Title Page
(Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 29, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Information for Readers
(Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 29, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Table of Contents
(Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 29, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research
Sexually transmitted diseases: An overview
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the most common infectious diseases in the United States, are of magnitude proportions with an estimated 20 million new cases each year. Reported disease rates likely underestimate the true burden of infection because of underreporting and the fact that the majority of STDs are asymptomatic. Conservative estimates of health care costs are 16 billion dollars annually. While all sexually active persons are at risk, STDs disproportionately affect young populations, racial and ethnic minorities and men that have sex with men (MSM). (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 21, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Genital herpes
is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is the most frequent cause of genital ulceration worldwide. The term “herpes” was originally used by Ancient Greek physicians and is derived from the Greek meaning to creep or to crawl.1 It was used to describe a variety of conditions characterized by spreading cutaneous lesions before eventually being used to describe HSV and the Herpes virus family more exclusi vely.1 HSV is a large double stranded DNA virus and belongs to the Herpesviridae virus family along with other related herpes viruses such as Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus,...
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Michael Koren, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Human papillomavirus infection
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that causes a variety of conditions including common warts, condyloma acuminata (anogenital warts), and multiple malignancies involving the squamous epithelium. HPV is a unique oncogenic infectious agent that causes cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide.1 In addition to cervical cancer, HPV is responsible for a large proportion of penile cancer, vaginal/vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer. The disease burden is significant with HPV-associated cancers totaling 35,000 new diagnoses in 2009, 3% of all US cancer diagnoses. (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Jack N. Hutter, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Emerging sexually transmitted diseases: Hepatitis C, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), and Mycoplasma genitalium infections
Recently, several infections have emerged as important causes of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly involving men that have sex with men (MSM) and/or HIV-infected patients.1 Clinicians should be aware of these infections as in some instances they have not been recognized as being transmitted through sexual contact (e.g., hepatitis C)1,2 or the diagnosis may not be considered at all as in the case of LGV proctocolitis, which frequently mimics inflammatory bowel disease.1,3 –7 Primary care providers who treat non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) should also be aware that an NGU that does not respond to treatment with d...
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Genital herpes
is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is the most frequent cause of genital ulceration worldwide. The term “herpes” was originally used by Ancient Greek physicians and is derived from the Greek meaning to creep or to crawl.1 It was used to describe a variety of conditions characterized by spreading cutaneous lesions before eventually being used to describe HSV and the Herpes virus family more exclusively.1 HSV is a large double stranded DNA virus and belongs to the Herpesviridae virus family along with other related herpes viruses such as Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, ...
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Michael Koren, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Human papillomavirus infection
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that causes a variety of conditions including common warts, condyloma acuminata (anogenital warts), and multiple malignancies involving the squamous epithelium. HPV is a unique oncogenic infectious agent that causes cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide.1 In addition to cervical cancer, HPV is responsible for a large proportion of penile cancer, vaginal/vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer. The disease burden is significant with HPV-associated cancers totaling 35,000 new diagnoses in 2009, 3% of all US cancer diagnoses. (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Jack N. Hutter, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Emerging sexually transmitted diseases: Hepatitis C, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), and Mycoplasma genitalium infections
Recently, several infections have emerged as important causes of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly involving men that have sex with men (MSM) and/or HIV-infected patients.1 Clinicians should be aware of these infections as in some instances they have not been recognized as being transmitted through sexual contact (e.g., hepatitis C)1,2 or the diagnosis may not be considered at all as in the case of LGV proctocolitis, which frequently mimics inflammatory bowel disease.1,3–7 Primary care providers who treat non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) should also be aware that an NGU that does not respond to treatment with do...
Source: Disease a Month - April 20, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Gonorrhea
is one of the earliest known human diseases with biblical references dating back to the Old Testament.1,2 The Greek physician Galen (130 –200 AD) first used the term gonorrhoeae to describe an “unwanted excretion of semen.”2 The slang phrase “the clap” originated in 1378, derived from Les Clapiers, a district in Paris where prostitutes lived.1 The causative organism Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus with a marked tropism for human mucosal surfaces.1,3 To date, it continues to be a common cause of urethritis in men and cervicitis in women, which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease as well a...
Source: Disease a Month - April 19, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Mackenzie K. Morgan, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Non-gonococcal urethritis
With over 200,000 cases in the U.S. each year, urethritis represents a common condition seen by both primary care providers and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinics. Urethritis is urethral inflammation and historically, the term urethritis was reserved for patients with urethral discharge. However, other symptoms can occur in men without discharge such as penile itching and/or dysuria. A diagnosis can be made if at least one of the following is present: a discharge, a positive leukocyte esterase test on first void urine, or at least 10 white blood cells per high power filed in urine sediment. (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 19, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Matthew J. Perkins, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Pelvic inflammatory disease
(PID) is a polymicrobial infection-induced inflammation that involves the upper female genital tract, including the endometrium, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and peritoneum, that primarily affects young sexually active women.1,2 PID is a major concern because it can lead to such complications as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. These complications can occur at high rates, and despite a clinical response to appropriate antimicrobial therapy, long-term outcome of treatment is still suboptimal and reproductive complications are frequent. (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 19, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Gavin W. Ford, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
Other sexually transmitted diseases chancroid and donovanosis
Chancroid and donovanosis (or granuloma inguinale) are two genital ulcer diseases (GUD) rarely encountered sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the United States (US). Not only can these diseases cause significant morbidity in and of themselves (donovanosis in particular can cause severe scarring and destruction of involved areas), but GUD has also been associated with increased transmission of HIV, especially in heterosexual populations.1 Chancroid is caused by the fastidious bacteria Haemophilus ducreyi and donovanosis is caused by the intracellular bacteria Klebsiella granulomatis. (Source: Disease a Month)
Source: Disease a Month - April 19, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Nathanial K. Copeland, Catherine F. Decker Source Type: research
