Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs, HIV/AIDs)

MEANING, CAUSES, SIGNS AND PREVENTION

CONTENT

MEANING OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDS)

Sexual activity comes with risks of sexually transmitted diseases/infections (STDs/STIs), including HIV/AIDS. While some can be treated, others cannot. They can cause very serious damage to the body and even death. STD is an illness spread from one person to another through sexual contact.

TYPES OF STDs

1. GONORRHEA: This is caused by the bacterium “Neisseria gonorrhoea”. It is spread through sexual contact between infected persons.
2. Itching and discharge from penis and vagina
3. Painful urination
4. Can cause infertility
5. If a pregnant woman has the disease, her child’s eyes will be affected at birth.

• SYPHILIS:  It is caused by the bacterium “Treponema pallactium”. It is spread through sexual contact between infected persons.
• Sores on the sex organs
• Fever, aches, rashes and hair loss. 
• At later stages, it affects the heart, eyes and brain.
• It can leads to insanity and death.

• ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS): one of the most frightening of all STDs is AIDS. It is caused by:
• A virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
• HIV enters the body of a person and kills the cells of the immune system.
• HIV makes the body weak and less able to fight sickness.
• People with HIV in their body go on to become sick with AIDS. AIDs results in death.

HOW HIV CAN BE SPREAD

1. Having sex with someone who already has HIV
2. Transfusion of infected blood
3. Use of a needle or blade that has been used on a person with HIV and not sterilized afterwards.
4. Women with HIV can pass it to their babies. The baby becomes infected in any of these three ways;
5. While in the mother’s womb
6. At birth
7. Through the breast milk (breast feeding).

SIGNS OF HIV/AIDS

1. People with HIV/AIDS suffer sickness like fever, rashes and diarrhoea.
2. They also lose weight
3. Death is the final result.

TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDS

1. At the moment, there is no known cure for HIV/AIDS.
2. There are however, medicines that can help infected persons to fight off the sickness that come with HIV/AIDS
3. Antibiotics and other medicines can help people with HIV/AIDS to feel much better and help to live longer.

WAYS STIs AND HIV CAN BE PREVENTED

1. Do not have sex until you get married, when you are married; stay faithful to your partner.
2. An infected and already sexually active person must have sex only with a mutually faithful partner who is also known to be unfaithful.
3. In all other situations, individuals are advice to use condom during sex.
4. Women with HIV should seek advice before getting pregnant.
5. Avoid blood transfusion as much as possible
6. When you cannot avoid a blood transfusion, insist on having blood which has be tested for HIV.

Evaluation:

1. Mention the different types of STIs
2. State causes and ways of preventing STIs, HIV/AIDs

Assignment:

What are the effects of HIV/AIDs to the victims, the victims’ families and the nation?