STD - Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Adolescents should be told about venereal diseases. But morbid stories should never be recounted to impressionable adolescents as fear of venereal disease also produces impotence. To help nonprofessional readers, here is an account of the four important venereal diseases; syphilis, gonorrhoea, soft sore, and herpes genitalis. The mode of infection in almost all cases is through intercourse with an infected partner. The organisms causing these infections can also gain entry into the body through minor skin or mucosal abrasions. Such an infection is called extragenital infection and can occur on the finger, lip, tongue or breast.

SYPHILIS is a venereal infection by a spirochaetal organism which can infect any tissue or organ of the body. The initial lesion is the chancre, which appears on the penis, the labia, or the cervix about three or four weeks after contact with an infected individual. There is also enlargement of the surrounding lymph glands. Unfortunately, in some cases the chancre heals without treatment, lulling the patient into false security. The untreated disease progresses slowly but surely to the second and third stage, involving almost every tissue of the human body the skin, mucous membranes of the lips and cheek, bone joints, heart, liver, brain and spinal cord. It is therefore most important to take proper treatment and check the disease's progress at the initial stage.

GONORRHOEA is a venereal infection caused by a bacillus called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The diseased mucous membrane of the. male genito urinary tract causes a discharge from the penile urethra and a burning sensation at the tip of the penis. The severe burning while passing urine, the discharge and the painful inflammation at the tip of the penis bring the patient to the doctor, unlike syphilis where the patient does not bother about the painless sore on his penis.

INGUINAL GRANULOMA is the third venereal disease, and its incubation period is eight to twelve weeks. It produces lesions on the skin or mucous membrane of the genitalia or perineal area, and an enlargement of the surrounding lymph glands.

HERPES GENITALIS: The latest addition to the unholy family of venereal diseases is herpes. There are several types of herpes virus. Herpes Zoster, also known as shingles, causes inflammation in the nerve roots in the regions supplied by a nerve. At first, small blisters appear along with a rash which is painful or stinging. The rash usually occurs on the face or back and the infection clears up in two or three weeks in most instances. The other type, also called herpes type two, produces painful blisters on the genitalia, and can affect both sexes. The mouth and other mucous membranes may be infected. In the males the blisters appear on the glans penis. They dry up after a week or so but unlike type I the vesicles keep on recurring, every three or four weeks. The genital type of herpes is transmitted by sexual contact and in the West has become a common venereal disease. There is no specific treatment for this viral scourge apart from small pox vaccination at intervals of a week or two, 8 to 10 times, and large doses of Vitamin B 12 injections,

PREVENTION: Avoidance of illicit sexual intercourse is the surest prevention, but this is easily preached but difficult to practise. Premarital intercourse is on the increase in most modern societies, resulting in a corresponding increase in venereal diseases all over the world. It is therefore imperative that every adolescent is told what precautions are necessary to prevent_ venereal infection. The standard rubber condom is the most effective but protects only the covered parts. The individual should immediately after intercourse pass some urine and wash the genital organs with soap and water and apply 33 per cent calomel ointment with lanolin on the genitals.