Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs / STIs)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs / STIs)
June 8, 2011, 7:26 pm



Dr. B.J.C.Perera MBBS(Ceylon), DCH(Ceylon), DCH(England), MD(Paediatrics), FRCP(Edinburgh), FRCP(London), FRCPCH(United Kingdom), FSLCPaed, FCCP, FCGP(Sri Lanka) Consultant Paediatrician


KEY POINTS


* Sexual practices are changing the world over


and the age at which young people engage in sex is getting earlier.


* Young adolescents and teenagers are particularly
at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.


* A considerable number of diseases can be
contracted through sexual practices.


* Some people with these diseases are quite
normal to outward appearances.


* Protective sexual practices are the only way of
preventing these diseases in those who engage in sex.


* Confidentiality and anonymity are guaranteed by
medical personnel who deal with these diseases.


In the process of development in children, an important phase is the pubertal stage. There is marked physical development at this stage and in many the increase in physical stature is quite amazing. Additionally, and in both sexes, the pubertal stage signifies the development of sexual prowess and the ability to procreate. The hormonal changes produce natural sexual urges and it is a time at which information on the many and varied aspects of sexual behaviour should be provided for these children and adolescents. All over the world, there is an ongoing change in the sexual behaviour patterns of young people. Although our cultural barriers have so far managed to rein in this type of behaviour to some extent, there are some concerns that the age of onset of sexual activity in our young people is also getting earlier and earlier, particularly in the urban areas. This is now seen mostly with boys but there is no definite evidence that it is not so in girls too. With the changing world scenario and less and less emphasis now being placed on virginity in the West, our children too are, in all probability, gradually moving in the same direction. There is a definite and perceptible paradigm shift in the way young people think and behave with regard to sexuality all over the world. Many of the cultural taboos and beliefs regarding sexual practices considered to be the norm in the years gone by are now considered to be "old fashioned" and "unnecessary" by many youngsters in our country. One must come to terms with the fact that it is the way in which things progress in the new world.


It is most important that these young people, both boys and girls are provided with adequate and scientific information regarding sexuality and particularly on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) or Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Adults being prudes do not help at all in the current social and global scenario. The electronic media and particularly the internet can provide some of this type of information but the very same portals are also guilty of things like pornography which is a most undesirable development. The developing and immature minds of these young people are that much more susceptible to all kinds of adverse influences emanating from ill-conceived information technology portals. However, there is very little one could do about such things and the only way of preventing these diseases is to provide young people with up-to-date scientific information regarding sexuality and the possible ramifications of unbridled sexual practices.


Sexually transmitted infections are caused by a myriad of different types of microorganisms or bugs ranging from bacteria to viruses. Some of these like syphilis and gonorrhoea have been very well known to mankind from time immemorial while others like the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causing the dreaded Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS has been a relatively more recent development. All these infections are eminently preventable if proper precautions are taken. The STDs or STIs are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate sexual contact. They can technically affect men, women, boys and girls and these diseases have no social, cultural, caste, religious or creed barriers. It does not matter one little bit whether they are rich or poor or whether they are sexually promiscuous or not. Very often the first exposure to the infective agent results in the person developing the disease. Unfortunately, in many countries, STDs have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it is crucially important for them to learn what one could do to protect oneself. STDs are more than just a plain and simple discomfiture. They are a group of diseases with significant implications as a barrier towards good health. If left untreated, some STDs can cause permanent damage, such as infertility which is the inability to have a baby and in certain diseases like HIV/AIDS, even lead to an eventual fatality. Some of these infections are treatable while others like herpes virys infections and HIV and AIDS can only be controlled with the drugs available today and they cannot be "cured".


One of the reasons that STDs spread so readily is because people think they can only be infected if they have sexual intercourse. This is not entirely correct. A person can get some STDs, like herpes or genital warts, even through skin-to-skin contact with an infected area or sore. Some other diseases like HIV can spread through contaminated needles, blood transfusions with unscreened blood and even from an affected mother to her unborn baby. Another myth about STDs is that it is not possible to get these diseases with other sexual practices apart from conventional sexual intercourse. This notion is also not true because the viruses or bacteria that cause STDs can enter the body through tiny abrasions and injuries in other parts of the body and particularly such tears in the mucous membranes. STDs also spread easily because one cannot tell for sure whether someone has this type of infection without proper testing. The affected person may look quite normal for all purposes and some people with STDs may not even know that they have them. These people are in danger of passing an infection on to their sexual partners without even realizing it.


There are several things that make a person to be at risk of getting STDs. One of these is the onset of sexual activity at a younger age. The younger a person starts having sex, the greater is his or her chances of becoming infected with an STD. In addition, people who have sexual contact, not just intercourse but any form of intimate activity, with many different partners are more at risk than those who stay with the same partner. Those who engage in unprotected sexual activities without taking precautions against contracting these diseases are of course that much more liable to get these infections. Spermicides, diaphragms, contraceptive pills and several other birth control methods may help prevent a pregnancy but they do not protect a person against STDs. Of all the birth control methods, condoms are the only ones that may have a positive preventive effect in STDs.


