Sexually transmitted infections, be they bacterial, viral or parasitical in nature, have now become common amongst men and women who are sexually active. Alarmingly, the number of people developing a STI is also increasing with each passing day. The viral infections are usually dormant for most part of the life, while active for a short period of time. The viral STIs are difficult to cure but can be treated with the help of antivirals. Bacterial and parasitic STIs on the other hand are easy to cure with the help of antibiotics. However, these infections are also difficult to diagnose, as unlike viral STIs they do not show any visible symptoms.
Chlamydia – a bacterial STI
The most commonly contracted bacterial STI amongst men and women is chlamydia, caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis. This infection, although it usually does not show symptoms, can be diagnosed using the chlamydia test. You can take this test after two weeks of having an unprotected sexual encounter with your partner. However, men may also experience symptoms such as irritation at the head of the penis and increased discharge. Women, on the other hand, may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, increased vaginal discharge and cystitis. Chlamydia treatment is important, as if left untreated it can cause severe damage to the genital organs of a man or woman.
No comments:
Post a Comment