Summary Chap.5 Par.

9
There are more than 30 different types of bacteria, viruses and parasites that could be transmitted
during a sexually activity. They can cause infections that can sometimes be deadly or they lead to
infertility. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that spread primarily through person-
to-person sexual contact.

The most common STIs are candida or yeast infection, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, genital
herpes, genital warts, human immunodeficiency virus infection and hepatitis B infection.

Some STIs can also be transmitted from mother to child. This happens during the pregnancy,
afterbirth or through blood and tissue transfer. Examples of these STIs are HIV and syphilis.

These are the symptoms of a STI

 abnormal discharge from the urethra

 abnormal bleeding in or from the vagina or penis.
 abnormal discharge from the vagina
 pain in the lower abdomen
 redness, spots, swelling etc. on or in the vagina or penis

Not all STIs have symptoms, this leads to people transmitting infections to each other without even
knowing.

HIV stands for Human immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus that causes the immune system to break
down. It is the cause of AIDS. AIDS means acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

You also have people that are infected with HIV for years without being aware of it or being ill. Such a
person known to be seropositive.

Seropositive having HIV without being aware of it, and not becoming ill.