Sexually Transmissible Infections

Also known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Contact Family Planning for detailed information on any of these.

What is it?

Symptoms

Partners

How do you get it?

Treatment

Through unprotected (no condom) sexual

For most people there are no symptoms.

Antibiotics

Recent sexual partners need

CHLAMYDIA

contact; vaginal, oral and anal sex.

For women there may be:

treatment. The best advice is

An infection of the lining of the cervix and

Chlamydia is treatable. When

• vaginal discharge

Pregnant women can spread the bacteria

not to have sex until both you

urethra that is passed from person to person

treated early there are no long term

• bleeding between periods

to children during birth.

and your partner/s have had

during sexual intercourse. It is the most

complications. To prevent reinfection,

• lower abdominal pain

treatment. If you do have sex,

commonly diagnosed STI in New Zealand. It

do not have vaginal, anal or oral

• pain when urinating (weeing)

you must use a condom or oral

can cause infertility in both men and women.

intercourse for at least 7 days after

• pain during intercourse.

dam.

you and your partners have been

For men there may be:

treated.

• pain when urinating • discharge from penis.

May be no symptoms in men or women.

Condoms provide protection.

GONORRHOEA

Antibiotics

Through unprotected (without a condom)

For women there may be:

Sexual partners should be

vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who

This is a bacterial infection of the genitals,

Antibiotics are given – it is important

• vaginal discharge

contacted and treated. Don’t

has the infection. It can be spread from

throat or rectum. Gonorrhoea can cause

to have 2 antibiotics together as many

• bleeding between periods

have sex until both you and

mother to baby during birth.

infertility in both men and women.

of the gonorrhoea bugs are resistant

• lower abdominal pain • pain during sex.

your partners/s have had

to the usual antibiotics.

For men there may be:

treatment.

• pain when urinating

• discharge from the penis or rectum

• pain in the testicles (balls).

GENITAL WARTS

Treatment of obvious warts with a

Through close skin to skin contact, usually

No test for partners, except by

• small flat lumps on the genitals, these

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes small

cream to rub on which acts by helping

during sex. Can be transmitted from

looking. If partners have warts

lumps may be itchy.

lumps in and around the vagina and anus in

the immune system fight the virus or a

mother to baby.

they should be treated. Using

women and on the penis, and around the anus

chemical paint, liquid nitrogen (freezing)

condoms/oral dams will help

in men. For information on Genital Warts contact

or diathermy (heat).

reduce the risk of spreading

HPV Hotline 0508 11 12 13 or

the infection.

GENITAL HERPES

Through close skin contact with someone

• First attack may be the worst - painful

Anti Herpes medication

Partners who have a sore

blisters, ulcers or sores

Infection on the genitals, caused by the

who has the virus. From mother to baby - if

should be tested. Using

These tablets shorten the attack.

• most people have no symptoms

Herpes simplex virus, the same virus that

during late pregnancy an ulcer or blister is

condoms/oral dams will help

If you get lots of recurrences (more

• you are most infectious just before you get

causes cold sores. For information on Genital

present, a decision may be made about a

reduce the risk of spreading

than 6 a year) you can take tablets

a sore, with the sore and just afterwards.

the infection.

Herpes contact Herpes Hotline 0508 11 12 13

caesarean delivery of the baby.

all the time and this helps to prevent

However people can spread the virus

recurrence.

when they have no symptoms.

Do not have sex until you

TRICHOMONIASIS

There may be no symptoms.

Antibiotics

Through unprotected (without condom)

For women there may be:

and your partner/s have had

A protozoal infection of the male and female

sexual intercourse with someone who has

• smelly vaginal discharge

treatment, unless you wear a

genital area often called “trike”.

the infection.

• itching and irritation around the vagina

condom or oral dam.

and vulva.

For men there may be:

• pain when urinating

• discharge from the penis.

NON SPECIFIC URETHRITIS (NSU)

Men:

Antibiotics

Treat with antibiotics to avoid

• discharge from the penis

reinfection. Do not have sex

An infection that causes inflammation of male

• pain when urinating (but sometimes no

until you are cleared, unless you

urethra.

symptoms).

wear a condom or oral dam.

Through unprotected (without a condom)

Antibiotics

• Painless ulcer, called a chancre, usually

Partners must be tested and

SYPHILIS

vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone

treated. The best advice is not to

on the genitals.

An infection of the skin or lining of the genital

who has the infection. It is also spread by

have sex until both you and your

In its second stages:

area. It is an infection that can, in its late

partner/s have had treatment. If

close skin contact. It can be spread from

• a rash and maybe other symptoms

stages, cause damage to the heart, brain and

you do have sex, you must use

mother to baby across the placenta during

spinal cord.

a condom or oral dam.

pregnancy.

Infections that are both sexually transmitted and transmissible in other ways

Immunisation for prevention

• often no symptoms

Through contaminated food or water, not

Immunisation for prevention

HEPATITIS A

During recovery eat a well balanced low

• yellowing of the skin and the whites

washing hands after the toilet or before

and avoid anal sexual practices

A viral infection that affects the liver.

fat diet and avoid alcohol and drugs.

touching food. Hepatitis A can be spread

of the eyes.

until recovered.

