are not normally present within the body. An infection may cause no symptoms and be sub-clinical, or it may cause symptoms and be clinically apparent.  the most common and deadly types of infection: bacterial, viral, fungal, and prion.

 

STI – Sexually Transmitted Infections

sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact. The contact is usually vaginal, oral, or anal sex. But sometimes they can spread through other intimate physical contact.

 

STD - Sexually Transmitted Disease

 

STDs are sexually transmitted diseases. This means they are most often - but not exclusively - spread by sexual Intercourse. 

1.     HIV, 

2.     chlamydia, 

3.     genital herpes, 

4.     genital warts, 

5.     gonorrhea,

6.     some forms of hepatitis, 

7.     syphilis, and 

8.     trichomoniasis 

 

are STDs.

STDs used to be called venereal diseases or VD. They are among the most common Contagious Desease. It's estimated that 25% of all Americans have an incurable STD. Each year, 20 million new cases are reported; half of these infections are among people ages 15 to 24 and they can have long-term consequences.

STDs are serious illnesses that require treatment. Some STDs, such as HIV, cannot be cured and can be deadly. By learning more about STDs, you can learn ways to protect yourself.

You can get a STD from vaginal, anal, or oral Sex. You can also be infected with trichomoniasis through contact with damp or moist objects such as towels, wet clothing, or toilet seats, although it is more commonly spread by sexual contact. You are at high risk if:

• You have more than one Sex partner
• You have sex with someone who has had many partners
• You don't use a Condom when having sex
• You share needles when injecting intravenous drugs
• You trade sex for money or drugs

HIV and Herpes are chronic conditions that can be managed but not cured. Hepatitis B also may become chronic but can be managed. You may not realize you have certain STDs until you have damage to your reproductive organs (rendering you infertile), your vision, your heart, or other organs. Having an STD may weaken the immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to other infections. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is a complication of gonorrhea and chlamydia that can leave women unable to have children. It can even kill you. If you pass an STD to your newborn child, the baby may suffer permanent harm or death.

What Causes STDs?

STDs include just about every kind of infection. Bacterial STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Viral STDs include HIV, genital herpies, genital warts (HPV), and hepatitis B. Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite.

The germs that cause STDs hide in semen, blood, vaginal secretions, and sometimes saliva. Most of the organisms are spread by vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but some, such as those that cause genital herpies and genital warts, may be spread through skin contact. You can get hepatitis B by sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes or razors, with someone who has it.

 

How STDs are diagnosed?

Diagnosing and treating a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the early stages is important to avoid complications and prevent transmission of the infection. Most STDs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and human papillomavirus (HPV), are diagnosed with a blood, urine, or swab test performed in a healthcare provider's office or sexual health clinic.

STDs cause a diverse variety of symptoms or may present with no symptoms at all. If you think you may have been exposed to an STD it is important to get tested.

Self-Checks/At-Home Testing

You may recognize what you believe to be symptoms or signs of an STD, such as discharge or pain. Many of these symptoms can be mistaken for another health condition such as a urinary tract or yeast infection.

So, while symptoms of an STD should prompt you to see a healthcare provider, they alone are not enough for you to confirm that you have an STD. Likewise, a lack of symptoms isn't enough to confirm that you don't.

At-home testing is available for many STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus-2, HIV, and HPV. You collect urine, blood, and/or vaginal, rectal, or oral swabs and mail the sample(s) to a laboratory. Results are usually available in two to 10 days and are typically viewable online. There are also HIV oral tests that can give results at home within minutes.

The Best At-Home STD Tests

Many people prefer the privacy of at-home STD testing. However, research shows that results are not as accurate as those of tests performed by a healthcare professional, likely due to user-error when collecting samples. 

If you test positive for an STD using a self-test, it is important to see a healthcare provider for confirmatory testing.

Labs and Tests 

STD screening is not an automatic part of a routine physical or annual gynecologic exam as standard health care. Be proactive about your sexual health and ask your healthcare provider to test you for STDs. There is no standard STD panel, so talk honestly with your healthcare provider about your risk factors and be clear about STDs you may have been exposed to. All STDs that affect both men and women can be screened for in both sexes with the exception of human papillomavirus (HPV), which can only be screened for in women. Your healthcare provider will take a detailed sexual-health history and perform a physical examination before deciding on what tests to order and collecting samples for the lab. These may include:

• Urine
• Blood
• Swab samples from the penis, vagina, urethra, cervix, anus, cheek, throat, or open sores

Don't assume that you've been tested for something unless your healthcare provider explicitly states it. And don’t hesitate to ask for additional tests if you think they are appropriate.

Bacterial & Fungal STDs

Bacterial/Fungal STD	Blood Test	Urine Test	Swab Test
Bacterial vaginosis	No	No	Yes
Chlamydia	No	Yes	Yes
Gonorrhea	No	Yes	Yes
Syphilis	Yes	No	Yes
Trichomoniasis	No	Yes	Yes

Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Testing

Gonorrhea and chlamydia are the easiest STDs to test for. Young women are sometimes screened for these automatically. Anyone with a new partner or multiple partners should probably be screened for these STDs as well.

A nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) is commonly performed to check for genetic evidence of infection using urine or swab samples and can provide results within a few business days. Swab tests that are processed using culture techniques, may take up to a week.

Syphilis Testing

Syphilis testing is typically performed with a blood test and is recommended for pregnant women and certain high-risk groups such as patients with another STD, men who have high-risk sex with men, and prison inmates. In the absence of symptoms, however, other people are not usually tested for syphilis due to a risk of false positives.

