STDs

GONORRHOEA

• Bacterial infection
• Invades epithelial cells and replicates at the basement membrane 
• May then transcytose through epithelial cells where it is phagocytosed, causing inflammation
• Causes painful discharge from urethra or rectum in men
• Causes discharge from cervix (not necessarily painful) in women
• Diagnosed using microscopy, can be cultured
• Treatment using antibiotics
• A good antibiotic to use is doxycycline as it treats chlamydia at the same time 
• Many people who have gonorrhoea also have chlamydia, symptoms may mask each other

CHLAMYDIA 

• Bacterial infection
• Is an obligate intracellular parasite and thus is difficult to culture
• May exist as stable elementary bodies or metabolically active reticulate particles
• Causes discharge from urethrea/ vagina
• Diagnosed using immunofluorescence microscopy or PCR
• Treated using antibiotics, tetracycline or doxycycline are good choices 

SYPHILIS

• Bacterial infection 
• Causes PAINLESS ulceration of the genitals
• Is a systemic infection and so spreads to other areas of the body
• Diagnosed using microscopy or the detection of a specific antibody 
• Treated using penicillin 

CHANCROID 

• Bacterial infection
• Uncommon in the USA/ Europe
• Causes PAINFUL ulceration
• Diagnosed using microscopy or PCR
• Associated with increased risk of contracting and faster progression of HIV
• Chancroid in HIV positive patients is difficult to treat and usually becomes chronic 
• Treatment using antibiotics