More Knowledge About Symptoms Of Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum – a specific type of bacteria called a spirochete. Syphilisis characterized by four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary.

After becoming infected with syphilis, there is an incubation period between of 9 to 90 days (the average being around 21 days) before the first signs and symptoms of the disease appear. Each stage of syphilis has characteristic signs and symptoms but any particular sign or symptom of may or may not be present.

Syphilis develops in four stages, each with a different set of symptoms.

Primary stage

During the primary stage of syphilis, a sore (chancre) that is usually painless develops at the site where the bacteria entered the body. This commonly occurs within 3 weeks of exposure but can range from 10 to 90 days. A person is highly contagious during the primary stage.

In men, a chancre often appears in the genital area, usually (but not always) on the penis. These sores are often painless.

In women, chancres can develop on the outer genitals or on the inner part of the vagina. A chancre may go unnoticed if it occurs inside the vagina or at the opening to the uterus (cervix). The sores are usually painless and are not easily seen.

Swelling of the lymph nodes may occur near the area of the chancre.

A chancre may also occur in an area of the body other than the genitals.

The chancre lasts for 28 to 42 days, heals without treatment, and may leave a thin scar. But just because the chancre has healed does not mean the syphilis is cured or that a person cannot pass the infection to others.

Secondary syphilis is characterized by a rash that appears from 4 to 10 weeks after the chancre develops and sometimes before it heals. Other symptoms may also occur, indicating that the infection has spread throughout the body. A person is highly contagious during the secondary stage.

A rash often develops over the body and commonly includes the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.

The rash usually consists of reddish brown, small, solid, flat or raised skin sores that are less. But the rash may look like other more common skin problems.

Small, open sores may be present on mucous membranes. The sores may contain pus. Or moist sores that look like warts (called condyloma lata) may be present.

When syphilis has spread throughout the body, the person may have :

A fever of usually less than 101°F (38.3°C). A sore throat. A vague feeling of weakness or discomfort throughout the body.

Weight loss. Patchy hair loss, especially in the eyebrows, eyelashes, and scalp hair. Swelling of the lymph nodes.

Nervous system symptoms of secondary syphilis, which can cause headaches, stiff neck, vision or hearing problems, irritability, paralysis, unequal reflexes, and irregular (different-sized) pupils.

Tertiary (late) stage

This is the most destructive stage of syphilis. If untreated, the tertiary stage may begin as early as 1 year after infection or at any time during a person's lifetime. A person with syphilis may never experience this stage of the illness.

During this stage, syphilis may cause serious blood vessel and heart problems, mental disorders, blindness, nerve system problems, and even death. The symptoms of tertiary (late) syphilis depend on the complications that develop. Complications of this stage include:

Gummata, which are large sores inside the body or on the skin. Cardiovascular syphilis, which affects the heart and blood vessels. Neurosyphilis, which affects the brain or the lining that covers the brain. Congenital syphilis

Congenital syphilis refers to syphilis passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or during labor and delivery.  Preventive Services Task Force strongly recommend that all pregnant women be screened for syphilis because of the severe consequences of being pregnant while infected or having a child born with congenital syphilis. Screening should be done:3, 4

At the first prenatal visit for all pregnant women.

At the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy and again at delivery for women who are at high risk of acquiring syphilis.

Congenital syphilis increases the risk of fetal death and medical complications in newborns. 

Syphilis enters the fetal blood system through the placenta, causing infection of the newborn or death of the fetus. Symptoms of congenital syphilis include:

A highly contagious watery discharge from the nose ("snuffles"). Painful inflammation of the bone coverings. Contagious rash that frequently appears over the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Reduced red blood cells in the blood (anemia). Enlarged liver and spleen.

Swelling of the lymph nodes. Failure to grow and develop normally (failure to thrive).

Because there are other conditions with similar symptoms, an accurate diagnosis is important for treatment.

If untreated, an infected person will progress to the latent (hidden) stage of syphilis. The latent stage is defined as the year after a person becomes infected. After the secondary-stage rash goes away, the person will not have any symptoms for a time (latent period). The latent period may be as brief as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years.

Often during this stage, an accurate diagnosis can only be made through blood testing, the person's history, or the birth of a child with congenital syphilis.

A person is contagious during the early part of the latent stage and may be contagious during the latent period when no symptoms are present.

