What is PPP?
These are infections that are transmitted sexually, that is, during unprotected sexual contacts of any kind. There are more than 30 such infections, but eight diseases are included in the list of the most common:</p>- Gonorrhea.
- Chlamydia.
- Trichomoniasis.
- Syphilis.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV).
- Herpes virus.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
- Hepatitis B.
Can you get infected without sex?
HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis can be transmitted through blood. This means that even if a person has not had sexual contacts, they can be infected.</p>It is almost impossible to catch PPP in a pool or on public transport: without a host organism, the pathogens do not survive long, and prolonged contact of mucous membranes is needed for infection.
Who can get sick?
Everyone who is sexually active. PPPs are widespread — about one million people get infected every day. The more often a person changes partners, the higher the risk of getting sick.What are the dangers of PPP?
The most dangerous are the complications from untreated infections. These are inflammatory diseases of the internal organs, reduced immunity, infertility, prostatitis. A pregnant woman can infect the fetus, resulting in developmental defects.</p>Hepatitis B affects the liver and can lead to cirrhosis.
Syphilis destroys the skin, bones, and nervous system.
HPV is a cause of cervical cancer.
HIV is a deadly infection that cannot yet be treated; it destroys the immune system.
What are the symptoms of PPP?
Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis manifest in a roughly similar way: discharge from the genital organs, itching, burning, swelling, reddening of the skin, and painful urination. A sign of syphilis is an ulcer (chancre) on the genital organs.</p>Herpes and HPV are noticeable during an exacerbation — rashes appear on the skin. Hepatitis B in the acute phase causes jaundice, nausea, and pain in the right side. HIV has no specific symptoms, but a patient begins to get sick often and feels constant weakness.
Any PPP can occur without symptoms at all. At the same time, the carrier of the infection can infect their partner while the disease itself is destroying the body.
So how can I know if I am healthy?
Get tested. It is necessary to do this after unprotected sex or if an infection has been found in your partner.</p>A week or two after sexual contact, you need to come and take a smear to determine infections using the PCR method, and two months after contact, you should test for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
It is not advisable to go to the doctor immediately after sex: any infection has an incubation period when you may have already been infected, but the pathogen may not yet be detectable. For HIV, this period can last up to six months, so you need to give blood twice.
Even if all your sex is protected, it is still necessary to get tested from time to time. Ideally — twice a year, at a minimum — annually.
What to do to avoid infection?
Only use protection (we do not suggest abstinence). Unprotected sex — only with a trusted partner. Moreover, a trusted partner means someone who has been tested in a lab, that is, has given tests. Unromantic? Absolutely, but what can you do. There is even less romance in treating PPP.</p>Douching with antiseptics helps, but only minimally. Rinsing the mucous membranes with chlorhexidine or miramistin can be done, but this does not guarantee that you will not get infected. It is better to use antiseptics as a supplement to condoms and not to get carried away with such hygienic procedures, as this can also provoke inflammation.
Is it true that condoms do not provide full protection?
That is true. In medicine, there are generally no absolute figures. Condoms can tear, they can be used incorrectly, they can be forgotten, and some infections can be transmitted not only through mucous membranes but also through skin. But this is the best method of protection at the moment.</p>What to treat with if you get sick?
This depends on the infection. Bacterial infections are well treated with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor.</p>Viral ones are more complicated; there are no specific drugs for them. But we can manage the disease process by taking special medications.
Vaccines are available for hepatitis B and HPV.
In any case, treatment should be selected by a doctor. Self-treatment and folk methods do not save from PPP.