There are a whole host of STDs or STIs that can present with many different symptoms. Genital discharges, ulcers, warts and even common symptoms like fever could be the presenting manifestation. What is important is that these symptoms are temporally related to sexual exposure, especially unprotected sexual experiences. On the other hand, exposure to diseases like HIV may not produce any symptoms initially or be associated with a mild illness resembling ordinary flu. The problems caused by HIV infection come on much later, perhaps even years later. Some of these diseases have long-term effects if they are not treated properly. In the same context it is important to point out that not all symptoms related to the genitals are caused by STDs. Sometimes people can get symptoms that seem very like those of STDs, even though they have never had sex. For girls, a yeast infection can easily be confused with an STD. Boys may worry about bumps on the penis that turn out to be pimples or irritated hair follicles. That is why it is important to see a doctor if one ever has questions about sexual health.


So much wrong information about sexually transmitted diseases gets passed around that it is no surprise that these very same diseases do get passed around too. Of course, the only way to be one hundred percent sure that one would not get an STD like syphilis, gonorrhoea, herpes, chlamydia or HIV, is not to have any type of sex or in other words, practice complete abstinence. But if a person decides to engage in sexual practices, one way of preventing these diseases is to stay well informed and to learn what is true and what is not true. A basic principle for all these people that would pay dividends in the long run would be to stick to just one sexual partner.


Many young people believe that only trashy people who are promiscuous or the prostitutes are the people who get these diseases. Others may be under the misconception that these diseases can be contracted only from those who engage in sex for commercial purposes. All these are not quite true. Rich people get STDs and poor people get them. Athletes get them. Highly educated as well as the uneducated, could get them. High ranking officials and even professors get them. Even someone having sex for the first time can get an STD. The only people who have no risk of getting an STD are people who have not had sex or any kind of sexual contact. These diseases do not discriminate nor do they have any sort of respect for social standing. It is just the behaviour patterns of humans that make them that much more susceptible to contracting these diseases.


Even doctors often cannot tell by looking if people have STDs. These people look quite normal for all intents and purposes. Doctors often need to do certain tests to diagnose these diseases and to confirm them for sure. These tests include blood tests and special examinations on discharges from the genitalia. To make matters worse, some persons with STDs might not know that they have them as some of these diseases do not always cause symptoms. As far as young people are concerned, even if they think that they are clean, it is probably best to get checked out before having sex.


Some believe that there is some immunity associated with these infections and once a person has got an STD, there is no chance of getting it again. This is a myth and a very dangerous one at that. Some STDs like herpes infections and HIV are, in point of fact, there for life. Others, like syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, can be contracted over and over again even if treated adequately during the first instance. Some young people believe that if one partner is checked and found to be free of these diseases, the other one is safe as well, even without that person being checked. This too is unfortunately not true. The other one could have one of these diseases and not know it. If there are serious relationships leading to sexual activity, it is best for both partners to get tested together. There are tons of myths out there about sex and STDs. The ones mentioned above are just a few of them.


STDs are more than just an embarrassment. They are a serious health problem. As with many other diseases, prevention is the key. The age old adage "if you cannot be good, you have to be careful" applies quite well to these diseases. It is definitely much easier to prevent STDs than to treat them. People who are considering having sex should get regular gynaecological or male genital examinations. There are two reasons for this. First, these examinations give doctors a chance to teach people about STDs and protecting themselves. Secondly, regular examinations give doctors more opportunities to check for STDs while they are still in their earliest, most treatable stages. In order for these exams and visits to the doctor to be helpful, people need to tell their doctors if they are thinking about having sex or if they have already started having sex. This is true for all types of sex. It is best to let the doctor know if one has ever had any type of sexual contact, even if it was in the past. One should not let embarrassment at the thought of having an STD keep one from seeking medical attention. Just postponing it and waiting for as long as possible before seeing a qualified doctor may allow a disease to progress and cause more damage. If one thinks that there is a possibility of an STD or if one suspects that a partner may have one, one should see a doctor right away. All members of medical staff, including those who work in special government hospital clinics that deal with these diseases, are duty bound to assure confidentiality of the information provided by the patients. They are also trained to be kind to people with these diseases and to have empathy in consideration of the circumstances in which these diseases are transmitted. g


The writer would appreciate feedback from the readers. Please e-mail him at

bjcp@ymail.com



www island.lk

100s of Schools have NO proper toilets,female students&teachers are affected as a result of this situation!Most cities have poorly maintained toilets!

200,000 people defecate in the open
by Shanika SRIYANANDA

Nearly 200,000 people still defecate openly in Sri Lanka, a spokesman for the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka, said.

Executive Director CEJ, Hemantha Withanage said that according to the public perspectives' study conducted by the CEJ it had been found that hundreds of schools do not have proper toilets, female students and teachers especially are affected as a result of this situation. Most cities have poorly maintained toilets. Many toilets built in the Dry Zone are not used due to lack of water and they have been converted into animal shelters and most plantation workers and families are compelled to share only one or two toilets for many line houses.

"Though the situation in Sri Lanka is far better than South Asia we need to address the remaining issues relating to water and sanitation", he said.

The United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aims at achieving a 50 percent reduction in the number of people who do not have proper sanitation by 2015. The fourth South Asian Conference on Sanitation in Sri Lanka

(SACOSAN IV) which will be held from April 4 to 8 will bring over 500 experts and SAARC Ministers dealing with water and sanitation to discuss the future course of action to meet the MDG goal by 2015.He said that SACOSAN was to monitor the progress achieved in the South Asia region and it would provide political support of the South Asian nations to achieve the MDG targets.

However, WaterAid's Regional Advocacy and Policy Advisor for South Asia Mustafa Talpur, commending Sri Lanka's achievement in providing safe drinking water and better sanitation has warned all countries in South Asia except the Maldives and Sri Lanka which were currently off track to meet the MDG target to halve the proportion of people living without access to a toilet.

"With every second a person obliged to defecate in the open and every eighth person having little or no choice but to drink contaminated water, the promises and resolutions passed by these nations have not been clearly realised", he said.

Mustafa called upon the governments of SAARC countries to meet the sanitation commitments set out in the Delhi Declaration by setting clear budget allocations, providing cost-effective interventions and targeting resources towards poor and unserved communities and putting in place effective monitoring and measuring procedures at national level to increase accountability.

sundayobserver,lk
Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2011 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas. !!!

Please send this in formation to ALL your family & friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen, they may not be able to get the children out in time.
MUST READ, EVEN IF YOU DON'T OWN A CAR.



Shell Oil Comments - A MUST READ!

Safety Alert!
Here's some reasons why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations

In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!

And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that: Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes

Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition

Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat, etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (I.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc...)

TO sum it up, here are the Four Rules for Safe Refueling:
1) Turn off engine
2) Don't smoke
3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it 0ff
4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling.

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of 'static electricity' at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires.

His results were very surprising:
1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static.
3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires.
5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas
6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer.
8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began..

Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas.
If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.

As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger.

I ask you to please send this in formation to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time. Thanks for passing this along.

5 Things You Should Do After a Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis - Type 2 Diabetes - Health.com

5 Things You Should Do After a Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis - Type 2 Diabetes - Health.com

The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : Protect your kidney, save your heart

The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : Protect your kidney, save your heart

Raising awareness on the disease is very important as Glaucoma is the 2ND most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is TO BE 11 MILLION BY 2020.!!

Glaucoma ‘Silent blinding disease’
Are you a target?:

Manjari Peiris

World Glaucoma Week is celebrated from March 6 to 12, 2011 to raise awareness on the disease among the public

Raising awareness on the disease is very important as Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide. It is estimated that 4.5 million people globally are blind due to this disease and that this number will rise to 11.2 million by 2020 with the increasing number of elderly people in the world by that year.

Glaucoma

* Causes progressive damage to optic nerve

* Around 12 percent of Lankans become blind

* Second most common cause of blindness worldwide

* Caused blindness to 4.5 m people around the world

* Around 50 percent of affected people not aware about disease

Owing to the silent progression of the disease, at least in its early stages, up to 50 percent of affected persons in the developed countries are not even aware of them having glaucoma. This number may rise to 90 percent in underdeveloped parts of the world.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause progressive damage of the optic nerve at the point where it leaves the eye to carry visual information to the brain.

Risk factors
If untreated, most types of glaucoma progress towards gradual worsening visual damage without neither warning nor obvious symptoms to the patient and may lead to blindness. Glaucoma is described as the ‘silent blinding disease’ as the damage is mostly irreversible.

There are several types of glaucoma - some may occur due to complications of other visual disorders in the form ‘secondary glaucoma’. However the majority is ‘primary’ occurring without a known cause.

Though there was belief in the past that glaucoma is caused due to high pressure within the eye, it is now accepted that even without pressure, one may suffer from glaucoma. The risk factors for causing glaucoma are the age (if over 40 years), racial ancestry, family history, high myopia (use of thick glasses) use of steroids for long time, short sightedness, high blood pressure or diabetes, eye injuries and smoking. Some form of glaucoma may occur at birth during infancy and childhood.

Vision loss
There is no cure for glaucoma as yet and vision loss is irreversible. However medication or surgery (traditional or laser) can halt or slow down any further vision loss.

Early detection is essential to limiting visual impairment and preventing the progression towards severe visual handicap or blindness. Eye care professionals can detect glaucoma in its early stage and advice on the best course of action. It is vital that when a person goes for routine eye examinations for spectacles, to remind the doctor to check eye pressure as well.

Addressing a media awareness program on Glaucoma, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr Palitha Maheepala said that in Sri Lanka 12 percent of people become blind due to Glaucoma, hence those who are over 40 years should get their eyes tested at least once a year, “especially those who use thick lenses and diabetic patients should get their eyes tested yearly,” he said.

Consultant Eye Surgeon, Eye Hospital Dr Muditha Kulatunga said that one should be treated at the pre-preliminary stage for glaucoma. According to her about 100 patients take treatment for glaucoma a day at the Eye Hospital.

DAILYNEWS.LK

Dirty air triggers more heart attacks than cocaine

Dirty air triggers more heart attacks than cocaine