Condition Lookup
Category:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Number of Conditions: 8
Chancroid
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
painful genital ulcers; swollen and tender inguinal lymph nodes; discharge from ulcers; pain during urination
Root Cause:
Caused by Haemophilus ducreyi, a gram-negative bacterium that leads to ulcerative lesions.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, culture or PCR of ulcer exudate, and exclusion of other ulcerative conditions like syphilis or herpes.
Treatment:
Antibiotic therapy, wound care, and drainage of abscessed lymph nodes if necessary.
Medications:
Azithromycin (macrolide antibiotic), Ceftriaxone (third-generation cephalosporin), Ciprofloxacin (fluoroquinolone), or Erythromycin (macrolide antibiotic).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries; endemic in parts of Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sexual contact, multiple sexual partners, and coexisting STDs.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Effective treatment leads to resolution; delayed treatment may result in complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Phimosis, fistula formation, and superinfection; increased risk of HIV transmission.
Chlamydia (Chlamydial Genitourinary Infections)
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
asymptomatic in many cases; burning during urination; abnormal vaginal or penile discharge; lower abdominal pain; pain during intercourse; rectal pain or bleeding
Root Cause:
Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, an obligate intracellular bacterium.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) of urine or swab specimens.
Treatment:
Antibiotic therapy and partner notification/treatment to prevent reinfection.
Medications:
Azithromycin (macrolide antibiotic) or Doxycycline (tetracycline antibiotic); alternatives include Erythromycin or Levofloxacin .
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Among the most common STDs globally, with millions of cases reported annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, young age, and previous STDs.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Full recovery with treatment; untreated cases may lead to complications like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
PID, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, and neonatal infections in pregnant individuals.
Emergent Management of Gonorrhea
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
urethral discharge; painful urination; vaginal discharge; rectal pain; sore throat; pelvic or abdominal pain
Root Cause:
Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a gram-negative diplococcus.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
NAAT of urine, endocervical, or urethral swabs; culture for antibiotic susceptibility.
Treatment:
Immediate antibiotic therapy tailored to resistant strains.
Medications:
Ceftriaxone (third-generation cephalosporin) combined with Azithromycin or Doxycycline to cover potential coinfections.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common globally; increased antibiotic resistance is a growing concern.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sex, multiple partners, MSM (men who have sex with men) population.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with prompt treatment; resistant strains may require alternative regimens.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, epididymitis, disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI).
Gonococcal Arthritis
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
joint pain; swelling in one or more joints; fever; skin lesions; painful or restricted joint movement
Root Cause:
Dissemination of Neisseria gonorrhoeae into the bloodstream, leading to septic arthritis.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Synovial fluid analysis and culture, blood cultures, and NAAT for gonorrhea.
Treatment:
Antibiotics and joint drainage in severe cases.
Medications:
Ceftriaxone (third-generation cephalosporin) followed by oral therapy with Azithromycin or Doxycycline ; NSAIDs may be used for symptom relief.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare but more common in sexually active young adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Untreated gonorrhea, multiple sexual partners, immunosuppression.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally good with prompt treatment; delayed treatment may result in joint damage.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic arthritis, joint destruction, and systemic infection.
Gonorrhea
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
painful urination; abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina; rectal pain; sore throat; pelvic pain
Root Cause:
Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which infects mucous membranes.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
NAAT of urine, endocervical, or urethral swabs; culture for resistant strains.
Treatment:
Dual antibiotic therapy to address resistance.
Medications:
Ceftriaxone (third-generation cephalosporin) and Azithromycin (macrolide antibiotic); alternatives include Doxycycline .
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Very common, with millions of cases worldwide annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sexual contact, multiple partners, previous STDs.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with treatment; untreated infections may cause severe complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
PID, infertility, epididymitis, DGI, neonatal conjunctivitis.
Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
painless genital ulcer; swollen and painful lymph nodes; rectal pain or bleeding; fever; discharge
Root Cause:
Caused by invasive strains of Chlamydia trachomatis (L1, L2, L3 serovars).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
NAAT of lesion or rectal swabs, serologic tests.
Treatment:
Prolonged antibiotic therapy.
Medications:
Doxycycline (tetracycline antibiotic) for 21 days; Azithromycin as an alternative.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries; outbreaks in MSM populations in some areas.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected anal or genital contact, multiple partners.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with treatment; untreated cases may lead to chronic complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic proctitis, strictures, elephantiasis of genitalia.
Syphilis
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
painless chancre (primary stage); rash on palms and soles (secondary stage); neurological symptoms (tertiary stage); fever; lymphadenopathy
Root Cause:
Caused by Treponema pallidum, a spirochete bacterium.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Serologic tests (RPR, VDRL, FTA-ABS), darkfield microscopy.
Treatment:
Antibiotic therapy tailored to stage.
Medications:
Penicillin G (beta-lactam antibiotic), Doxycycline for penicillin-allergic individuals.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Sporadic outbreaks globally; higher rates in MSM and coexisting HIV infections.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Unprotected sex, multiple partners, HIV coinfection.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with early treatment; advanced stages can cause irreversible damage.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cardiovascular and neurological damage, congenital syphilis.
Syphilis Organism-Specific Therapy
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Symptoms:
symptoms vary by stage
Root Cause:
Infection with Treponema pallidum causing systemic effects and requiring specific treatment tailored to the organism.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Serologic tests (RPR, VDRL, FTA-ABS), darkfield microscopy for direct observation of spirochetes.
Treatment:
Penicillin-based therapy; specific duration and dosage depend on the disease stage.
Medications:
Benzathine Penicillin G (beta-lactam antibiotic); alternatives include Doxycycline (tetracycline antibiotic) for penicillin-allergic individuals.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common worldwide; disproportionately affects specific high-risk populations.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
High-risk sexual behavior, lack of screening, HIV co-infection.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Curable with antibiotics; early treatment prevents complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Neurological sequelae, cardiovascular disease, congenital syphilis in newborns.