About 20% to 30% of people with syphilis have a relapse of the disease during its latent stage.2 A relapse means the person was symptom-free but then started having symptoms again. Relapses can occur several times.

When relapses no longer occur, a person is not contagious through contact. But a woman in the latent stage of syphilis may still pass the disease to her unborn baby and may have a miscarriage or a stillbirth or give birth to a baby infected with congenital syphilis.

Get Home Rapid Gonorrhea Test Best For Our

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (urine canal) in women and men. The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.

Gonorrhea is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery.

People who have had gonorrhea and received treatment may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.

Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. In the United States, the highest reported rates of infection are among sexually active teenagers, young adults.

Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, some men have signs or symptoms that appear one to fourteen days after infection. Symptoms and signs include a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. Sometimes men with gonorrhea get painful or swollen testicles.

In women, the symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild, but most women who are infected have no symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they can be so non-specific as to be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The initial symptoms and signs in women include a painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, regardless of the presence or severity of symptoms.

Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. Rectal infection also may cause no symptoms. Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat, but usually causes no symptoms.

If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give the infection to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life-threatening blood infection in the baby. Treatment of gonorrhea as soon as it is detected in pregnant women will reduce the risk of these complications. Pregnant women should consult a health care provider for appropriate examination, testing, and treatment, as necessary.

We all want to protect ourselves and each other from infections like gonorrhea. Learning more about gonorrhea is an important first step. 

Gonorrhea at a Glance :

>> A common sexually transmitted disease (STD)

>> Often has no symptoms

>> Easily treated

>> Easily spread with or without symptoms

>> Condoms offer good protection

Want to get tested for gonorrhea? 

The Home Bio Gonorrhea test is an easy to use, accurate and reliable assay that will detect antibodies to the bacteria that cause gonorrhea present on swab samples collected from the cervix or the urethra.

The test is easy to use and the result is available within minutes – in the privacy of your own home.

Accurate and Specific

Our test kits are the same as those used by doctors and other healthcare professionals to screen for infection with gonorrhea. The test is specific for Neisseria gonorrhea bacteria and has an accuracy of greater than 99.8%.

Performing the test

Using the swab provided, a sample is taken from the cervix (women) or urethra (men) and transferred to the extraction solution. A second solution is added and then the test strip is briefly into the solution and removed. The easy to read result will develop after ten minutes and you will learn if you have a gonorrhea infection or not.

The test comes with an easy to understand instruction sheet.

Get For Your Personal Rapid Chlamydia Test

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection worldwide; thus, rapid detection and treatment are crucial to prevent further transmission. Investigators assessed the performance of the Chlamydia Rapid Test using self-collected vaginal swab specimens from women. The gold standard of comparison was polymerase chain reaction testing of first-void urine specimens.

Chlamydia, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is the most common sexually-transmitted bacterial infection in the UK, particularly amongst sexually active men and women aged 16-24 years.
In the majority of cases, the disease is asymptomatic in both men and women. If symptoms show, they may include discharge or pain when passing urine for men. Recent research suggests that, if untreated – even when no symptoms show – it may be a cause of reduced fertility. In women, it can lead to even more serious complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain and ectopic pregnancy.

Screening has recently shown that in some parts of Britain, 10 per cent to 20 per cent of young adults have chlamydia.
Chlamydia can be cured, but unfortunately it often produces no symptoms in either men or women, so it can remain undetected.

Some women may experience: cystitis, change in vaginal discharge, mild lower abdominal pain.
These are very 'non-specific’ symptoms and can be caused by other infections and diseases. If you go to a GP or family planning doctor with these symptoms, make sure you have a chlamydia test. You are entitled to ask for the test if you aren't offered it.
In men, chlamydia often causes of discharge from the penis. Sometimes it can cause mild irritation at the tip of the penis that disappears after two or three days.
Many men will wait to see if the discomfort goes away. While the discomfort may disappear, the man can still harbour the infection.
If in doubt, get tested. Otherwise, you could put yourself at risk of inflamed and swollen testicles, and pass chlamydia on to your partner.

