There are situations when a patient, turning to doctors (gynecologist, andrologist, urologist), learns that in addition to obvious diseases, he also has sexually transmitted infections, including chronic form. The patient’s first reaction is disbelief and surprise, because he did not experience any symptoms.
Unfortunately, the unpleasant tendency cannot be caused specific symptoms many sexually transmitted diseases are present. The person does not experience painful sensations, does not file complaints, while at the same time the pathogen can remain in his body for years.
Where does the disease come from and why are there no symptoms?
If we talk about people who are adequate in their personal life, in the sense of respectable people, and it is they who are usually surprised by the presence of STDs, then it is important to note that you can “catch the infection” anywhere, for example, in a swimming pool or public toilet. Some sexually transmitted infections can also occur in regular partners, also in a latent state.
Factors contributing to the occurrence of diseases without pronounced symptoms:
- specificity of the disease;
- inattention;
- neglect of health;
- self-medication;
- decreased immunity.
STDs that occur without symptoms
Among the most common problems, occurring in more than half of patients who come for a routine examination, are the following:
Chlamydia. This is a disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, i.e. chlamydia - virulent intracellular bacteria that affects the barrier cells of the body. The main reason for the widespread spread of the disease is that it occurs with mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Due to its high contagiousness, 80% of sexual partners of men with this disease are subsequently infected. In other words, when encountering an infection, the body of four out of five women cannot resist it. Men also get the disease easily.
The disease itself is not as dangerous as complications in the male and female women's health. Chlamydia can lead to the development of cystitis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, decreased erectile function, gynecological diseases, to infertility.
Cause of inflammation fallopian tubes(salpingitis) in women is considered to be chlamydia. Chlamydia can occur with clinical signs arthritis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, so patients seek treatment from the wrong specialists instead of a venereologist.
Ureaplasmosis. Caused by small microorganisms belonging to gram-negative microbes. Up to 70% of sexual partners of both sexes are carriers of this sexual disease. In men mild symptoms when the disease occurs, they resemble the manifestation of prostatitis. Women may experience mild signs of a burning sensation when urinating. Infection can occur both through sexual intercourse and by everyday means. The danger is that it turns into prostatitis in men, and in women it can cause infertility.
Anna Mironova
Reading time: 7 minutes
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From the 80s to the present day, all means mass media actively promote safe sex and contraception. But despite this, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have become a scourge modern society. According to statistics, every third woman who is active sex life more than one or another hidden infection, and sometimes even several. Therefore, today we decided to tell you what hidden infections are, what they are, and their symptoms.
What are hidden infections? Routes of infection, symptoms
Hidden infections in men. What male hidden infections you need to know.
Hidden infections in women. What women's hidden infections you need to know.
- Gardnerellosis (bacterial vaginosis) is a latent infection caused by the gardnerella bacterium. This disease mainly affects women, since this type of bacteria does not live long in the body of men. This disease is violation normal microflora vagina , And modern doctors do not have a common opinion on how dangerous it is and whether it is worth treating;
- Herpes virus– appears on the mucous membranes and skin in the form of blisters. This virus is dangerous because getting into human body, he stays there forever , and clinically manifests itself when sharp decline immunity. Genital herpes is one of the most common STDs, and women suffer from it much more often than men;
- Candidiasis- better known as thrush. This disease is caused by yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida. This fungus is part of the normal microflora of the vagina, but if it begins to multiply uncontrollably, a disease begins - vaginal candidiasis. This disease does not pose a health hazard, but causes quite discomfort . Both women and men suffer from thrush, but they most often become infected with it from their partner.
What are the dangers of hidden sexually transmitted infections? Consequences and symptoms
remember, that after any unprotected sex with a partner in whom you are not completely sure, it is better get examined by a doctor. Timely detection and treatment hidden infections will help you protect yourself from more serious problems with health.
“Hidden” sexually transmitted infections (STDs)
In women, white vaginal discharge, itching, burning and discomfort in the genital area are usually the result of infections, including sexually transmitted infections.
What are chlamydia and other “hidden” sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)? Why are they called "hidden"? How often do they occur?
How does the process of infection with chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs occur?
Infection occurs through sexual contact, and not only through genital contact, but with the same probability through oral or anal contact. From the moment of infection to the development of the disease, at least 3 days pass, and on average from 7 to 14 days. This period is called the incubation period. As a rule, in the first 3 - 5 days after infection, chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs can be detected even by the most sensitive diagnostic methods impossible.
