LO1
P1: Describe how sexually transmitted infections could affect the health
and well-being of the individual
Sexually transmitted infection are diseases passed on through
unprotected sexual activity and sexual contact. Left untreated they can
lead to significant complications, however, can be typically asymptomatic.
Precautions should be takes such as barrier contraception, and abstaining
from sex to reduce the spread of STDs if you have been diagnosed.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection normally contracted during unprotected
sexual contact with another who is infected and can be often difficult to
diagnose. Syphilis can be caught more than once even if the person has
already undergone treatment. It is caused by the Treponema Pallidum
bacterium.
Symptoms - Symptoms are similar in both men and women and may
include, around the 2–3-week stage, small painless sores, ulcers, cuts, or
bumps on the genitals, mouth and even fingers. Further body rashes on
the palms, feet, and other parts of the body may follow. A person may
also experience swollen glands in their neck, groin, or armpit – this stage
of syphilis is known as ‘Primary syphilis.’ The secondary stage of Syphilis
develops a few weeks after the first stages, this includes; a blotchy rough
red rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, small skin
manifestations such as mucous membrane lesions and wart-like growths
in the genital area known as condylomata lata. Furthermore, the
individual may experience flu-like symptoms including fever, sore throat,
swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches.
Complications - When untreated for extensive period, Syphilis can start
destroying bodily functions and lead to mental, neurological problems,
heart diseases, blindness, and even death. It can lead to other serious
health problems, including meningitis, strokes, numbness, loss of co-
ordination and dementia symptoms known as ‘tertiary stage.’ Further
complications may include angina, nerve problems such as joint pain, and
problems with the skin, bones, testicles, liver and other organs. Problems
may not appear for many years after being infected with syphilis. Syphilis
can also be transmitted to a woman’s unborn baby if infected with
syphilis, known as congenital syphilis. If not treated it can lead to serious
problems including stillbirth or miscarriage.
Diagnosis / Treatment – Syphilis can be diagnosed through testing
samples of blood, fluid from a sore, or cerebrospinal fluid to detect
,bacteria. Darkfield microscopy may also be used to see the syphilis
bacteria through a microscope in fluid taken from a skin sore or lymph
node. Early treatment leads to better health outcomes, although it can
still be treated at such a late stage, it is sometimes not possible to solve
the damage that has already been done. For primary or secondary
syphilis, a single shot of penicillin to the buttock. Antibiotics may be taken
as injections, tablets, or capsules; however, the rash symptoms typically
disappear on their own. If you have had syphilis for longer than a year or
have secondary syphilis, three injections will be required with weekly
intervals. Penicillin is the only recommended treatment for pregnant
people with syphilis, furthermore, those who are allergic to penicillin can
follow a procedure called penicillin desensitization, which is done by an
allergist or immunologist – this treatment involves taking tiny amounts of
penicillin every 15 to 20 minutes over a four-hour span.
Effects of treatment- The first day after you receive treatment you may
receive what is known as Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This includes
symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, achy pain and a headache. Even if
you are treated, you can contract syphilis again if you have sex with an
infected person. Protected sex is the basic way to reduce chances of
contracting the infection.
Lifestyle Impacts – Having syphilis can have detrimental effects to the
individuals psychological and physical health. Symptoms such as the flu-
like symptoms or rashes may impact the individual's ability to concentrate
in school or work causing intellectual harm, further leading the individual
to feeling lonely or socially excluded. Taking time off for treatments or
because of symptoms can also impact the individual economically as the
amount of sick time taken impacts the ability to make sufficient money.
Paired with the symptoms, the individual can feel physically drained and
lethargic, as well as embarrassed due to the physical changes to their
skin. Further complications may arise, such as dementia can have
significant psychological impacts on a persons mental health and
cognitive functions, the individual may experience confusion and difficulty
to regulate emotions leading to frustration, anxiety, and depression.
Having to take injections can also cause psychological stress and anxiety
due to feelings of fear.
HIV/ AIDS
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus can lead to acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), this does severe damage to the
immune system which eventually leads to death from other diseases. It is
transmitted through blood, vaginal and rectal fluids, semen, and breast
milk, and male gay couples and drug users sharing needles are
2
,particularly exposed to the virus. More than 1.5 million people worldwide
die from HIV every year therefore it is important to have sexual relations
with safe and permanent partners and using condoms. Aids describes a
number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen
when the immune system has been severely damaged.