Once diagnosed, Chlamydia can be treated easily with a one-off antibiotic pill. However, until now, male rapid tests for Chlamydia have been relatively inaccurate and involved urethral swabs, which can cause discomfort.
The Chlamydia Rapid Test, a urine test can be used with minimal training. It is designed to be used in conjunction with FirstBurst, a device for collecting the first voided urine from men. FirstBurst collects six times the amount of Chlamydia bacteria compared to a standard urine sample to boost the test's sensitivity and gives the results in less than an hour.

Basic Facts About Hepatitis A, B, and C

How you can contract it; Functions of the liver; What can happen when hepatitis progresses--fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure

Hepatitis is considered one of the most prevalent health problems of the 1990s. The World Health Organization reports that 1.4 million cases of Hepatitis A are treated annually worldwide. In the United States, close to 5 million adults have hepatitis B or C, and this may be only a small percentage of the total of infected individuals.

Hepatitis A:
Hepatitis A (HAV), the most prevalent type of hepatitis worldwide, strikes more than 150,000 people in the United States annually.

Hepatitis B:
Each year, more than 250,000 people contract hepatitis B (HBV) in the United States.

Hepatitis C:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 30,000 individuals acquire hepatitis C (HCV) infections in the United States each year. In other parts of the world, the rates of infection and numbers in infected individuals range as high as 20 percent of the population. Called "an emerging public health threat" and the "silent epidemic," hepatitis C is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer, and is now the leading reason for liver transplantation in the United States.

Risk factors

Major risk factors for Hepatitis A
The CDC lists household or sexual contact, day care attendance or employment, and recent international travel to areas with poor sanitation as major known risk factors for infection with hepatitis A. Eating food prepared by infected food handlers and using contaminated needles are other risk factors.

Major risk factors for Hepatitis B
In the United States, the major risk factors for hepatitis B are unprotected sex with multiple partners and intravenous (IV) drug use.

Major risk factors for Hepatitis C
The major risk factors for acquiring hepatitis C are IV drug use and transfusion of blood or blood products prior to 1992. Other risk factors also contribute.

 

Hepatitis

Use Equipment Hepatitis B Test An Accurate

Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver, which follows a very variable course. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause an acute illness that resolves itself quickly without causing long-term liver damage. However, in about 20% of cases it causes a chronic illness that lasts more than six months, sometimes for life, with symptoms that come and go. In 15-40% of those with chronic infection cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure develop, and so the infection may eventually be fatal.

The virus is usually transmitted through contact with infected blood or body fluids. Only a tiny amount of blood is needed to transmit the virus because it's so infectious. The hepatitis B virus may also be present in saliva, vaginal secretions, breast milk and other bodily fluids. Many people contract hepatitis B while on holiday, especially in countries where it is very prevalent, when unprotected sex, experimenting with drugs and accidents needing medical treatment are far more likely.

The incubation period of the hepatitis B virus before symptoms develop is between six weeks and six months. In the acute phase symptoms vary. Roughly one-third of cases have no symptoms - this is called a silent or subclinical infection, or sometimes anicteric infection, meaning there is no jaundice or yellow appearance of the skin and membranes. In another third of cases, the infection causes mild symptoms similar to those of a flu-like illness, with weakness, aches, headache, fever, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, jaundice, nausea and vomiting. In the final third of cases, the acute phase of infection can cause severe illness that last many months. In addition to the flu-like symptoms, there's abdominal pain, diarrhoea and jaundice.

Infections Associated with AIDS

Because people with AIDS have weakened immune systems, they're more prone to infections, called opportunistic infections. Opportunistic infections are caused by organisms that typically don't cause disease in healthy people but affect people with damaged immune systems. These organisms attack when there's an opportunity to infect.
Deterioration of the immune system is caused by the decline in CD4+ T cells, which are key infection fighters. As soon as HIV enters the body, it begins to destroy these cells.

Opportunistic Infections: Brain
Cryptoccoccal Menigitis — This is a yeast-like fungus infection that usually involves the brain and lungs, although it can affect almost any organ. The fungus that causes this condition is found in soil throughout the world. It is most common in soil contaminated by bird droppings. This disease most often occurs when a person's CD4+ T cell count falls below 100 cells per cubic millimeter of blood.

Rapid Herpes Test Accurate For You

Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is referred to as type 1 (HSV1) or type 2 (HSV2). It causes painful blisters to appear on the genitals and the surrounding areas. Genital herpes can be passed to others through sexual contact.
HSV1 is acquired orally and the most common symptom is cold sores. HSV2 is acquired through sexual contact and affects mainly the genital area.