What to do if you suspect that you have chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs?
If you have had a new sexual relationship and find out that sexual partner had an STD, felt characteristic symptoms(discharge from the genitals, discomfort when urinating, itching in the genital area) or you simply doubt whether you have an STD, you need to undergo a special medical examination. Never attempt to self-medicate or take advice from a non-specialist. This can lead to chronicity inflammatory process and the development of complications.
How much reliable methods diagnosis of chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs?
Modern methods Diagnosis of STDs: polymerase method chain reaction(PCR), immunofluorescence method (IIF), linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), isolation of pathogens for cell cultures etc. are extremely reliable (70-95%). However, given the shortage of funds, not all laboratories in our country have sufficiently high-quality reagents and equipment.
How difficult is it to treat chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs?
Do all hidden infections need to be treated?
Chlamydia and some types of mycoplasmas, as well as Trichomonas and those caused by them inflammatory diseases are always subject to compulsory treatment in both partners, even if these infections are detected in only one of them! The need for treatment of these infections in pregnant women is determined individually in each specific case.
Gardnerellosis in women (also known as bacterial vaginosis) is not inherently an STD, but indicates a violation of the biocenosis in the vagina. It usually appears in abundance vaginal discharge With unpleasant smell. Gardnerellosis is often combined with STDs. Composition violation vaginal microflora leads to a change in the acidity of the environment, the protective barrier of the mucous membrane is disrupted and, as a result, the likelihood of infection with other STDs and a more pronounced course of the inflammatory process increases. In this regard, bacterial vaginosis in women, including during pregnancy, should be treated.
According to international standards for the treatment of STDs adopted by the World Health Organization, gardnerella and gardnerella infection in men are treated only if it manifests itself in the form of obvious inflammation of the glans penis and foreskin(balanoposthitis). In all other cases, treatment of gardnerellosis in men is not indicated, because Numerous studies have shown that treatment of the male sexual partner has no effect on the relapse rate bacterial vaginosis(the main cause of this infection is gardnerella) in women. And the fact of transmission of gardnerella from a man to a woman, if gardnerellosis in a man does not manifest as balanoposthitis, has also not been proven.
Candidiasis (what is often colloquially called “thrush” in women) is nominally not an STD, since sexual intercourse is not the main route of infection. Candida fungus can normally be found in small quantities on the mucous membranes oral cavity, intestines, vagina, on the skin. When local or general immunity decreases, after taking antibiotics, general diseases, including colds, etc., the fungus begins to actively multiply and penetrate deep into the mucous membranes, which causes certain suffering: itching, discomfort, white discharge. In men - redness, itching and peeling of the skin of the glans penis. To treat or not to treat candidiasis is an individual question. If an infection causes inflammatory manifestations, it needs to be treated, but if it is an accidental finding during diagnosis, then not always. Treatment of the sexual partner, as in the case of gardnerellosis, is not necessary. It is carried out only if there are signs of infection in the sexual partner.
What complications do chlamydia and other “hidden” STDs cause?
Most a common complication Chlamydia in men is In women it is some (endocervicitis), salpingitis (inflammation of the appendages) and tubal infertility. Chlamydia can cause serious pathology fetus and newborn, cause pelvioperitonitis and perihepatitis in women. Chlamydia also leads to Reiter's disease - severe damage to the joints and eyes. STDs can lead to the development of narrowings (strictures) of the urethra and problems with urination, causing
What are the most common reasons for STD treatment failure?
Most common cause is a re-infection that occurs as a result of new sexual intercourse during treatment, lack of treatment of the sexual partner, non-use of a condom by a married couple undergoing treatment. Less commonly, the reasons for unsuccessful treatment of STDs are incorrect established diagnosis, an incorrectly selected antibacterial drug, the patient’s failure to follow the doctor’s recommendations, and, most rarely, the infection’s resistance to the antibiotic. Any educated doctor is obliged to know the latest and most truthful data on antibiotic sensitivity and antibiotic resistance of any infections, including sexually transmitted ones. Russian doctors often exaggerate or downplay the resistance of chlamydia and other “hidden infections” to antibiotics, simply not knowing the real picture. This leads to improper treatment patients and only supports the myth about the difficulty of curing hidden infections.
What should you do after completing treatment for an STD?
