A Simple Guide to Cervicitis

A Simple Guide to Cervicitis
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What is Cervicitis?
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Cervicitis is non-specific infection of the cervix.

It is most common on the posterior cervix but may be anterior or concentric.


Who is affected by Cervicitis?
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1.Congeital cervical erosions or cervicitis can occur in virgins.

2.sexually active females

3.dilatation in labor or during abortion

What are the types of Cervicitis?
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1.Simple:

Erosion surface is smooth

2.Papillary:

Erosion surface is rough

3.Follicular:

Erosion surface is cystic

What are the Causes of Cervicitis?
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Bacterial infections:
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1.Gonorrhea

2.Chlamydia

3.staphylococcus aureus

4.Streptococcus

5.Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

6.E.coli

Viral infections:
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1.Genital herpes

2.Human Papilloma Virus

Other causes:
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1.Cervical cap

2.Device to support the uterus (pessary)

3.Diaphragm

4.allergy to spermicides

5.Exposure to a chemical

What are the complications of Cervicitis?
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1.Pelvic inflammatory disease

2.Urethritis and cystitis

3.rarely malignant changes in cervix

4.inguinal lymphadenitis

5.Cervical cancer

What are the Symptoms and signs of Cervicitis?
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1.Mucopurulent vaginal discharge (Gray, white, or yellow color) with odor

2.Blood in the vaginal discharge
a.After intercourse
b.After menopause
c.Between periods

3.Urinary infection symptoms - frequency and pain

3.hematuria (blood in the urine)

4.Pelvic pain

5.Backache

6.Painful sexual intercourse

7.Pain in the vagina

8.Pressure or heaviness in the pelvis

Signs:

1.reddened area of cervix

2.erosion of cervical wall

3.Vaginal surface of cervix may be affected

4.pus discharge from the cervix

5.Swelling (inflammation) of the walls of the vagina

How is diagnosis of Cervicitis made?
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1.Vaginal examination with Pap's smear of cervical cells

2.Cervical swab for culture and sensitivity to antibiotics

3.Blood tests( white cell count , blood culture, chlamydia, gonorrhea)

4.Biopsy of cervical erosions.

What is the treatment of Cervicitis?
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1. Antibiotics is given according to the sensitivity of bacteria in the culture.

2.Pelvic pain and backache may be treated with paracetamol

3.Local application of sulphonamide, tetracycline or other antibiotic cream to affected cervical area

4.Electro-Cauterisation of the affected cervical area

5.Cryosurgery of cervical erosions

6.Cone biopsy if necessary of affected cervix area.

7.Hormonal therapy (especially in postmenopausal women)

8.Laser therapy of cervical erosions

What is the prognosis of Cervicitis?
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Prognosis with appropriate treatment and antibiotics is generally good.

Recurrence is common.

Cervicitis may last for months to years.

Cervicitis may lead to pain with intercourse (dyspareunia).

What are Preventive measures for Cervicitis?
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Avoid sexual intercourse with multiple partners.

Use condoms during sexual intercourse.

Vaccination against human papilloma virus

Avoid chemical irritants such as douches and deodorant tampons.

Avoid using spermicidal contraceptives

Make sure that any foreign objects that inserted into the vagina is clean or sterile

A Simple Guide to Gonorrhea

A Simple Guide to Gonorrhea
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What is Gonorrhea?
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Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the gram negative bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

How is gonorrhea spread?
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Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus and fallopian tubes in women, and in the urethra in women and men.
The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.

Gonorrhea is spread by infected people through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus.
There is no life long immunity after tratment with Gonorrhea.
A person who has been treated for gonorrhea may get infected again if there is sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery.

Who is at risk for gonorrhea?
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Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea if their partner has the disease.

What are the symptoms of gonorrhea?
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A high percentage of men with gonorrhea do not have any symptoms at all.
Some men have some symptoms that appear two to five days after infection.
Symptoms include
1.a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis.

2. painful or swollen testicles.

In women the symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild.
Most women who are infected have no symptoms.
The initial symptoms in women include
1.a painful or burning sensation when urinating,

2.increased vaginal discharge,

3.vaginal bleeding between periods.

4.lower abdominal pain due to salpingitis(infected fallopian tubes)

Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection.

Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements.
Most of the time rectal infection do not cause symptoms.

Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat.
Usually there are no symptoms.

How does gonorrhea affect a pregnant woman and her baby?
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A pregnant woman with gonorrhea may give the infection to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery.
This can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life-threatening blood infection in the baby.
Treatment of gonorrhea should be started as soon as it is detected in pregnant women.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed?
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There are several laboratory tests available to diagnose gonorrhea:

1. a swab may be taken from cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat for testing

2. A direct Gram smear test of a sample from a urethra or a cervix allows the doctor in the clinic to see the gonorrhea bacterium under a microscope.

3. blood test can also detect the presence of gonorrhea in the blood stream

What is the treatment for gonorrhea?
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There are several antibiotics(penicillin, tetracyclines, spectinomycin) which can successfully cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults.

Drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of the world and successful treatment of gonorrhea is becoming more difficult.

Sometimes people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia.
Antibiotics for both infections are usually given together.

Persons with gonorrhea should be tested for other STDs.

It is advisable to take all of the medication prescribed to cure gonorrhea.
People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated can get the disease a second time if they have sexual contact with persons infected with gonorrhea.

What are the complications of gonorrhea?
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Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent complications in both women and men.
In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Women with PID may not have symptoms.
Symptoms when present can be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever.
PID can cause internal abscesses in the pelvis which can give rise to long-lasting, chronic pelvic pain.
PID can damage the fallopian tubes enough to cause infertility and the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube, sometimes in the abdomen.

In men gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful infection of the testicles that can lead to infertility if left untreated.
Prostatits(infection of prostate), seminal vesiculitis and chronic urethral infection may be associated with fever and lead to urethral strictures causing difficulty in passing urine.

People with gonorrhea are more likely to contract HIV the virus that causes AIDS.

Gonorrhea can spread to the blood, joints or eyes(uveitis).
Blood infection or septicemia can be life threatening.

How can gonorrhea be prevented?
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The best way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse.
He or she should be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.

Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea.

Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning sensation during urination or unusual sore or rash should be a signal to stop having sex.
A person who has been diagnosed and treated for gonorrhea should notify all recent sex partners so they can also be treated.
In this way there is less risk that the sexual partners will develop serious complications from gonorrhea.
It will also reduce the person's risk of becoming re-infected.
The person and all of his or her sex partners must avoid sex until they have completed their treatment for gonorrhea.