Everything you’ve always wanted to know about STD but were scared to ask
September 30, 2003 | 12:00am
Amid our assorted mounting problems, at no other time in the history of the country have we been so polarized: Kanino ka ba talaga, kay Kris o Joey?
That’s the text message feverishly going around these days.
No, this new showbiz/political scandal did not cause the peso to plummet even more or investors to further shy away from the country.
Levity aside, if there’s anything good that came out of Kris’ painful confession on national television (the boldest she’s made so far), it is that people suddenly became aware of STD (sexually transmitted disease), so says obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Rebecca Singson. Did Kris put a face on STD in the same way that the late Rock Hudson served as the model for AIDS? Before Kris, no showbiz person had ever dared to come forward and say he/she’s got STD – all had been just blind items. One actor was reported to have AIDS and he sued the writer; the actor had a happy ending to his story – he won the case.
Dr. Singson answers some oft-asked questions on STD:
What are the most common types of STD? Which is curable and which is not?
The most easily passed is bacterial vaginosis, a bacterial infection that results from a shift in the pH acidity. Another is gardnerella vaginalis, an organism that multiplies and is passed on. You get it from a partner who has had contact with a woman who has it. It manifests as a fishy smell, accompanied by vaginal itchiness and vaginal discharge. It’s treated with an antibiotic suppository that contains metro nidazole or an oral tablet, which can be bought at Mercury Drug. Most of the time, the infected guys don’t show symptoms.
Another common type is the trichomoniasis infection, which happens when a protozoa – which is one-celled like its cousin, the amoeba – infects the genital tract and sometimes, the anus. It can cause a greenish discharge and itchiness. Under the microscope, you’ll see one-celled protozoas swimming with their tails. With the right treatment, it is easily cured. Both woman and her male partner should seek treatment.
Then there’s syphilis, an infection caused by the Treponema pallidum. There are three stages. The first stage can go undetected. The initial symptom (sore in lips of the vagina or on the organ of the man) is painless. Untreated, the symptom goes away by itself but the bacteria is still there. The second stage appears as a transient rash – it will go away by itself. The third stage is the most serious stage as it involves other organs like the heart and the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). It can cause death.
You’re also probably familiar with gonorrhea, which is accompanied by vaginal discharge and painful urination. There’s also discharge in males (that’s why it’s called tulo) and painful urination. It can be treated with penicillin. It cannot go up to the brain but the bad thing is that in women, it can go up to the uterus and block the fallopian tubes, causing infertility. Women experience pain in the hypogastric area (puson).
The most common STD in the US is chlamydia. In a study done in 1988, seven percent of pregnant women were found positive of this infection. The pregnant woman got the infection from her infected partner who got it from an infected woman who got it from an infected man ... and the vicious circle goes on, it’s like the chicken and egg.The more promiscuous a man is, the more his chances of getting an infection.
What’s the worst thing that can happen to a pregnant woman with chlamydia?
It may cause blindness in the unborn child if the infection passes through the birth canal. Symptoms include abnormal discharge (yellowish or greenish) and burning sensation. But then, there may not be any symptom at all.
Can STD cause cancer?
There’s one STD – genital warts – caused by the Human papilloma virus. They have found that it alters the DNA. It’s not been proven that it causes cancer, but 97 to 99 percent of high-grade cervical cancer patients were found positive of this virus. It’s been implicated in increasing the risk for developing cervical cancer. In the US, up to 40 percent of women under 30 get infected with this virus. But the good news is that you can clear yourself of it, like you do a common cold. After age 30, only 10 to 15 percent of women remain positive of the virus.
Then, are you familiar with herpes? It’s caused by the Herpes simplex virus (HSV), which is like the Human papilloma virus (HPV). Type I of herpes appears as a sore (singaw) on the lips. It is not sexually transmitted; you can get it from kissing a person who has it. Type II is the genital type – there are painful blisters or open sores, which look like pimples, in the genitalia. Herpes in man has one of the worst initial symptoms – painful ulcers and kulani (swollen lymph nodes) in the groin.
Herpes can be treated but it recurs when the immune system is down – such as if you’re pregnant, you have your period or you’re sick. The virus is there for life; you can only control the symptoms with an anti-viral drug. The only recourse is to strengthen your immune system. It does not cause death, but if transmitted to the child during pregnancy, it can cause mental retardation.
Who are the high-risk groups?
Those who had sex or got pregnant younger than 18; who had five or more sexual partners who in turn had more than five sexual partners. Only the promiscuous are most prone to STD; so it really pays to protect yourself with a condom.
How young is your youngest STD patient?
My youngest patient came in when she was 15. She had her first sex at 14. She got pregnant and we diagnosed her to have HPV. At 18, she had CIN II (the stage before full-blown cancer). Luckily, she was cured and she’s now 20.
Can you get STD from a single contact?
Yes, you can, just like you could get pregnant with one contact.
Should I tell my partner that I’m infected?
Definitely, you have to inform your partner so he/she, too, can get treatment. I also treat the man – what I inject in the woman I also inject in the man. But based on my experience, women don’t always come with their male partners. Pinoy males have this machismo complex; they will always try to prove their innocence. (Even if they’re caught with their hand in the cookie jar – right, Joey?)
What’s the best bet against STD?
Monogamy – being monogamous and having a monogamous partner. Getting people aware of STD. Sex education should be part of a science class in grade school so the kids are not giggling about it. When get to high school and their hormones start surging, it may be too late.
But with the recent publicity, I don’t want young people to think that STD is ordinary. They should idolize people with high moral/family values.
Should women douche?
Not daily because it will disturb the normal protective bacterial flora. At most, do it once a month, towards the end of your period just to cleanse, if at all. Really, you can go through life without douching. The vagina needs an acidic pH (or environment) because lactobacilli discourage the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. That’s why acidic washes were invented.
What about cleansing with soap?
That’s a no-no because soap shifts the pH of the vagina towards alkaline, making it favorable to bacteria.
Is it okay to wear pantyliners?
Wearing pantyliners every day is not a good idea. We had to tell the companies manufacturing them to do further research as pantyliners trap the moisture in, thus increasing the level of moisture and making one prone to fungal infection. If you must use a pantyliner, choose a breathable panty shield which does not trap the moisture in. It is also best to use underwear that’s 100 percent cotton. Avoid nylon (even if you like ’em sexy and lacy) which traps moisture in.
And feminine wipes?
Yes, I would recommend feminine wipes because they help maintain an acidic pH which discourages the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
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