Monitoring of treatment for chlamydia and other hidden STIs is carried out no earlier than 3 weeks after completing the antibiotic. The patient should be aware that some symptoms of the disease may remain for several weeks and even months after successful treatment. You can resume sexual activity without a condom with a regular sexual partner (partner) only after a follow-up examination that shows the absence of infections and inflammation.
If you have any questions, you can contact the leading specialists at the Andros Clinic.
At the Andros Clinic of Urology, Andrology and Gynecology, it is carried out in accordance with international standards, approved by the World Health Organization and using the most modern antibacterial drugs and treatment regimens. The latest data on the antibiotic sensitivity of infections must be taken into account. It's easy, fast and reliable. Modern treatment STDs are almost always cheaper than diagnosis! See your doctor promptly and stay healthy!
There is hardly a person who has not encountered such a problem as infectious diseases. The list of these pathologies is large and includes the well-known flu and colds, outbreaks of which are recorded in a particular region annually.
Infections can be dangerous, especially if the person has not been given adequate treatment or he did not seek help at all. That is why it is worth learning more about the types of infectious diseases, their characteristics, main symptoms, methods of diagnosis and therapy.
Infectious diseases: list and classification
Infectious diseases have accompanied humanity throughout history. One need only remember the plague epidemics that destroyed more than 50% of the population of Europe. Today, medicine, of course, has learned to cope with a huge number of infections, many of which were considered fatal just a few centuries ago.
There are several systems for classifying infectious diseases. For example, they distinguish intestinal ailments and blood diseases, lesions respiratory tract And skin. But most often, pathologies are classified depending on the nature of the pathogen:
- prion (fatal familial insomnia, kuru);
- bacterial (salmonellosis, cholera, anthrax);
- viral (flu, measles, mumps, HIV infection, hepatitis);
- fungal or mycotic (thrush);
- protozoans (malaria, amoebiasis).
Transmission routes and risk factors
Infectious agents can enter the body in different ways. The following methods of infection are distinguished:
- Alimentary route, in which pathogens enter the body through the digestive tract (for example, along with unwashed food, contaminated water, due to dirty hands).
- Airborne transmission, in which pathogens are introduced through the respiratory system. For example, pathogens may be found in dust. In addition, microorganisms are released in external environment along with mucus during coughing and sneezing.
- Contact infection occurs when sharing household items or toys, or direct contact with the skin of a sick person. If we are talking about venereal diseases, then transmission of the infection occurs during sexual intercourse.
- Pathogenic microorganisms are often transmitted from person to person through blood. Infection can occur during blood transfusion, as a result of the use of unsterile equipment, and not only medical equipment. For example, you can catch an infection while doing a manicure. Often, pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted from a sick mother to a child during pregnancy or childbirth. Insects can also be carriers.
It is impossible to completely eliminate the possibility of infection entering the body. But some people are more prone to this type diseases, and such diseases are much more severe in them. Why? When infectious agents spread throughout the body great value has a condition of the immune system. Dysbacteriosis, anemia, vitamin deficiencies, weakened immunity - all this creates ideal conditions for the rapid proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
Risk factors include severe hypothermia, sedentary lifestyle life, unhealthy diet, bad habits, hormonal imbalances, constant stress, failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
Types of viral diseases
Exists great amount viral infections. Here are just a few of them:
- All types of influenza, colds (in particular, rhinovirus infection), which are accompanied by general weakness, fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat.
- It is worth mentioning the so-called childhood infections. This group includes rubella, accompanied by damage to the skin, respiratory tract, cervical lymph nodes. Mumps (known as mumps), a disease that affects salivary glands and lymph nodes. The list of such infections includes measles and chickenpox.
- Hepatitis is a disease accompanied by inflammation of the liver. In most cases, the virus is transmitted through blood (types C and D). But there are also strains that spread through household and nutritional routes (hepatitis A and B). In some cases, the disease leads to the development of liver failure.
- Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that can be very serious consequences. The causative agents can be adenoviruses, cytomegaloviruses, influenza and parainfluenza viruses. By the way, the inflammatory process can also be caused by bacteria, but the symptoms in this case are different. Signs viral pneumonia- fever, runny nose, general weakness, non-productive cough, shortness of breath. Viral forms of inflammation are characterized by a more rapid course.
