What is the most effective way to reduce STIs in women?
Primary prevention (e.g., safe sex, vaccination).
What is secondary prevention of STIs?
: Prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications + transmission
Name physical and chemical barrier methods for STI prevention.
Condoms; N-9 spermicides NOT recommended for STI/HIV prevention.
Which vaccines help prevent STIs?
Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines.
What is the most common and fastest-spreading STI?
Chlamydia.
Are women typically symptomatic with chlamydia?
No — often silent and hard to diagnose.
Treatment for chlamydia?
Doxycycline or azithromycin.
What organism causes gonorrhea?
Aerobic gram-negative diplococcus (N. gonorrhoeae).
Recommended treatment for gonorrhea
Ceftriaxone + azithromycin (dual therapy)
Treat for chlamydia too
When should pregnant women be screened?
At the first trimester and again at 36 weeks.
What causes syphilis?
Treponema pallidum (spirochete)
three stages of syphilis?
Primary
secondary
tertiary
Screening tests for syphilis
Nontreponemal (RPR, VDRL) then treponemal (FTA-ABS, TP-PA
Treatment for syphilis
Penicillin G. Abstain from sex during treatment
What structures are most commonly affected with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Uterus
fallopian tubes;
sometimes ovaries
peritoneum
Major complications of PID?
Infertility
ectopic pregnancy
chronic pelvic pain
Treatment for PID
Broad-spectrum antibiotics + education
What is condylomata acuminata
Genital warts caused by HPV
What is HPV the primary cause of
Cervical neoplasia (cervical cancer)
Does HPV resolve on its own
Often yes in young women. Treatments remove lesions but do NOT eradicate virus
Prevention of HPV
HPV vaccination
Which HSV is usually sexually transmitted
HSV-2. (HSV-1 is typically nonsexual)
What characterizes initial HSV infection
painful lesions
fever, chills
malaise
dysuria
Treatment of HSV
Acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir (controls but does not cure)