Symptoms - Most individuals infected with HIV experience a short flu-like
illness that occurs 2 to 6 weeks after the infection. After this, HIV may not
cause any symptoms for several years, this can be dangerous as many
individuals who have HIV do not know if they’re infected. It is estimated
that up to 8% of individuals experience symptoms that include; raised
temperature, a sore throat / inflammation, body rash, fatigue, joint pain,
muscle pain, and lymphadenopathy which is swollen lymph nodes. Other
symptoms include unexplained weight loss, oral thrush, and night sweats.
Acute signs of HIV differ from late-stage symptoms where the virus has
begun weakening the immune system. Chronic and persistent symptoms
indicate its progression and may include diarrhoea for over one week, a
persistent cough, and rapid weight loss. ARS stands for acute retroviral
syndrome; this is the collection of HIV signs and symptoms that occur in
its acute stage where the immune system mounts a defence against the
virus when it first enters the body.
Complications (AIDS) - The final stage of HIV infection is AIDs. People
with AIDs have a low number of CD4+ lymphocyte cells as it gradually
declines. This means the individual is more at risk of infections or cancers
that rarely occur in healthy people which can be deadly, as the immune
system deteriorates. It takes time for HIV to progress into AIDs – typically
10 to 12 years without treatment, however, common complications or
symptoms of aids include symptoms mentioned above, as well as pelvic
inflammatory disease that does not respond to treatment, short-term
memory loss, opportunistic infections related to having a diminished
immune system such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Other ways an
individual's life can be affected is they will not be able to donate blood or
organs, as well as having difficulty getting life insurance to cover a
mortgage loan. Without treatment, there is a 1-4 chance mothers who are
pregnant and have HIV, that the baby will contract the infection, advances
in treatment mean there is no increased risk of passing the virus onto the
baby through a vaginal delivery. Some HIV treatments can be harmful to
the unborn baby, as well as additional medicines needed to prevent the
baby contracting HIV.
Diagnosis / Treatment – Diagnostic tests are typically in the form of
blood or saliva tests, the body makes antibodies to HIV, however positive
results may not show up until 2 to 6 weeks of exposure. If the individual
3
, believes they have been exposed to the virus, post-exposure prophylaxis
(PEP) medicine may stop the individual getting infected. This must be
started within 72 hours of encountering the virus to be effective. The most
effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a
combination of several medicines that aim to control the amount of the
virus in your body, it slows the rate of virus multiplication ensuring a
healthier body. When treatment doesn’t work, it is often because the HIV
virus has become resistant to the medicine, this can happen if you don’t
take your medicines correctly. The amount of HIV virus in your blood is
measured to see how well the treatment is working, once it can no longer
be measured it becomes undetectable. Other steps available for keeping
the immune system strong include exercising regularly, rating a healthy
and balanced diet, and quitting smoking.
Effects of treatment – Side effects of PEP are likely to be mild, including
nausea, headaches and tiredness. It is advised you do not take
recreational drugs whilst on PEP as it can be dangerous, antacids,
multivitamins, and iron supplements are also taking the medicine. Further
side effects may include difficulty sleeping, weight changes, and pain in
the injection site.
Lifestyle impacts - Being diagnosed with HIV can be extremely
distressing to the individual causing psychological impacts such as
anxiety and depression. This may be due to feeling embarrassed
informing former or current sexual partners about the diagnosis, this can
cause strain in the relationships and feelings such as anger due to
transmission of the virus to others. This can also cause social strain, if
you work in a healthcare role for example, you’ll need to be monitored by
your occupational health team and HIV doctors to ensure you're not
putting yourself or other patients at risk of infection. There may also be
risks delivering babies, HIV treatment is available to prevent you passing
HIV to the child. Physical impacts include the deterioration of the
body's immune system; this increases the risk of frequent opportunistic
infections as well as deadly disease that can be potentially life
threatening. This can severely impact the individual, causing constant
feelings of lethargy, as well as emotionally feeling drained. It can further
cause the inability to socialise and feeling house/bed bound.
Intellectually this can impact the individual as it can hinder their ability
to go to school or concentrate on work.
Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is also a sexually transmitted disease, often informally known
as ‘the clap,’ and is caused by the bacteria called Neisseria gonnorhoeae
or gonococcus. It is often typically passed on by semen or vaginal fluid
4
P1: Describe how sexually transmitted infections could affect the health
and well-being of the individual
Sexually transmitted infection are diseases passed on through
unprotected sexual activity and sexual contact. Left untreated they can
lead to significant complications, however, can be typically asymptomatic.
Precautions should be takes such as barrier contraception, and abstaining
from sex to reduce the spread of STDs if you have been diagnosed.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection normally contracted during unprotected
sexual contact with another who is infected and can be often difficult to
diagnose. Syphilis can be caught more than once even if the person has
already undergone treatment. It is caused by the Treponema Pallidum
bacterium.
Symptoms - Symptoms are similar in both men and women and may
include, around the 2–3-week stage, small painless sores, ulcers, cuts, or
bumps on the genitals, mouth and even fingers. Further body rashes on
the palms, feet, and other parts of the body may follow. A person may
also experience swollen glands in their neck, groin, or armpit – this stage
of syphilis is known as ‘Primary syphilis.’ The secondary stage of Syphilis
develops a few weeks after the first stages, this includes; a blotchy rough
red rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, small skin
manifestations such as mucous membrane lesions and wart-like growths
in the genital area known as condylomata lata. Furthermore, the
individual may experience flu-like symptoms including fever, sore throat,
swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches.
Complications - When untreated for extensive period, Syphilis can start
destroying bodily functions and lead to mental, neurological problems,
heart diseases, blindness, and even death. It can lead to other serious
health problems, including meningitis, strokes, numbness, loss of co-
ordination and dementia symptoms known as ‘tertiary stage.’ Further
complications may include angina, nerve problems such as joint pain, and
problems with the skin, bones, testicles, liver and other organs. Problems
may not appear for many years after being infected with syphilis. Syphilis
can also be transmitted to a woman’s unborn baby if infected with
syphilis, known as congenital syphilis. If not treated it can lead to serious
problems including stillbirth or miscarriage.
Diagnosis / Treatment – Syphilis can be diagnosed through testing
samples of blood, fluid from a sore, or cerebrospinal fluid to detect
,bacteria. Darkfield microscopy may also be used to see the syphilis
bacteria through a microscope in fluid taken from a skin sore or lymph
node. Early treatment leads to better health outcomes, although it can
still be treated at such a late stage, it is sometimes not possible to solve
the damage that has already been done. For primary or secondary
syphilis, a single shot of penicillin to the buttock. Antibiotics may be taken
as injections, tablets, or capsules; however, the rash symptoms typically
disappear on their own. If you have had syphilis for longer than a year or
have secondary syphilis, three injections will be required with weekly
intervals. Penicillin is the only recommended treatment for pregnant
people with syphilis, furthermore, those who are allergic to penicillin can
follow a procedure called penicillin desensitization, which is done by an
allergist or immunologist – this treatment involves taking tiny amounts of
penicillin every 15 to 20 minutes over a four-hour span.
Effects of treatment- The first day after you receive treatment you may
receive what is known as Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This includes
symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, achy pain and a headache. Even if
you are treated, you can contract syphilis again if you have sex with an
infected person. Protected sex is the basic way to reduce chances of
contracting the infection.
Lifestyle Impacts – Having syphilis can have detrimental effects to the
individuals psychological and physical health. Symptoms such as the flu-
like symptoms or rashes may impact the individual's ability to concentrate
in school or work causing intellectual harm, further leading the individual
to feeling lonely or socially excluded. Taking time off for treatments or
because of symptoms can also impact the individual economically as the
amount of sick time taken impacts the ability to make sufficient money.
Paired with the symptoms, the individual can feel physically drained and
lethargic, as well as embarrassed due to the physical changes to their
skin. Further complications may arise, such as dementia can have
significant psychological impacts on a persons mental health and
cognitive functions, the individual may experience confusion and difficulty
to regulate emotions leading to frustration, anxiety, and depression.
Having to take injections can also cause psychological stress and anxiety
due to feelings of fear.
HIV/ AIDS
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus can lead to acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), this does severe damage to the
immune system which eventually leads to death from other diseases. It is
transmitted through blood, vaginal and rectal fluids, semen, and breast
milk, and male gay couples and drug users sharing needles are
2
,particularly exposed to the virus. More than 1.5 million people worldwide
die from HIV every year therefore it is important to have sexual relations
with safe and permanent partners and using condoms. Aids describes a
number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen
when the immune system has been severely damaged.