- Considered quite common Infectious mononucleosis. The symptoms, treatment and consequences of this disease are of interest to many readers. The causative agent is the Epstein-Barr virus, which is transmitted from an infected person by airborne droplets, most often with saliva (by the way, this is why the disease is often called the “kissing disease”). The infection affects the tissues of the pharynx, lymph nodes, liver and spleen. Against the background of the disease, a change in the composition of the blood is observed - atypical mononuclear cells appear in it. A specially developed treatment regimen for this moment does not exist. Doctors provide symptomatic treatment.
Prion diseases and their features
Prions are quite specific infectious agents. Essentially, they are a protein with an abnormal tertiary structure. Unlike viruses, prions do not contain nucleic acids. However, they can increase their numbers (multiply) using living cells of the body.
Prion infectious diseases are most often diagnosed in animals. The list of them is not that long. Cows may develop so-called mad cow disease or spongiform encephalopathy due to infection. Prions affect the nervous system of cats, antelopes, ostriches and some other animals.
Man is also susceptible this species infections. Against the background of prion activity, people develop Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Gerstmann syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia.
Bacterial infections
The number of bacterial organisms that can lead to the development of disease when they enter the human body is enormous. Let's look at just a few infections.
Salmonellosis. This term combines a whole group of acute infectious diseases that affect the human digestive tract. Bacterial microorganisms of the genus Salmonella act as pathogens. Incubation period lasts from 6 hours to 8 days. The first symptoms are abdominal pain. As the disease progresses, pathogenic agents can affect the central nervous system and cardiovascular system.
Botulism. Another disease from the group intestinal infections. The causative agent is the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This microorganism, penetrating into the wall digestive tract, begins to release botulinum toxin, which is dangerous to humans. Signs of botulism are severe pain in the abdomen, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, fever. By the way, most often the pathogen enters the body with food.
Dysentery- an acute infectious intestinal disease caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella. The disease begins with a simple malaise and small increase temperature, but then other disorders appear, in particular severe diarrhea. The disease is dangerous as it can lead to damage to the intestinal mucosa and dehydration.
anthrax represents a very dangerous disease. It begins acutely and develops very quickly. What symptoms accompany the disease? Anthrax is characterized by serous-hemorrhagic inflammation of the skin, serious lesions internal organs and lymph nodes. The disease often ends in the death of the patient, even with proper therapy.
Lyme disease. Symptoms of the disease - fever, fatigue, skin rash, headache. The causative agents are bacteria of the genus Borrelia. The infection is carried by ixodid ticks. Sometimes, against the background of infection, there is inflammatory lesion heart, joints and nervous system.
Venereal diseases. It is impossible not to mention sexually transmitted infections. TO bacterial diseases include gonorrhea, ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis. Sexual syphilis is also dangerous. On initial stages This disease is easily treatable, but if left untreated, the pathogen affects almost all organs, including the brain.
Diseases caused by meningococci are quite common. These pathogens are spread by airborne droplets. Forms meningococcal infection may be different. Against the background of infection of the body, pneumonia, meningitis, and meningoencephalitis develop. Much less often, patients are diagnosed with endocarditis and arthritis.
Mycoses: fungal infections of the body
Mycoses are infectious diseases caused by the penetration of pathogenic fungi into the human body.
Perhaps the most common and known disease from this group is candidiasis(thrush). The infection affects the mucous membranes of the genital organs, oral cavity, and less commonly, the skin in the area of natural folds of the body. A characteristic sign is the formation of a white cheesy coating with a sour odor.
Onychomycosis- a group of common ailments caused by dermatophyte fungi. Microorganisms infect the fingernails and toenails, gradually destroying the nail plate.
Other fungal diseases include seborrhea, pityriasis versicolor, dermatomycosis, sporotrichosis and many others.
Protozoal diseases
Malaria- a disease caused by Plasmodium. The disease is accompanied by the development of anemia, repeated attacks of fever, and an increase in the size of the spleen. The causative agent of malaria enters the body through the bite of a malaria mosquito. These protozoa are common in some countries in Africa, Asia and South America.
The group of protozoal diseases also includes amoebiasis(causative agent - amoeba), leishmaniasis(the causative agent is Leishmania, which enters the human body through a mosquito bite), sarcocystosis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, sleeping sickness, giardiasis(accompanied by damage to the digestive tract and skin).
General signs of infectious diseases
There are a huge number of symptoms that can accompany infectious diseases. The list of them can be discussed endlessly, because each ailment has its own, unique characteristics. Nevertheless, it is possible to highlight a number common features, which are present in any infectious disease:
- An increase in body temperature is observed with almost any infectious lesion of the body.
