Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Pubic Lice and Condom Use Guidelines

**Syphilis**

Syphilis has been widespread since at least the 15th century, so you might think we know it inside and out.

However, in 1990, new syphilis cases reached a 40-year high.

Syphilis is caused by bacteria and can be described as a wealthy and notorious sexually transmitted disease, as it has claimed the lives of nobles such as Alcapone and Sir Randolph Churchill, a British statesman.

But you don't have to get syphilis to become famous or not.

Approximately 100,000 Americans contract this disease each year.

Syphilis is generally transmitted through direct contact with ulcers and rashes.

Syphilis is usually transmitted through sexual intercourse, but you can also contract it if you touch an ulcer in your mouth while kissing, or if your hand touches an exposed ulcer.

Syphilis develops in three stages.

The first stage generally occurs between 10 and 90 days after infection.

The hallmark of this stage is the sudden appearance of a small, painless ulcer on the body, medically known as chancre.

This type of ulcer grows where bacteria have invaded the body.

The second stage may last for several weeks, and its symptoms are usually the appearance of blisters as the chancre disappears, and it generally does not cause itching.

This type of herpes often appears on the palms or soles of the feet, but it can also occur elsewhere.

Other symptoms during this stage include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, hair loss, and weight loss.

The third stage may not occur for several years, and will cause comprehensive and catastrophic consequences.

Symptoms at this stage include generalized paralysis, blindness, heart disease, nerve damage, mental confusion, and even death.

Although penicillin can treat syphilis, antibiotics can only kill bacteria-the damage already done to the body is irreversible.

**Trichomoniasis**

Trichomoniasis is a "silent killer" among sexually transmitted diseases.

It is caused by bacteria and is often not easily detected in men.

In fact, some studies suggest that trichomoniasis may be a latent cause of chronic urethritis in some men.

So if your sexual partner has recently contracted trichomoniasis, and you think you don't, you're getting too excited.

A study conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle on 447 men found that 22% of the men whose sexual partners had trichomoniasis also had trichomoniasis.

The symptoms of trichomoniasis may include inflammation inside or outside the penis, a small amount of discharge, and a burning sensation when urinating.

Treatment usually involves oral metronidazole.

**Pubic lice**

Pubic lice are lice that parasitize the pubic area. They are very small, flat-bodied blood-sucking insects that can be seen with a magnifying glass.

(They appear to be tiny spots to the naked eye.)

Approximately one million people contract pubic lice each year, mostly through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has them.

You can get pubic lice during sexual intercourse, by using someone else's towel or other items, or even by sitting on a toilet with pubic lice.

Symptoms --- Itching in the genital or groin area, accompanied by small, bluish bite marks, often appearing about 5 days after contracting pubic lice.

You can treat pubic lice with over-the-counter medications or shampoos (such as A-200) by applying them directly to the genital area for washing.

"Follow the instructions on the packaging, then wash yourself thoroughly, or wash all your underwear in hot water and dry it with hot air," Dr. Forester said. "Make sure everyone you live with does the same."

Items that cannot be washed can be sealed in plastic bags and left for two weeks to starve pubic lice.

Large items, such as sofas, can be treated with bed bug spray containing disinfectant.

**Soft chancre**

Chancroid is a bacterial disease that can cause genital ulcers and pain.

However, this disease is quite rare, with only about 4,000 cases occurring in the United States each year.

Touching an ulcer can cause you to contract chancroid.

Unfortunately, you can be fooled if you don't touch the ulcers, as they may be hidden in the rectum or vagina where you can't see them.

The symptoms of chancroid are difficult to avoid and usually appear within 4 to 10 days.

First, a soft bump appears where bacteria invade the body. After a few days, the bump turns into a soft, delicate ulcer with an uneven surface, which is often filled with pus.

Chancroid can be cured with erythromycin or by injecting antibiotics.

**Quick Facts**

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**Condom 101: Learning about Latex**

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There is no love without a condom.

Wrap this villain up.

If you're going to be careful, you should wear one.

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Does this sound familiar? You've heard these before, but sorry, buddy, rhymes won't help you prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

You need to know common sense.

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Wearing a condom is common sense.

While condoms reduce your chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases-perhaps even less than the chance of cutting your hand while opening a can with a knife-they do not guarantee that you will be safe during sex.

"We call condoms 'safer sex' because there is no such thing as 100% 'safe' sex in the world," says Stuart Schlaffman, owner of Condom Kingdom, a condom retailer in Philadelphia and a condom expert.

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Nevertheless, you still have no reason not to use a condom unless you are in a monogamous relationship with a healthy sexual partner-that is, you have been in a monogamous relationship for more than 6 months and have been retested before you stopped using condoms; or you simply don't use condoms because you want to get a disease.

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Men used to complain that condoms reduced sexual pleasure, but modern technology has made that complaint a thing of the past.

Today, there are all sorts of ultra-thin condoms to choose from-condoms so thin you can barely feel them.

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Schlaffman said, "It feels like silk."

It's not like the rubber in tires, and it doesn't smell as bad as a regular condom.

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You have no reason not to always carry a condom.

Condoms are cheap and readily available.

For example, in the "condom kingdom," a pack of three condoms costs only $1.50-$4.25.

You can also get condoms for free at most clinics.

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When buying condoms, don't buy too many at once. It's best to have a plan before you use them, and check the expiration date when you use them to ensure that you are using newly produced condoms.

Condoms that have been used for a long time are more likely to break, and the spermicide will become ineffective over time.

The correct way to store condoms is to keep them in a cool, dark place, such as in a closet drawer.

You're not a high school student anymore, so don't keep them in your wallet.

Storage compartments on car dashboards are also not ideal, as the high temperatures inside the car can cause condoms to soften.

Think about where you are most likely to use them, and then put them in a nearby place, such as a bedside table or a coat pocket.

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You might be curious about novel condoms, such as scented ones or those that glow in the dark.

But while these novelties bring you joy, you cannot expect to rely on them to protect you from sexually transmitted infections.

**Peniral warts: If you're worried, have them removed.**

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Penile warts are the most common sexually transmitted disease, with an incidence rate even exceeding that of herpes.

However, although they pose a serious threat to women-some of the 12,000 cervical cancer cases each year are caused by penile warts-they are harmless and generally painless to us men.

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In fact, many men are unaware that they have penile warts because they are usually very small and cannot be seen without a magnifying glass, and they often disappear on their own without treatment.

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However, when penile warts grow larger-appearing somewhere on the penis or near the anus or as flat bumps-men should pay attention.

It's good to take this seriously because, like other warts, genital warts are caused by a virus and are highly contagious.

It is usually transmitted through sexual contact, but sharing a towel or touching the virus with your hands and then touching your penis can also cause penile warts.

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"You can't eliminate penile warts on your own (although you can prevent them by wearing a condom during sex)," says Dr. Nikola Popovich, a professor of pharmacy at Bodo University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Those commercially available wart treatments are too harsh for your penis's sensitive skin.

Instead, your doctor will likely prescribe a certain dose of medication or use cryotherapy, which involves freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen.

Another reason to see a specialist is that what looks like a wart may actually be a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease or a malignant tumor.