When we talk about STDs, the first thing that comes to mind would be gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia, or HIV. However, what determines chlamydia, a week-long battle and HIV, a lifelong condition?
It has something to do with the cause of the STD. STDs can be categorised into parasitic, bacterial, or viral. Parasitic STDs include trichomoniasis, giardia, lice, and scabies. However, they are uncommon in Singapore. HIV is a viral-causing STD, and chlamydia is a bacterial-causing STD.
An STD-infected individual can infect another through anal, oral, genital, body fluids, and skin-to-skin contact. In this article, we will compare two common STDs in Singapore, bacterial and viral.
Bacterial STDs
Bacteria are single-celled organisms that are able to live both inside and outside our body, reproducing independently even without a host and producing their own energy source, as well as surviving extreme living conditions.
Bacterial STDs can be passed from one body to another through the exchange of bodily fluids and physical contact. Once the bacteria reproduce successfully, symptoms begin to surface. Fortunately, bacterial STDs are curable when diagnosed and treated promptly. They typically do not lead to severe consequences if treated with a course of antibiotics on time.
How antibiotics fight bacteria
Antibiotics are typically prescribed with a fixed dosage and must be completed. Not completing your course of antibiotics will only cause the bacteria to evolve and be resistant to future courses.
What antibiotics do to bacteria is that they disturb fundamental structures and processes in the bacterial cells, impeding their growth and killing the cells completely. There are two types of antibiotics: bacteriostatic and bactericidal. Bacteriostatic antibiotics do not kill the cells but halt their growth. On the other hand, bactericidal antibiotics eliminate the bacteria completely.
In some situations, both types of antibiotics may be prescribed to fight bacterial STDs. For example, gonorrhoea is treated using a combination of doxycycline or azithromycin (bacteriostatic) and ceftriaxone (bactericidal).
Viral STDs
Viruses need a host to survive. Without a host, they are just protein shells wrapped around genetic materials. What a virus does that is different from bacteria is that when it enters our body, it instantly attaches itself to our cells to replicate, encrypting itself into our cells’ DNA. Because of such behaviour, our white blood cells are not able to mitigate and eliminate the virus.
The common viral STDs are hepatitis B, HPV, HIV, and herpes. They are typically transmitted through bodily fluids and physical contact. However, unlike bacterial STDs, they are incurable and can lead to severe consequences.
How to treat viral STDs
When an individual is infected with a viral STD, it is permanent. They are treatable but not curable. The treatment process helps to manage the symptoms.
Antiretrovirals function by halting the viruses’ replicating process in our body, allowing our immune system to repair itself and preventing further damage. With specific viral STDs, such as herpes, the antiretroviral helps to reduce the frequency of outbreaks and discomfort.
Antiretrovirals also help to reduce the viral load level. For example, in the case of HIV-positive individuals, taking antiretrovirals routinely helps to lower the viral loads in their body to the point it becomes undetectable. When that happens, they are not able to pass the virus to their sexual partner. In fact, recent studies have revealed the potential use of cancer medications to cure HIV.
In the case of hepatitis B, antiretrovirals, such as entecavir and tenofovir, help fight the virus and slow down liver damage.
So, which of the two is less dangerous?
From the looks of it, it is pretty straightforward to state that bacterial STDs are less dangerous than viral ones. The only situation that makes it hard to treat bacterial STDs is if they are resistant to antibiotics.
While viral STDs compromise our immune system and make us more prone to contracting other diseases, bacterial STDs, if not treated on time, can lead to complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, which causes fertility issues.
Conclusion
STDs, whether bacterial, viral, or parasitic, can easily be prevented by getting routine STD tests, especially if you are currently sexually active. The danger about STDs is that they often develop without any prior symptoms, and by the time they do surface, it might be a little too late.
Elyon Clinic is an STD clinic in Singapore offering various STD treatment, prevention, and testing. Do not make a mistake that would affect your future. Take charge of your sexual health today. Contact us to inquire how we can help you in your journey.