- It is worth mentioning the symptoms of intoxication - headaches, body aches, muscle pain, weakness, drowsiness, and fatigue.
- Cough, runny nose, and sore throat appear when the respiratory tract is infected (for example, a rhinovirus infection can lead to the appearance of such symptoms).
- The appearance of rashes and redness on the skin that do not disappear with use antihistamines.
- Violations by digestive system, including abdominal pain, bowel movements, nausea and vomiting. When the liver is damaged, the color of the skin and sclera of the eyes changes (this is how hepatitis A develops).
Of course, every illness has its own characteristic features. An example is Lyme disease, the symptoms of which are the appearance of migratory ring redness on the skin, increased body temperature, damage to the nervous system with further development depressive states.
Diagnosis of infectious diseases
As you can see, infectious diseases are very diverse. Of course, for proper treatment It is extremely important to determine the nature of the pathogen in time. This can be done using laboratory tests. They can be divided into three groups:
- Direct diagnostic methods
The purpose of the research is to accurately determine the pathogen. Until recently, the only way to carry out such an analysis was to inoculate samples taken from the patient on a special medium. Further cultivation of a culture of microorganisms made it possible to identify the pathogen and even assess the degree of its sensitivity to certain drugs. This technique It is still used today, but takes a long time (sometimes 10 days).
More in a fast way is a PCR diagnostic aimed at identifying certain fragments of the pathogen (usually DNA or RNA) in the patient’s blood. This technique is especially effective when viral diseases.
- Indirect diagnostic methods
This group includes laboratory research, in which they study not pathogens, but the human body’s reaction to them. If you get an infection the immune system begins to produce antigens, in particular immunoglobulins. These are specific protein substances. Depending on the structure of antibodies present in the blood, the doctor can judge the development of a particular infectious disease.
- Paraclinical methods
This includes studies that can help determine the symptoms of the disease and the extent of damage to the body. For example, a blood test confirms the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. Kidney infection affects work excretory system- any failures can be detected by examining urine samples. The same methods include ultrasound, x-ray, MRI and other instrumental studies.
What does treatment depend on?
How are infectious diseases treated? The list is huge, and the treatment regimens are varied. IN in this case it all depends on the nature of the pathogen, general condition patient, disease severity and other factors.
For example, when bacterial infections use antibiotics wide range actions. These medications will be useless for viral diseases, because in such cases the patient must take antiviral drugs, interferon and immunomodulators. The presence of mycoses is an indication for taking antifungal agents.
Of course, it is also carried out symptomatic therapy. Depending on the symptoms, it includes taking anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, painkillers and antihistamines. A rhinovirus infection, for example, will go away easier with the use of special nasal drops. For lesions respiratory system accompanied by a cough, specialists prescribe expectorant syrups and antitussive medications.
It is worth understanding that you should not self-medicate under any circumstances. For example, if you discover signs of botulism, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this serious disease- possible in the absence of therapy severe consequences, especially when it comes to a child’s body.
Preventive actions
It is much easier to prevent infection than to treat it later. Prevention of infectious diseases must be comprehensive. The person is constantly in contact with pathogenic microorganisms- they are present in the air and water, get into food, settle on door handles and household items. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the body.
A strong immune system can suppress reproduction pathogenic microbes that have already entered the human body. Proper nutrition, regular physical activity, walks on fresh air, hardening, correct mode sleep and rest, lack of stress - all this helps to increase the body's defenses.
You should not refuse vaccinations. Timely vaccination can protect against pathogens such as viruses mumps, polio and hepatitis, etc. The drugs used for vaccinations contain samples of a dead or weakened pathogen of a particular disease - they cannot cause serious harm to the body, but help develop lasting immunity.
Many people turn to doctors after traveling. The fact is that in some regions of the planet various infectious diseases are rampant. For example, the causative agent of malaria (Plasmodium) enters the human blood only through the bite of a malaria mosquito, which lives only in some regions of Africa, Asia and South America. When planning to spend some time in a particular country (especially if we are talking about countries with a tropical climate), be sure to inquire about the level of spread of a particular infection - it is quite possible that it is better to get vaccinated or stock up on medicines before traveling.
Of course, it is very important to observe hygiene standards, buy high-quality food, wash it before eating, and prepare it properly. During epidemic outbreaks of influenza or other colds You should avoid crowded places and take special medications to strengthen the immune system (for example, Aflubin). To protect against sexually transmitted infections during contact, you must use a condom.
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