Syphilis is most often a sexually transmitted disease, although it can be passed on through injecting drugs into a vein, from an infected pregnant woman to the unborn infant (congenital syphilis), or through blood transfusions.  It cannot be passed through casual person to person contact, i.e. touching, sharing toilet facilities or sharing things such as cutlery, etc.

Syphilis can be quite dangerous as it can lie in the body undetected and then resurface many years later affecting organs such as the eyes, brain, heart or nervous system.

Syphilis

Primary syphilis starts with painless sores on the skin which are very contagious.  These sores are known as chancres and can if another person comes into contact with these typically during sexual contact, then they will more than likely contract the syphilis infection.

Typically, between two to ten weeks later, more symptoms will appear and this is known as secondary syphilis.  These symptoms include tiredness, headaches, sore throat and skin rashes.  These symptoms will then disappear but the infection can lie dormant for many years and can then return causing organ damage and even organ failure.

Primary syphilis can be quite mild and therefore the patient may not know they even have the disease before passing it on.  It can be treated with antibiotics.

Abstaining from sex is the only definite way to avoid catching the syphilis infection.  However condoms do offer protection.  Sex toys should never be shared.

Genital warts are considered to be the most common form of STD (sexually transmitted disease) and are caused by the virus called human papilloma virus (HPV).  Genital warts can be transmitted during sexual activity and by skin-to-skin contact with an individual who has the virus.

When the warts appear after infection, they can either be internal or external. In women they tend to be located in the vulva, the vagina, the anus and the cervix, whereas in men they can be found on the penis, the urethra and scrotum, as well as inside or on the anus.

It usually takes from between two weeks right up to several months for warts to appear after infection, and most individuals affected will not have any symptoms at all. People that do develop the warts may notice tiny, flesh-like growths which may appear anywhere in the anal or genital area. These are normally painless, but sometimes they can start itching.

Genital Warts

If an individual suspects that they may have genital warts, a medical appointment would have to be made, where the doctor would carry out a physical examination of the entire genital region, the anus included. The virus can never be eliminated from the body once infected, so outbreaks can occur spontaneously. Treatment for the visible warts though, include special liquids or cream put onto the wart, cryotherapy (freezing the warts off) or heat treatment to burn them off, removal by surgery or a less common method is to inject them with a certain drug.

Rotavirus infection affects the stomach and intestines in children with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting. Most cases of the rotavirus infection are mild and usually clear up without medical intervention within a few days but some children, especially toddlers under the age of two, can be at risk of dehydration so it is essential to keep them hydrated with plenty of fluids.

The rotavirus infection is spread by infected people who haven’t washed their hands properly after going to the toilet. This can cause tiny amounts of infected feces being passed on to the child.  Small amounts of these infected feces can also be carried in the air resulting in the child inhaling them. Most children will have contracted the rotavirus infection by the age of five.  The rotavirus infection is more common during the winter and spring and it is usually common for the first virus to be the worst as after that the child will have built up some immunity.  It is for this reason that the rotavirus is rare in adults.

Rotavirus Infection

The rotavirus is extremely contagious in children and can even infect children who have already had the infection due to full immunity not being built up.  It is a good idea to isolate an infected child for a period of at least 48 hours after they have stopped having diarrhea and vomiting.

Symptoms of the rotavirus infection include rapid onset of diarrhea and vomiting and also occasionally a high temperature of 38C or above however it is important to recognize the signs of dehydration as this can occur if not enough fluids are taken.  Signs of dehydration include weakness, rapid breathing, little or no urine, or dry mouth and eyes.

The most important thing to do for a child with the rotavirus infection is to keep them hydrated and the infection will usually pass within a few days.