STIs HIV Questions

Bacteria are single cells that can survive on their own, inside or outside the body. They are found almost everywhere on Earth and are vital to the planet's ecosystems. The human body is full of bacteria, and in fact is estimated to contain more bacterial cells than human cells. Most bacteria in the body are harmless, and some are even helpful. A relatively small number of species cause disease.

Fungi can be single-celled or very complex multicellular organisms. They are found in just about any habitat, but most live on the land, mainly in soil or on plant material rather than in sea or fresh water. Some fungi are called decomposers, and they take dead bodies apart (decompose). Mushroom is an example of fungi.

Mitochondria (mitochondrion, singular) are cell structures that generate most of the energy needed to power cells. Chemical energy produced by the mitochondria is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Bacteria can survive by themselves, but viruses cannot survive by themselves and need hosts to keep living. Bacteria are single cells that have structures (called organelles) to maintain their life systems. Therefore, they can multiply by themselves and flourish. On the other hand, viruses don't have structures to maintain their life systems by themselves, and they use the structure in host cells. In short, bacteria can keep metabolism, but viruses cannot.

STIs and STDs don't always cause symptoms, so it is possible to have an infection without knowing it. However, STIs/STDs can still be harmful and may be passed on during sex. If there are symptoms, they could include: ・Unusual discharge from the penis or vagina ・Sores or warts on the genital area ・Painful or frequent urination(peeing) ・Itching and redness in the genital area ・Blisters or sores in or around the mouth ・Abnormal vaginal odor ・Anal itching, soreness, or bleeding ・Abdominal pain ・Fever

Viruses cause infections by entering and multiplying inside the host's healthy cells. They can't reproduce on their own (unlike bacteria), and they need to enter a living cell (such as a human cell) to be able to reproduce. Therefore, they are not considered "living", but they can survive by forcing host cells to make new viruses.

A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. We can see some parasites and cannot see others if they are too small. There are three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa are microscopic, one-celled organisms that can be free-living or parasitic in nature. They are able to multiply in humans, which contributes to their survival and also permits serious infections to develop from just a single organism. Helminths are large, multicellular organisms that are generally visible to the naked eye in their adult stages. Like protozoa, helminths can be either free-living or parasitic in nature. Tapeworms belong to this group. Ectoparasites are mainly blood-sucking arthropods, such as mosquitos. Malaria is a parasitic infection, and it is spread by mosquitos.

Chancroid is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacteria Haemophilus ducreyi. Chancroid is transmitted in two ways: (1)sexual transmission through skin-to-skin contact with open sore(s), (2)non-sexual transmission when pus-like fluid from the ulcer is moved to other parts of the body or to another person. Symptoms usually occur within four days to ten days from exposure. They rarely develop earlier than three days or later than ten days. The ulcer begins as a tender, elevated bump, or papule, that becomes a pus-filled, open sore with eroded or ragged edges. They can be very painful in men but women are often unaware of them. Because chancroid is often asymptomatic in women, they may be unaware of the lesion(s). It can be treated by medication.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholera bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening. About 1 in 10 people with cholera will experience severe symptoms, which, in the early stages, include: profuse watery diarrhea (sometimes described as “rice-water stools”), vomiting, thirst, leg cramps, restlessness or irritability. People with severe cholera can develop severe dehydration, which can lead to kidney failure. If left untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock, coma, and death within hours. To prevent the bacteria from spreading, all feces (human waste) from sick persons should be thrown away carefully to ensure it does not contaminate anything nearby. It can be treated by medications.

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by infection with the Neisseria gonorrhea bacterium. N. gonorrhoea infects the mucous membranes of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and the urethra in women and men. N. gonorrhea can also infect the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes, and rectum. Gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread perinatally from mother to baby during childbirth. Men and women often cannot notice their symptoms at first. Signs and symptoms of urethral infection in men include dysuria or a white, yellow, or green urethral discharge that usually appears one to fourteen days after infection. Even when a woman has symptoms, they are often so mild and nonspecific that they are mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. You can treat it with medications.