Sexually transmitted diseases
Reviewed by Dr David Delvin, GP and psychosexual expert
Unfortunately, in 2010 sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have become very common. This is undoubtedly because more and more people are having enjoyable, but sometimes risky, sex lives – often with several partners.
What sort of diseases are we talking about?
Below you'll find a number of conditions that are currently being seen by NHS genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the UK.
Please bear in mind that some of them (most notably thrush) may not have been acquired through sex.
Chlamydia
There are 122,000 new cases of chlamydia a year.
Chlamydia is the most common and fastest spreading sexually transmitted disease in the UK. It stems from a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis.
Women diagnosed with chlamydia can also infect their newborn infant during delivery. Symptoms usually appear approximately 7 to 21 days after infection and differ for men, women and children.
Gonorrhoea
There are 19,000 new cases of gonorrhoea a year.
Gonorrhoea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacteria that grows and multiplies quickly in moist, warm areas of the body – such as the cervix, urethra, mouth, or rectum. The cervix is the most common site of infection in women.
However, the disease can also spread to the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes, causing pelvic inflammatory disease leading to infertility.
Gonorrhoea is most commonly spread during genital contact, but it can also be passed from the genitals of one partner to the throat of the other during oral sex. Gonorrhoea of the rectum can occur in people who practice anal sex. In pregnant women, gonorrhoea can be passed from an infected woman to her newborn infant during delivery if left untreated.
Genital herpes
There are 26,000 new cases of gential herpes a year.
Gential herpes is a highly contagious viral condition caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
It infects the skin and mucous membranes of the genitals and rectum, but it can also appear in areas such as the mouth.
It's transmitted primarily through physical and sexual contact. During birth, the presence of herpes simplex virus on the genitalia or in the birth canal is a threat to the infant.
HIV and AIDS
There are 6,000 new cases of HIV a year.
AIDS is a potentially lethal sexually transmitted disease and is caused by the HIV virus. HIV means 'human immunodeficiency virus'.
HIV invades and destroys the immune system, which protects the body from infection. This means that a person who carries the HIV virus is prone to many different illnesses and may die from diseases that are harmless to healthy people.
In some countries, particularly those located in Sub-Saharan Africa, the HIV rates are very high. For instance, in the Republic of South Africa it's estimated that about 11 per cent of the population is HIV-positive.
Genital warts
There are 90,000 new cases of genital warts a year.
Warts, or condylomata acuminata, are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Up to nine months can pass from the time of infection to the actual development of warts.
In women, HPV can lead to changes in the cervix and to the development of cervical cancer. Therefore, it's important that this condition is diagnosed and treated.
Syphilis
There are 2,700 new cases of syphilis a year.
Syphilis is a dangerous and life-threatening bacterial disease. It's passed on by intercourse, or by almost any other form of sexual interaction.
The first signs appear between 9 and 90 days after exposure to the germ that causes it.
After infection, the bacteria is transported through the body via the bloodstream and adversely affects vital organs such as the heart, brain, nervous system and spine.
Trichomonas
There are 6,000 new cases of trichomonas a year.
Trichomonas vaginalis (often known as 'TV') is a protozoan 'bug' that used to be a common cause of vaginal discharge and intense vulval soreness.
Bacterial vaginosis
The diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) has become common during the last 10 years, with about 95,000 women per year being seen in GUM clinics, and an unknown number being treated elsewhere.
BV is a common cause of vaginal discharge. The discharge is usually whitish or greyish or sometimes yellowish, and tends to have an off-putting ‘fishy’ odour.
Unlike the discharges caused by thrush or trichomonas, it’s not usually associated with soreness, discomfort or itching.
It's uncertain if BV is transmitted sexually, especially as there's no equivalent condition in males.
Vaginal thrush (female candidiasis)
There are 80,000 new cases of thrush a year.
Candida is a fungal infection. It loves warm, moist conditions, which is why it flourishes in women's vaginas – and also in babies' mouths, particularly in the newborn.
I'd like to stress that it's NOT an STD, and many people don't regard it as a sexually transmitted infection at all – though undoubtedly partners do sometimes pass it to and fro between them. That's why it's sometimes necessary to treat the male, as well as the female in order to eradicate the candida from the relationship.
Scabies
There are 2,400 new cases of scabies and crabs a year.
Scabies (the itch) isn't actually a genital infection. But it's often dealt with at GUM clinics because of the fact that it's frequently acquired through being in bed with someone who has the condition.
It's caused by a little mite, which is just about visible to the naked eye. If your skin comes into contact with the skin of somebody who has scabies, some of the mites may well nip across from the other person's body to yours.
Crabs (pubic lice)
Various kinds of lice affect humans. But the type that are associated with sex are pubic lice, which are easily transmitted from one person to another when two sets of pubic hair meet.
If you catch crabs from someone, you'll find that you have intense itching in your pubic area. By looking carefully, you may be able to see the tiny greyish lice crawling around. They do look a bit like minute crabs.
It may be easier for you to spot the white eggs (nits) that stick to the hairs.
Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum is a viral condition that causes little 'pearly bumps' on the skin.
Although it's known to many parents as a childhood condition that's passed on when children have skin-to-skin contact in baths or beds – it can also affect adults.
Over 17,000 cases turn up in GUM clinics every year: 12,000 men and 5,000 women.
How can sexually transmitted diseases be avoided?
* The less sexual partners a person has, the lower the risk of infection.
* Most sexually transmitted diseases can be avoided to a large extent by practising safe sex (eg using condoms).
* Avoid casual sex.
* If you're under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, don't even consider having sex with anyone.
Most sexually transmitted diseases can be cured if they are diagnosed and treated in their early stages.
How many people go to GUM clinics?
Currently, the number of people who go to GUM clinics is around two million per year. This figure has more than doubled since 2001.
Furthermore, a lot of genital infections are treated by GPs or private clinics – and these don't even get included in the national statistics that have been quoted above.
Generally speaking, if you think you have an infection you should go to a GUM clinic.
How do you find a GUM clinic?
Unfortunately, it has always been difficult for people to find a GUM clinic, simply because of the veil of secrecy that has always surrounded this subject.
You may find clinics listed in phone book directories under either 'genitourinary medicine' or 'sexual health clinics'.
One approach is to call your nearest hospital and ask them where the GUM clinic is located, and what the phone number is.
A good plan is to phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. They have a complete list of all the GUM clinics in the country. Also, ask them if you need to make an appointment, or whether you can just turn up at a 'walk-in' session. You can also use the Family Planning Association (fpa) clinic finder.
You don't need a GP's letter or 'permission' from your GP. Also, the clinic will not write to your GP, unless you specifically ask them to.
Everything that happens at the clinic is strictly confidential. No information is passed on to other doctors, family members or to insurance companies.
How long will you have to wait before you are seen?
Naturally, the rise in STD figures over the last decade has put GUM clinics under pressure. But the staff are doing their best to cope, and currently most people can be seen within 72 hours of contacting the clinic.
In order to prevent the spread of infection: it's important that you don't have sex, until you have been seen at the clinic.
Finally, bear in mind that most STDs are easily cured. If you've taken a risk, go to a GUM clinic for a confidential chat and some tests.
Based on a text by Dr Jeni Worden, GP and Dr Flemming Andersen, specialist
Last updated 30.07.2010
