Healthcare | Monday 1 August, 2016 1:48 pm |

Sexually transmitted diseases may not pose a serious phenomenon in our community as it is in Western countries thanks to the customs, traditions, and social lifestyle pattern; in addition to the adherence to the Islamic Law, which forbids sexual relations outside of marriage; however, these venereal diseases are present in varying proportions and deserve to be taken into account in all health plans at the community level and must be considered by doctors when being consulted by male or female patients.

According to the World Health Organization’s Facts Report (2014), more than one million people every day in the world are infected with one of the Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), and it is believed that more than 357 million new infections occur each year by the infection with the sexually transmitted diseases all over the world.

Most sexually transmitted diseases can be cured if diagnosed early and treated properly and fully, but if the diagnosis was not conducted early and negligence occurred during treatment, some of these diseases may lead to chronic complications in men and women leading to infertility in both, cervical cancer, heart or mental lesion, or death.

Treatment and prevention are essential to prevent complications in the long run; as the sexually transmitted diseases can lead to chronic diseases if left untreated.

Infections of sexually transmitted diseases are many, including the infections of Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Genital Herpes, Hepatitis, Genital Warts, and the virus causing HIV. The pathogens of these diseases are a group of parasites, viruses and bacteria.

All diseases occurring by sexual infections affect males and females alike, but female infection rates are higher; as their outer and inner genitals are easier to penetrate by pathogens because of their anatomical nature and due to the presence of a wide mucous layer that is fragile and easy to pick up infection.

Perhaps the infection with sexually transmitted diseases may not cause clear symptoms to the person and may be ignored by many people, as in Gonorrhea and other diseases in many women. The danger of these diseases is that their symptoms are not obvious to force the male or female patient to see a doctor, and the more important cause is fear and shame of these diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to see a doctor if there is a slightest doubt about it.

From the list of the important warning signs of sexually transmitted diseases are the following: -

1. The presence of sores, warts, or rashes in the genital area may seem like a clear warning sign, but unfortunately it may often be ignored; as rashes and wounds appear more often at the beginning of the sexually transferred disease, but the wounds may disappear within a few days, so the person believes that it is a natural thing. Therefore, if you notice rashes or cracks in the skin, conduct a STD test immediately.
2. Painful or frequent urination is one of the most common symptoms in sexual diseases, particularly in Gonorrhea. A patient often mistakes these indicators for a urinary tract infection and may try to treat it at home or take moderate pain relievers. Unfortunately, as is the case with sores on the genital areas, these symptoms may appear at the beginning of the disease and then disappear afterwards. This leaves the infected without any real treatment. Therefore, if you face an urination frequency problem, or feel a burning sensation or pain when urinating, visit the doctor.
3. Discharges from the urethra, which is the urine canal, especially in men infected with brown Gonorrhea or Chlamydia, in addition to vaginal discharge, which may not be obvious and can be confused with vaginal discharge normally produced by women.
4. Pelvic Pain.
5. Foul odor.
6. No symptoms. (As some people infected with sexually transmitted diseases may not feel symptoms, therefore periodic checkup may reveal early infection, thus facilitating the treatment).

The Medical Director of Al-Borg Medical Laboratories, Dr. Hisham Shams Maher, explained: The most important elements of preventive control for these diseases is the early checkup to obtain the proper medical diagnosis and learn the nature of the pathogen through laboratory testing, and so the attending physician will be able to diagnose the medical cases accurately.

He added: Consulting a doctor and conducting periodic laboratory tests are considered better, especially if there are no symptoms, and necessary with the presence of the aforementioned warning signs; as most sexually transmitted infections can appear in tests immediately after their transmission; however, in the case of infection with the virus causing HIV, it does not often appear in tests until after three months from the transmission.

Dr. Shams indicated: The incubation period varies from a disease to another, but the disease is transmitted during this period among humans, even if the infected seem to be healthy. The incubation period extends from a few days, as in Gonorrhea, to ten years, as in the HIV infection. The infection occurs through sexual contact with an infected man or woman in most of these diseases if they do not have visible medical symptoms, and it may also be transmitted through blood as in HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis with its dangerous types. It is thanks to God Almighty’s mercy that the normal daily coexistence with a patient infected with the virus causing HIV does not carry the infection, and HIV is not transmitted by flies, mosquitoes or other types of insects and is not transmitted by coughing, sneezing or touching or even by using pools, towels or toilets.

Since our community is one of the conservative communities and in the framework of our traits and customs, it stands to reason that the male or female patient feels fear, anxiety and shame; rather than seeing a doctor, the person is forced to resort to pharmacies and sometimes colleagues, complicating the treatment of this problem.

It is worth mentioning that the Al-Borg Laboratories, proceeding from its excellence in the provision of laboratory tests and its leading role in community service, provides special offers until the 31st of August 2016 on laboratory testing programs to detect the infection with the most important sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).