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BA C TERIAL AND PAR ASITIC STIs 235

Parasitic STIs
Parasites are organisms that live on or in a host, which they
use as a food source. They can cause disease in humans.

Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment

Pubic lice Pubic lice are transferred by It can take several weeks before Pubic lice are Pubic lice can be
close bodily contact, most symptoms appear. Symptoms include usually easy to treated with cream,
commonly sexual contact. Lice itching in infected areas; inflammation diagnose. The lotion, or shampoo
crawl from hair to hair, but can’t and irritation caused by scratching; doctor or nurse at home, and by
fly or jump. black powder in underwear; blue spots may use a removing the hair
or small spots of blood appearing on magnifying glass from the infected
the skin, caused by lice bites. Itching to look for signs area. The treatment
caused by pubic lice can lead to of the lice. varies depending
irritated skin or skin infections. If the on the infection.
eyelashes are infested, eye infections
may occur.
Scabies Tiny mites that burrow into One of the main symptoms is itching It can be Scabies is treated
the skin cause scabies. They that gets worse at night, but can also diagnosed by with topical cream,
are usually spread through lead to skin becoming inflamed and looking for the which is applied to
long periods of skin or irritated, causing a secondary skin mites’ burrow the whole body.
sexual contact. infection. Sometimes a skin rash is marks, and by
caused in areas where the mites using ink to make
have burrowed. the marks visible.

Trichomoniasis Trichomoniasis is caused by Symptoms include abnormal vaginal Trichomoniasis Most cases of
a tiny parasite that mainly discharge; thin, white discharge from can be diagnosed trichomoniasis can
infects the vagina and urethra the penis; soreness, inflammation, and by examining the be treated with an
in females, and the urethra, or itching around the vagina or the head genitals and with antibiotic, which is
occasionally head of the penis of the penis; pain or discomfort when a laboratory test usually taken twice
or prostate gland, in males. It is urinating, having sex, or ejaculating; carried out on a a day for five to
usually spread by unprotected needing to urinate more frequently. swab taken from seven days.
sex, or by sharing sex toys that the genitals.
aren’t properly clean. It can also
be passed through oral or anal
sex, toilet seats, or by any
naked contact.

Vaginitis It can be caused by infections, Vaginitis is inflammation of the vagina A doctor or nurse Treatment depends
including thrush, bacterial that can cause itching, discomfort, and will examine or on cause. Yeast
infections, or parasitic discharge. Symptoms include vaginal test based on infections are
infections, or by irritants. itching or unpleasant smelling vaginal symptoms. treated with
discharge; pain when urinating or antifungal
having sex; light bleeding, or spotting. medicines. Bacterial
infections are
treated with
antibiotics.

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