STDs and Microbial conditions Flashcards
(102 cards)
What is a Commensal micro-organism?
A micro-organism that derives food or other benefits from another organism without hurting or helping it.
What is a Pathogen?
A micro-organism that can cause disease.
What is an infection?
The invasion of all or part of the body by a micro-organism.
If an infection has no symptoms what is it termed?
Sun-clinical
If an infection has symptoms what is it termed?
Clinical
What is a Sexually transmissible microbe?
A virus, bacteria or protozoan which can be spread by sexual contact:
- Commensal
- Pathogen
What is a Sexually transmitted infection (STI)?
An infection by a pathogen which is sexually transmissible and which is unlikely to be transmitted by non-sexual means:
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- HPV type 6
What is a Sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
A disorder of structure or function caused by a sexually transmitted pathogen:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Genital warts
What are the Venereal diseases?
> Syphilis (Treponema pallidum pallidum)
> Gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoea)
> Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi)
Examples of bacterial “Sexually transmitted”
organisms in the UK?
Bacteria:
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Klebsiella granulomatis
- Mycoplasma genitalium
Examples of viruses “Sexually transmitted”
organisms in the UK?
Viruses:
- HSV
- HIV
- HPV
- Molluscum contagiosum virus
Examples of parasites “Sexually transmitted”
organisms in the UK?
Parasites:
- Pthirus pubis
- Sarcoptes scabei
- Trichomonas vaginalis
Characteristics of STIs?
> Transmissible = Must treat sexual partners as well
> Often asymptomatic
> All are manageable but not all are curable
> Avoidable
What does sexually transmitted mean?
> Transmitted by sexual contact.
> But, there are a lot of different types of sexual contact.
Which STI require genital contact only?
Genital contact only:
- Pubic lice (Pthirus pubis)
- Scabies (Sarcoptes scabeii)
- Warts (human papilloma virus types 6 &11)
- Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus types 1 & 2)
Why are STIs important?
1) They cause morbidity and can kill:
- Unpleasant symptoms
- Psychological issues
2) They’re a drain on resources:
- Infertility costs a lot
- HIV treatment is costly
- Time off work
3) They’re common
Ro=BcD
Ro = reproductive number (average number of infections produced) = likelihood of transmission
B = likelihood of transmission
c = rate of acquiring new partners
D = duration of infectivity
If Ro >1 then epidemic is sustained
If Ro <1 then epidemic reduces
If Ro is >1 what does this mean?
If Ro >1 then epidemic is sustained
If Ro is <1 what does this mean?
If Ro <1 then epidemic reduces
Which vaccination is recommended at ages 11 or 12, why?
HPV vaccination is recommended as it can drastically reduce the risk of future HPV infection and therefore cancer
NATSAL study (National survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyle) - what has it told us about sex and infection rates?
1) Increased numbers of partners/person
2) Increased concurrent partners
3) More people having anal sex
4) More men reporting sex with men (also increased condom usage).
Why my rates of STIs be increasing?
1) Change in the number of cases
2) Change in the number of diagnoses but no change in cases
Why my rates of STIs be increasing - number of cases?
1) Increased numbers of partners/person
2) Increased concurrent partners
3) More people having anal sex
4) More men reporting sex with men (also increased condom usage)
5) Dating apps
6) Alcohol consumption, “beer googles”
Why my rates of STIs be increasing - number of diagnosis?
1) More people asking for tests
2) More clinicians considering STIs and testing for them.
3) Better tests e.g. Nucleic acid amplification tests versus enzyme immunoassays for chlamydia