Sexually Transmitted Diseases

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS is the deadliest infection transmitted through unsafe sex, sharing of needles and transfusion of infected blood. When the person suffers from HIV, he is unable to fight against diseases. So after infection, symptoms of the various disease are seen on them and this condition is known as AIDS. AIDS is caused by the retrovirus named HIV. There is no cure for AIDS and when a person is the victim of this disease, it's sure that he is/she is going to die. They can live a normal life for 10 to 15 yrs if they get proper love, care, affection, diet, health facilities, guidance and social relationships. AIDS was discovered in 1981 in United States of America and 4 people were detected of this virus in Nepal in 1988.AIDS has challenged all the scientific endeavors to cure it. UNAIDS has already declared Nepal 'concentrated epidemic zone' due to high growth rate of HIV infection. The open border, Poverty, Illiteracy, Girls trafficking, and lack of job opportunity are the main causes of high growth rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Nepal.

Mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS

• Unsafe sexual contact with a person who is infected.
• Transfusion of HIV-infected the blood.
• Sharing of infected needles and syringes.
• HIV-infected women giving birth to the child.

Stages of AIDS

1. First stage: This stage is known as window stage. In this stage, even though a person is infected with HIV, the blood test cannot detect such infection. This period lasts for 1 to 3 weeks. HIV quickly interacts with an immune system of the body.
2. Second stage: This stage is known as the 'carrier period'. A blood test will detect the HIV- positive infection. HIV continuously weakens our immune system. If an infected person gets proper diet, care, love, develops proper altitude, takes anti-retro viral medicines, support and guidance from family and friends then they live as long as 10 to 15 years.
3. Third stage: These people will be clinically suffering from AIDS. Medicines of almost all treatment will be ineffective. The patient will become weaker with time and dies within 1 to 2 weeks. AIDS does not have its particular symptoms and it weakens our immune system. So another disease will attack us easily, we do not have the immune power to fight against it therefore we die.

Symptoms of AIDS

• Loss of the body weight.
• Continuous diarrhoea.
• Continuous fever for more than a month.

Preventive measure:

• Sexual contact should be between spouses only.
• Used syringes and needles should be sterilized.
• Transfusion of blood should be done after clinically tested.
• The awareness program should be raised.
• Practicable health education should be imparted.

Syphilis

It is a dangerous communicable disease among sexually transmitted disease, STIs. This communicable disease transmits through unsafe sex and is caused by infection from 9 germs called Treponema Pallidum. Syphilis can be transmitted through the blood transfusion from an infected person and infected women giving birth to a child.

Symptoms

• Small water blisters are seen around genitals part and inside the vagina, the skin around vagina becomes red
• White watery matters come out from ruptured blisters.
• The rise in temperature around genitals part.
• Joint ache, spleen swell and ache, glands like liver.
• It affects the blood circulation due to swollen blood vessels.

Ways of remaining safe from STIs

1. Personal hygiene and cleanliness should be maintained.
2. Develop widespread awareness about STIs among people.
3. Do not hesitate to promptly checkup and treat any kinds of problems that arise in the sex organ.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a dangerous communicable disease which is transmitted through unsafe sexual intercourse. Many people of the country are suffering from gonorrhea because of illiteracy, ignorance and traditional believe. Gonorrhea infects the urethra and glands that produce vaginal fluid. It is caused by the bacteria named gonococcus. It is transmitted through the sexual intercourse with infected person. The infected women suffer from swollen vagina and bladder. It gets difficult to urinate and experiences burning sensation while urinating. Urine is mixed with light yellow, thick white colored pus. Red spots are seen, joint pain occurs, loss of appetite, tiredness results, and high temperature occurs.

Measure of safety and control

• The awareness program should be raised.
• Pay attention towards the cleanliness of sex organs and personal hygiene.
• Sexual intercourse should be limited between husband and wife.
• If the symptoms of gonorrhea are seen then seek the medical help immediately.