If you are tested using a VDRL test (blood test), you should get your results in under a week. There is also a rapid test, which can provide results in less than 15 minutes, but it is not available at all healthcare provider's offices.

Trichomoniasis and Bacterial Vaginosis Testing

For women, rapid tests are available for trichomoniasis and bacterial vaginosis (BV). (Though not classified as an STD, a woman's risk of BV increases with the number of sexual partners she has had.) These tests are performed in the healthcare provider's office and done using a vaginal swab. Results can be available in as little as 10 minutes and conveyed to you before you leave. Swabs can also be sent to a laboratory for testing; your practitioner can share results when they're returned.

Trichomoniasis can also be detected in a urine sample that is sent to a lab for testing. The results can take a day to a week to be available. Men are unlikely to be screened for trichomoniasis unless their partner is positive, but a urine test can be requested.

Viral STDs

Viral STD	Blood Test	Urine Test	Swab Test
Hepatitis B	Yes	No	No
Herpes	Yes	No	Yes
HIV	Yes	Yes	Yes
HPV	No	No	Yes

Hepatitis B Testing

Hepatitis B is diagnosed with a series of blood tests. Test results usually take a day or more, depending on where the sample needs to be sent.

There is a rapid test that gives results in 20 minutes, but it must be confirmed with an additional blood test. 

Herpes Testing

Herpes can be diagnosed with a blood test or by taking a swab test from a sore if symptoms are present. Due to the possibility of false positives, the CDC does not recommend testing for herpes in the absence of symptoms, unless you have knowingly been exposed to herpes. You can, however, request herpes testing if you have had multiple sexual partners and want to be screened for all STDs. Due to the performance limitations of a blood test, it is recommended that a second test be done using another method to confirm the results.

Depending on the lab, results can come back as quickly as one day for blood tests and three days for cultures. It's important to note that a herpes blood test can only confirm the infection is present, but cannot differentiate between oral and genital herpes. 

HIV Testing

HIV tests are usually performed on blood or oral fluid, but some clinics can test using a urine sample. Everyone should be tested, at least once, for HIV. People who engage in risky behavior should be tested more often.

Rapid HIV tests can give results in as little as 30 minutes. More often, a blood or saliva sample will be sent out and you'll get your results in under a week.

Timing Matters

Standard herpes and HIV tests look for antibodies in the blood, but they are not detectable immediately after contracting the virus. HIV tests are also routinely done with an oral swab test.

It takes at least two weeks and as much as three months post-exposure for herpes to render a positive test result.⁷ Antibodies to HIV are detectable in the blood two to six weeks after exposure, though it can take up to three months.

If you are being screened after a risky encounter, it is important to let your healthcare provider know. They may be able to do a nucleic acid test (NAT) on a blood sample. This test can detect the HIV virus itself, usually 10 to 33 days after an exposure.

If you test negative for HIV after exposure, it is a good idea to get retested after three months to be sure.

HPV Testing

HPV is easier to detect in women than men because the only FDA-approved test for diagnosing HPV uses cervical cells. Testing can be done during a pelvic exam—either by itself or at the same time as a Pap smear. Results typically take one to three weeks.

While other viral STDs can be diagnosed through blood work, the viral load of HPV changes over time as the body fights the virus. This makes HPV blood tests unreliable and not recommended by the FDA.

Treatment

STDs or STIs caused by bacteria are generally easier to treat. Viral infections can be managed but not always cured.

If you are pregnant and have an STI, getting treatment right away can prevent or reduce the risk of your baby becoming infected.

Treatment for STIs usually consists of one of the following, depending on the infection:

·         Antibiotics. Antibiotics, often in a single dose, can cure many sexually transmitted bacterial and parasitic infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Typically, you'll be treated for gonorrhea and chlamydia at the same time because the two infections often appear together.

Once you start antibiotic treatment, it's necessary to finish the prescription. If you don't think you'll be able to take medication as prescribed, tell your doctor. A shorter, simpler course of treatment may be available.

In addition, it's important to abstain from sex until seven days after you've completed antibiotic treatment and any sores have healed. Experts also suggest women be retested in about three months because there's a high chance of reinfection.

·         Antiviral drugs. If you have herpes or HIV, you'll be prescribed an antiviral drug. You'll have fewer herpes recurrences if you take daily suppressive therapy with a prescription antiviral drug. However, it's still possible to give your partner herpes.

Antiviral drugs can keep HIV infection in check for many years. But you will still carry the virus and can still transmit it, though the risk is lower.

The sooner you start HIV treatment, the more effective it is. If you take your medications exactly as directed, it's possible to reduce the viral load in the blood so that it can hardly be detected.

If you've had an STI, ask your doctor how long after treatment you need to be retested. Getting retested will ensure that the treatment worked and that you haven't been reinfected.

Partner notification and preventive treatment

If tests show that you have an STI, your sex partners — including your current partners and any other partners you've had over the last three months to one year — need to be informed so that they can get tested. If they're infected, they can then be treated.

Each state has different requirements, but most states require that certain STIs be reported to the local or state health department. Public health departments often employ trained disease intervention specialists who can help notify partners and refer people for treatment.

Official, confidential partner notification can help limit the spread of STIs, particularly for syphilis and HIV. The practice also steers those at risk toward counseling and the right treatment. And since you can contract some STIs more than once, partner notification reduces your risk of getting reinfected.

 Based On WHO