Avoid anal sex until recovered.

through unprotected sex (without a condom)

• dark urine • mild flu-like symptoms

which involves oral to anal contact (rimming).

• abdominal pain • nausea.

Spread by:

• often no symptoms

Immunisation for prevention

Always use a condom if partner

HEPATITIS B

• having unprotected (without a condom) vaginal,

Rest, exercise, eat a well balanced low

• yellowing of the skin and the whites

is not immunised. Protection

A viral infection that affects the liver.

anal or oral sex with someone who is infected

fat diet. Avoid alcohol and drugs. Make

of the eyes.

is offered to babies on the

• from mother to baby

sure that any prescription drugs or over

• dark urine • mild flu-like symptoms

immunisation schedule and to

• sharing implements that may pierce the skin

the counter medications are safe to use,

• abdominal pain • nausea.

children under 16 years. Free

or have blood on them (needles, syringes,

that is, do not affect the liver.

immunisation is available for

unsterilised instruments, razors, toothbrushes)

household and sexual contacts.

• blood transfusion (in countries that do not

pre-test blood for transfusion).

Through contact with infected blood, sharing

• often no symptoms • tiredness

Rest, exercise, eat a well balanced low

Sexual and needle-sharing

HEPATITIS C

fat diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

needles, syringes and any other equipment

• yellowing of the skin and the whites

partners can have a blood test

A viral infection that affects the liver.

Avoid alcohol and using intra-venous

and rarely through sexual contact. Blood

of the eyes (rarely).

to check for Hep C antibodies.

drugs. Some antiviral treatments are now

transfusion (in countries that do not pre-test

• dark urine • mild flu-like symptoms

available, talk to your doctor.

blood for transfusion).

• abdominal pain • nausea.

The disease can be controlled by

Through contact with infected blood, semen

HIV AND AIDS

• often no obvious symptoms for years

Practise safer sex to prevent

antiretroviral medication Treatments are

(cum), vaginal fluids, sharing needles and from

The Human Immuno-deficiency Virus attacks

• early flu-like illness

transmission. Do not share

available for the secondary infections and

mother to baby. Blood transfusion (in countries

the white blood cells and damages the immune

needles with a partner. Partners

• frequent attacks of thrush and other

some cancers. No cure or immunisation

that do not pre-test blood for transfusion).

system causing difficulty in fighting infection.

should ask for an HIV test.

infections.

available.

Through close body contact, usually during sex

• intense itching in and around the pubic area

Treat recent partners of the last

Special shampoo, cream or ointment are

PUBIC LICE OR CRABS

with an infected person. Lice can be spread

3 months in same way at the

• nits (lice eggs) are often found on the

applied to the pubic area to kill the lice.

Small lice that live in the pubic hair. These

through infected, shared bedding and clothing.

same time.

pubic hair.

Clothing and bedding should be washed.

cause inflammation and irritation.

Through close body contact sometimes during

Special lotion, cream or ointment

Treat recent partners of the last

SCABIES

• itching that is worse at night

sex. The mites can spread through infected

applied to the infected area. Clothing

3 months in same way at the

Small mites that burrow into the skin and

• a rash.

shared bedding and clothing.

and bedding should be washed.

same time.

cause inflammation and irritation.

These are not sexually transmissible but can affect the genital area

Partners need treatment if

Creams or pessaries (tablets that

Can occur after sex but also without sex.

In women:

THRUSH OR CANDIDIASIS

showing symptoms.

are inserted into the vagina) or oral

Commonly it is an excess of yeast growth

• itching around the vagina or vulva

Caused by a yeast organism that irritates the

• whitish thick vaginal discharge.

medication. Salt water baths are

when using antibiotics, during pregnancy,

mucous membrane of the genitals. Called

In men:

usually enough for men, and they can

when immunity is low or in diabetics.

balanitis if under the foreskin of the penis of

• a rash • itching

also use cream.

uncircumcised men, and vaginitis or vulvitis if

• a discharge under the foreskin.

inside or around the vagina or vulva.

Can be brought on by anything that changes

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS

Partners do not need

• greyish white smelly vaginal discharge

Tablets taken orally. Don’t drink

the balance of bacteria in the vagina e.g.

Can result from an imbalance of normal

treatment.

• smell often worse after intercourse and

alcohol while taking these tablets.

new sex partners, increased sexual activity,

bacteria in a healthy vagina. The acid/alkaline

around period time.

but can occur in some women who have

balance is upset.

never had sexual intercourse.

Partners do not need

CYSTITIS

• burning sensation when urinating

Through bacteria from around the anus

Antibiotics

• urinating more often than usual

treatment.

getting into the urethra and bladder. It can

A bacterial infection causing inflammation of

Drink plenty of water.

• feeling of urgency to urinate

also be caused through not emptying the

the bladder lining. It can spread to the kidneys

Use pain relief and urine alkalisers

• cloudy or bloodstained urine

bladder properly. Cystitis is much more

and cause damage to kidney function.

e.g. Ural, citravescent.

• aching in the lower abdomen, or back.

common in women.

Information based on “Being Safer Sexually” a Ministry of Health Publication. August 2014

Sexually Transmissible Infections - Family Planning

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