Symptoms - Most individuals infected with HIV experience a short flu-like
illness that occurs 2 to 6 weeks after the infection. After this, HIV may not
cause any symptoms for several years, this can be dangerous as many
individuals who have HIV do not know if they’re infected. It is estimated
that up to 8% of individuals experience symptoms that include; raised
temperature, a sore throat / inflammation, body rash, fatigue, joint pain,
muscle pain, and lymphadenopathy which is swollen lymph nodes. Other
symptoms include unexplained weight loss, oral thrush, and night sweats.
Acute signs of HIV differ from late-stage symptoms where the virus has
begun weakening the immune system. Chronic and persistent symptoms
indicate its progression and may include diarrhoea for over one week, a
persistent cough, and rapid weight loss. ARS stands for acute retroviral
syndrome; this is the collection of HIV signs and symptoms that occur in
its acute stage where the immune system mounts a defence against the
virus when it first enters the body.
Complications (AIDS) - The final stage of HIV infection is AIDs. People
with AIDs have a low number of CD4+ lymphocyte cells as it gradually
declines. This means the individual is more at risk of infections or cancers
that rarely occur in healthy people which can be deadly, as the immune
system deteriorates. It takes time for HIV to progress into AIDs – typically
10 to 12 years without treatment, however, common complications or
symptoms of aids include symptoms mentioned above, as well as pelvic
inflammatory disease that does not respond to treatment, short-term
memory loss, opportunistic infections related to having a diminished
immune system such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Other ways an
individual's life can be affected is they will not be able to donate blood or
organs, as well as having difficulty getting life insurance to cover a
mortgage loan. Without treatment, there is a 1-4 chance mothers who are
pregnant and have HIV, that the baby will contract the infection, advances
in treatment mean there is no increased risk of passing the virus onto the
baby through a vaginal delivery. Some HIV treatments can be harmful to
the unborn baby, as well as additional medicines needed to prevent the
baby contracting HIV.
Diagnosis / Treatment – Diagnostic tests are typically in the form of
blood or saliva tests, the body makes antibodies to HIV, however positive
results may not show up until 2 to 6 weeks of exposure. If the individual
3
, believes they have been exposed to the virus, post-exposure prophylaxis
(PEP) medicine may stop the individual getting infected. This must be
started within 72 hours of encountering the virus to be effective. The most
effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a
combination of several medicines that aim to control the amount of the
virus in your body, it slows the rate of virus multiplication ensuring a
healthier body. When treatment doesn’t work, it is often because the HIV
virus has become resistant to the medicine, this can happen if you don’t
take your medicines correctly. The amount of HIV virus in your blood is
measured to see how well the treatment is working, once it can no longer
be measured it becomes undetectable. Other steps available for keeping
the immune system strong include exercising regularly, rating a healthy
and balanced diet, and quitting smoking.
Effects of treatment – Side effects of PEP are likely to be mild, including
nausea, headaches and tiredness. It is advised you do not take
recreational drugs whilst on PEP as it can be dangerous, antacids,
multivitamins, and iron supplements are also taking the medicine. Further
side effects may include difficulty sleeping, weight changes, and pain in
the injection site.
Lifestyle impacts - Being diagnosed with HIV can be extremely
distressing to the individual causing psychological impacts such as
anxiety and depression. This may be due to feeling embarrassed
informing former or current sexual partners about the diagnosis, this can
cause strain in the relationships and feelings such as anger due to
transmission of the virus to others. This can also cause social strain, if
you work in a healthcare role for example, you’ll need to be monitored by
your occupational health team and HIV doctors to ensure you're not
putting yourself or other patients at risk of infection. There may also be
risks delivering babies, HIV treatment is available to prevent you passing
HIV to the child. Physical impacts include the deterioration of the
body's immune system; this increases the risk of frequent opportunistic
infections as well as deadly disease that can be potentially life
threatening. This can severely impact the individual, causing constant
feelings of lethargy, as well as emotionally feeling drained. It can further
cause the inability to socialise and feeling house/bed bound.
Intellectually this can impact the individual as it can hinder their ability
to go to school or concentrate on work.
Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is also a sexually transmitted disease, often informally known
as ‘the clap,’ and is caused by the bacteria called Neisseria gonnorhoeae
or gonococcus. It is often typically passed on by semen or vaginal fluid
4
