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CONTAGIOUS DISEASES

Sexually transmitted diseases

These are also known as venereal diseases and are infections transmitted through sexual intercourse or contact related to it. The traditional venereal diseases transmitted by bacteria are syphilis, gonorrhoea and soft chancre. These are others which are transmitted by viruses, such as herpes simplex, genital warts, hepatitis C and HIV (AIDS virus) and not forgetting those transmitted by chlamydias, mycoplasms, protozoa (trichomoniasis) and parasites such as pubic lice, scabies… must be added. As you can see, there are a great variety of venereal diseases.

These illnesses do not confer immunity. That means that when a sexually transmitted disease has been suffered, it does not protect the individual against future infection. Also, vaccines are not available for all of these illnesses, at the moment.

Two or more venereal diseases can be contracted at the same time and it is therefore advisable for the individual to check for other diseases if one of the diseases has been diagnosed.

What do you do if you think you have a STD disease?

If a urethral suppuration or ulcerous lesion appears after sexual relations have taken place, or although you have not noticed anything unusual in yourself, one of your partners finds a sexually transmitted disease, you should consult an onshore doctor so that they can make the appropriate analysis and apply the suitable treatment. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you should inform your partner in order to break the chain of infection. If you find yourself on board a ship you should ask for MEDICAL ADVICE VIA RADIO .

In any case, antibiotics should not be taken as a preventive way to avoid infection.

What dangers do STDs hold?

They are infectious diseases that can be transmitted to either a sexual partner or even a newborn baby in cases where the infected individual is pregnant. If the incorrect treatment is used they could hide the infections (the infection continues progressing without the symptoms appearing, in other words, outwardly the individual appears healthy when really he is not). They could develop into much more dangerous stages, produce sterility, attack the nervous system (paralysis, dementia…), the immune system, thereby predisposing one to other diseases such as AIDS, and may even cause death. There are currently effective treatments for the majority of these, though prevention is always the best solution.

Prevention

Obviously, the safest method of prevention is not to have sexual relations with people who practise prostitution, who have a history of sexual promiscuity, or with strangers. If this is not possible, the use of condoms is recommended.

Currently, condoms are the most effective method of preventing most venereal diseases. Despite this, they do not completely eliminate the risk of transmission.

It is important that condoms are used correctly. The following is recommended:

• Keep the condoms in a cool, dry place without exposing them to strong light or the sun, as this could cause them to deteriorate.
• Check the expiry date.
• Open the wrapper with care; avoid using sharp objects (nails for instance) as they may damage the condom (see figure 11-2).
• If the condom does not have a collection teat, you should make one by leaving a space of 1 or 2 cm from the end of the penis. If it has one, hold the teat while fitting the condom so that any air is expelled (see figure 11-3).
• Unroll the condom to the base of the penis while it is still erect and before starting intercourse.
• To take the condom off you should hold it at the base before the erection wears off without spilling the contents (see figure 11-4). Make sure the condom does not slip off before exiting and after ejaculation.
• Be careful not to tear it when handling it. If this happens during intercourse it must be substituted immediately.
• Do not use the same condom twice. It should be thrown into the rubbish as the material from which it is made is not biodegradable.

We should avoid taking antibiotics in a prophylactic way, whether or not we use a condom.