The herpes simplex is a virus and works as such. It causes ulcers or sores such as cold sores or genital blisters. It is an effective virus, but one the human immune system is equipped to fight. Of those people infected with the virus, the majority of them are asymptomatic.
It is passed through sexual contact, so is regarded as a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD). This is because the moist skin that lines the mouth, genitals and anus is the most susceptible to infection.
The virus can also enter the body through a cut or abrasion on the skin. If the wound comes into contact with a cold sore for example, the virus can pass into the body. This is rare, but does happen occasionally.

If symptoms do occur in the infected, they appear between 2 and 8 days after contracting the virus. The symptoms will generally last up to a month, then disappear.
Symptoms include:
>> Itching or tingling sensation in the genital or anal area
>> Small fluid-filled blisters that burst leaving small sores
>> Flu-like symptoms, including swollen glands or fever
>> Pain when passing urine over the open sores (especially in women)
>> Headaches
>> Backache
Any of these symptoms can be caused by a number of things, which is why the virus is difficult to identify. The initial symptoms will disappear, only to reappear at random times. Not everyone will display the initial outbreak, let alone further ones.
As each outbreak appears, the symptoms become less and less. This is because the immune system fights the virus effectively and suppresses it when it arises. Anyone, including those who have been previously asymptomatic, may display symptoms when under stress or ill with something else. The weakness of the immune system as it fights something else can allow the virus to surface again.

Gonorrhea, pregnancy & newborn

The CDC currently recommends that pregnant women who live in a community where the infection is relatively widespread, as well as those who are otherwise at risk for the infection, should be tested for gonorrhea at their first prenatal visit and again in the third trimester if they remain at risk.

Sexually active females younger than 25 are at highest risk. Other risk factors include prior gonorrhea infection, other STIs, onset of sexual activity at a young age, new or multiple sex partners, commercial sex work, inconsistent condom use, and substance abuse. Those who are nonwhite, unmarried, or of a low socioeconomic level are also at higher risk.

If you think there's any possibility that you might have contracted gonorrhea or any other STI, let your caregiver know and ask to be tested. You should also be tested (or retested) at any time during pregnancy if you or your partner develops any symptoms of gonorrhea, or if you contract another STI, because they're often found together.

To test for gonorrhea, your practitioner will swab your cervix and send the swab to the lab for analysis. Sometimes a urine specimen is used instead.

If your test is positive, you'll be treated immediately. And if you weren't tested for other STIs along with the gonorrhea test, you'll be tested for them now. You'll be retested for gonorrhea in two to three months (sooner if you have symptoms) to make sure you haven't been reinfected, and again in the third trimester.

Babies can get the infection during birth as they pass through the birth canal. In babies, gonorrhea can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life-threatening blood infection.


How does Gonorrhea affect pregnant women?
Infected women can pass gonorrhea to their newborn baby during delivery. If a baby catches gonorrhea during childbirth, they might have eye infections. When the infection occurs in the genital tract, mouth, or rectum of a child, it is due most commonly to sexual abuse.

Assessing Your HIV or STD Risk

How does HIV relate to chlamydia and gonorrhea?
All STDs, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, are spread by having unprotected sex. HIV, itself, is an STD! If you have had unprotected sex, it is even more likely that you might be infected with chlamydia or gonorrhea than with HIV because these STDs are easier to catch than HIV.

What type of test would be done?
AIDS tests are now made simple, easy and are available right from the privacy of your own home. OraQuick is an antibody test that provides results in 20 minutes. The blood, plasma or oral fluid is mixed in a vial with developing solution, and the results are read from a sticklike testing device. Usually detects HIV 1 and HIV 2. Orasure is an HIV test that uses mucosal transudate from the tissues of cheeks and gums. It is an antibody test that first employs ELISA, then western blot.

When can I get my results?
OraQuick is an antibody test that provides results in 20 minutes.

What is chlamydia?
Chlamydia (cla-mid-ee-ah) is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a type of bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can infect men, women, and children. It is passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Chlamydia can also be spread to the eyes by touching vaginal fluids or semen and then touching your eyes. Babies of infected mothers can get eye and lung infections during delivery.