Archive for the 'Sexually Transmitted Diseases' Category

The Pap smear test reporting ASCUS (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance) is a major concern in cervical cancer screening.

A Pap test resulting ASCUS refers to a mild abnormality in the cervix.

Most of the Pap-detected mild abnormalities go away without any treatment.

As Pap smear may not clarify the abnormality until cancer has developed, the doctor cannot make sure which abnormality go away and which is more serious (pre-cancer or cancer) for treatment [Cervical cancer treatment].

Fortunately, now there is a test called HPV test, which helps clarify the Pap smear-detected abnormalities and the necessity of treatment. It also provides helpful information that can decide how soon the next Pap test should be and the need of other tests.

HPV Test To Detect The Risk Of Developing Cervical Cancer:

HPV test (Human Papillomavirus Test) is also known as a high-risk HPV test. The HPV test is performed on a sample of cells collected from the cervix.

This test makes use of advanced, automated technology to detect the presence of high risk or oncogenic strains of HPV virus, the primary underlying factor in the development of cervical cancer.

Many of you might be aware of HIV, human immune deficiency virus, which is very dangerous and can lead to acute immune deficiency virus (AIDS).

HIV infection is transmitted mainly through sexual contacts.

It is a viral infection, which gradually damages your body immunity.

HIV infection mainly destroys the cells of your immune system and decreases your body’s ability to fight against the diseases which are caused due to fungal, viral and bacterial infections.

This dreadful infection can also make your body more prone to certain types of cancers and opportunistic to certain infections which your body would normally resist.

What are the other adverse effects of HIV infection?

HIV infection can also lead you to several other harmful diseases like lung cancer, heart attack and also tuberculosis. Recent studies have proved that people infected with HIV face nearly twice the risk of heart attack when compared with non infected patients.

Tuberculosis and HIV:

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common infection associated with HIV and causing death to several AIDS infected people. Having HIV, you are more susceptible to get infected with TB.

Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the development of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

STDs are creating a staggering public health issue all over the world. It is the major reason why most of the women often seen in gynecology practice.

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is one such sexual transmitted disease developed by the three strains (L1, L2, L3) of bacteria “chlamydia trachomatis”.

The disease affects the lymph nodes as well as the lymphatic system.

How Chlamydia Trachomatis Develops Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)?

The bacteria exclusively enter the body sexually through the warm moist skin of the mouth, penis or in the rectum. The bacterium crosses from one body to another when the mucosal surfaces (the warm moist skin of the mouth or in the rectum) of an infected person contacts with an uninfected mucosal surface. During sexual contact, a minute abrasion in mucosal surfaces allows the chlamydia trachomatis to get into the body.

Once the bacteria enter the mucosal surfaces, it gradually progresses its movement towards the lymphatic channels. Once it enters there, it starts replicating.

Are you aware of viral hepatitis? Especially, it is very important for pregnant women to know about this viral infection, to protect your self and your unborn baby from this dangerous viral infection.

It is a communicable disease which can be transmitted from mother to her child.

Hepatitis is the condition of inflammation in your liver. Causes for this inflammation could be any thing like over consumption of alcohol, over intake of harmful drugs, multiple sexual contacts, and using harmful chemicals and can also be caused due to some auto immune diseases.

Viral hepatitis is the medical problem which is mainly caused due to some specific viruses that primarily attacks your liver.

These specific viruses, which are responsible for hepatitis are classified according to their growth, as hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F(not definite),G. The most commonly affected viruses are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Viral hepatitis A:

This viral infection mainly affects the liver of a person and does not cause any chronic infection. The incubation period of this virus is about four weeks. In the initial stages, it is excreted in stool, prior to the beginning of symptoms.

As it is difficult for a person to determine the presence of HIV virus in the body, the only possible way to confirm HIV is to get HIV/AIDS test.

AIDS test kit is an essential tool in the detection of AIDS, a disease that restrict the body’s ability to resist the infection.

With AIDS test, one can surely confirm the presence of HIV virus in the blood. If present, there is medical care to help out right away.

An AIDS test can be done at any medical center. Today, all medical centers (local, state and federal) are providing free HIV/AIDS test.

AIDS Test - Home Test Kit:

Today, the AIDS test can be done anonymously at home using AIDS test kit. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved HIV/AIDS home test. The AIDS home test is very safe, effective and accurate. It is more than 99% accurate in determining the HIV virus beyond six months after an exposure.

The Aids home tests are as accurate as the antibody tests and ELISA/Western Blot/IFA tests administered by doctors, hospitals and health clinics. Besides being speedy and convenient, the usage of AIDS test kit at home is very easy.

About 300 million people worldwide are with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection.

Its number is steadily increasing every year. It is been found that currently more than thirty thousand hepatitis C cases are diagnosing yearly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 3.9 million Americans are with Hepatitis C, mostly with chronic infections.

Hepatitis C, an infection of the liver caused by hepatitis C Virus, can develop as “acute” or “chronic.” Acute Hepatitis C causes short-term liver infection. In acute phase, the body can able to kill the Hepatitis C virus completely.

On the other hand, the stage where the body is unable to kill the virus and that leads to long-term inflammation of the liver is known as Chronic Hepatitis C.

Extra-Hepatic Manifestations Of Hepatitis C:

When Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is left untreated, it can result in liver disease and even liver cancer. In addition to the liver, there are many other conditions associated with Hepatitis C, known as extra-hepatic manifestations.

Extra-hepatic manifestations refer to the diseases or health conditions that affect the organs other than liver. It usually occurs when the immune system is unable to fight off the virus.

AIDS, stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is a dangerous viral infection, which has no cure or treatment.

Prevention is the only way to get rid of this viral infection.

AIDS testing is a simple process in which you are advised to give a blood sample for the test. This process of testing for AIDS is some times known as AIDS serology.

The main aim of AIDS testing is to evaluate the presence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in your immune system. It is also used to know the effect of this virus on the immune system of your body.

Serology is one of the branches of immunology which mainly deals with the characteristics and contents of blood serum.

AIDS testing is mandatory for these specific people:

Pregnant women: If you are pregnant, then it is very important for you to get tested for AIDS. There is a chance for the transmission of the virus from you to your unborn baby.

If it is detected in the initial stages, it can be prevented and you can protect your baby from the dreadful virus. Perinatal HIV transmission is mainly due to lack of voluntary counseling of AIDS during pregnancy.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a sexually transmitted infection seen among sexually active women.

About 75% of all sexually active women have chances of getting HPV infection at some point in their life.

Approximately twenty million people are currently with HPV infection.

Human Papillomavirus And Cervical Cancer
The HPV infection in women is associated with the development of cervical cancer, the second leading cause of female cancer mortality.

HPV viruses are a group of more than 100 strains, of these thirty types of HPV have been identified as sexually transmitted. Only ten types of the thirty sexually transmitted strains of HPV lead to cervical cancer.

The most common HPV viruses that increase the risk of developing two types of cervical cancer (squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma) are 16, 18, 30 and 33 and these viruses are known as high-risk oncogenic or carcinogenic HPVs.

It is found that women in whom the human papillomavirus survives for years have high chances of developing cervical cancer than in those women where the HPV infection quickly clears.

Most women’s bodies are able to fight against HPV infection. In other words, when a woman is infected with HPV, her immune system tries to prevent the virus from doing any harm and eradicates the HPV infection quickly.