Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are quite common these days. According to the World Health Organization, every day more than 1 million people are infected with STIs. However, along with the development of medicine, the methods of diagnosis, prevention and vaccination are also improving, and society’s attitude towards patients is changing as well. Our blog post is dedicated to this very topic.
The source of STD infection is not just sexual contact
It is possible to get infected with an STI through any type of unprotected sexual intercourse, however in rare cases a person can also become infected through contact with an infected person’s bed linens or towels. Moreover, STIs are contagious even if the infected person has no symptoms.
Sexually transmitted infections are mostly asymptomatic or have mild symptoms
Symptoms of sexually transmitted infections can take some time to manifest, or the body can overcome some of them so that the patient does not even suspect infection. Most STIs are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. These include a burning sensation when urinating, redness in the genital areas, vaginal or urethral discharge, itching, and a rash on the genitals, skin and mucous membranes.
Anyone can get an STI
Anyone can get a sexually transmitted infection, no matter their origin, race, gender, sexual orientation or age. All opposing views are myths and have nothing to do with reality.
Condoms do not protect 100% against sexually transmitted infections
The most effective way to protect against sexually transmitted infections is to abstain from casual intercourse and use a condom. However, it should be noted that condoms cannot protect you from infections transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, blood or household objects. These include, for example, HPV, the herpes virus, etc.
Most sexually transmitted infections are curable
Most sexually transmitted infections, for example, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, chlamydiosis, etc., are curable. Some of them, for example, the herpes virus, HIV, etc., cannot be eliminated from the body, although they can be treated.
Sexually transmitted infections can cause serious health problems
In addition to infectious diseases of the genitourinary system, sexually transmitted diseases can cause infertility if complications occur, and sometimes certain HPV genotypes appear to be the cause of precancerous diseases and cervical cancer.
Some infections are transmitted from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy or childbirth, so it is important for women who are planning to become pregnant or are pregnant to consider this factor.
Sexually transmitted infections leave no immunity after treatment, so a person can become infected several times.
After treatment for STDs, reinfection is possible, so it is important for couples to seek treatment at the same time and avoid unprotected casual sex.
Sexually transmitted infections are detected by the PCR test, which is recognized as the gold standard in the world.
Since most sexually transmitted infections are asymptomatic, the best way to detect them is through PCR test. It is considered the gold standard in modern medicine. Therefore, for early diagnosis and prevention of the spread of infection, it is important for a person to conduct testing regularly, once or twice a year.
At Genomics, the high-tech biomedical research and genetic diagnostics centre, sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed with the latest technologies. Patients can be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Trichomonas vaginalis, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Herpes simplex 1, Herpes simplex 2, and Treponema pallidum separately or simultaneously.
