chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are all bacterial infections
bacterial STDs can be cured with antibiotics in the early stages
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United States
Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever or bleeding between menstrual periods.
Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from the penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and itching around the genital area.
In women, untreated infection can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This happens in up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia. PID can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues.
To help prevent the serious consequences of chlamydia, screening at least annually for chlamydia is recommended for all sexually active women age 25 years and younger.
Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics.
Gonorrhea
Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, some men have signs or symptoms that appear two to five days after infection; symptoms can take as long as 30 days to appear. Symptoms and signs include a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge. 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. Symptoms can be as non-specific so that they are mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The initial symptoms and signs in women include a painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased discharge, or bleeding between periods.
Because many people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia, another STD, antibiotics for both infections are usually given together.
Syphilis Symptoms: Syphilis can progress into three different stages. Primary Stage
The primary stage of syphilis is usually marked by the appearance of a single sore (called a chancre), but there may be multiple sores.
Symptoms start on an average of 21 days after exposure
The chancre is usually firm, round, small, and painless. It lasts 3 to 6 weeks, and heals without treatment. However, if adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage.
Secondary Stage
Skin rash and mucous membrane lesions characterize the secondary stage.The characteristic rash of secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. Sometimes rashes associated with secondary syphilis are so faint that they are not noticeable.
Other symptoms of secondary syphilis may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue. The signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis will resolve with or without treatment, but without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly late stages of disease.
Latent and Late Stages
The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis begins when primary and secondary symptoms disappear without treatment and the infection remains in the body. This latent stage can last for years.
The late stages of syphilis can develop in about 15% of people who have not been treated for syphilis, and can appear 10 – 20 years after infection was first acquired. In the late stages of syphilis, the disease may damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. This damage may be serious enough to cause death.
Other Info:
Between 2005 and 2006, the number of reported P&S syphilis cases increased 11.8 percent.
Genital sores (chancres) caused by syphilis make it easier to transmit and acquire HIV infection sexually.
Syphilis is easy to cure in its early stages. A single intramuscular injection of penicillin, an antibiotic, will cure a person who has had syphilis for less than a year.
Chlamydia
Gonorrhea
Syphilis
Symptoms: Syphilis can progress into three different stages.
Primary Stage
- The primary stage of syphilis is usually marked by the appearance of a single sore (called a chancre), but there may be multiple sores.
- Symptoms start on an average of 21 days after exposure
- The chancre is usually firm, round, small, and painless. It lasts 3 to 6 weeks, and heals without treatment. However, if adequate treatment is not administered, the infection progresses to the secondary stage.
Secondary Stage- Skin rash and mucous membrane lesions characterize the secondary stage.The characteristic rash of secondary syphilis may appear as rough, red, or reddish brown spots both on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. Sometimes rashes associated with secondary syphilis are so faint that they are not noticeable.
- Other symptoms of secondary syphilis may include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue. The signs and symptoms of secondary syphilis will resolve with or without treatment, but without treatment, the infection will progress to the latent and possibly late stages of disease.
Latent and Late Stages- The latent (hidden) stage of syphilis begins when primary and secondary symptoms disappear without treatment and the infection remains in the body. This latent stage can last for years.
- The late stages of syphilis can develop in about 15% of people who have not been treated for syphilis, and can appear 10 – 20 years after infection was first acquired. In the late stages of syphilis, the disease may damage the internal organs, including the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints. This damage may be serious enough to cause death.
Other Info: