What is HPV

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated their diagnosis and treatment guidelines for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The updated guidelines included new information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant and nonpregnant women. 1 Diagnostic Considerations According to the CDC, BV can be diagnosed via Amsel's diagnostic criteria or by determining the Nugent score from a vaginal Gram stain. Vaginal Gram stain is the reference standard method for BV diagnosis. It is used to determine the relative concentration of lactobacilli, small gram-negative and gram-variable rods (i.e., G. vaginalis or Bateroides ), and curved gram-negative rods (i.e., Mobiluncus ) characteristic of BV. 1 Point-of-care tests and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) may also be used for BV diagnosis. A Nugent score of 0-3 is consistent with a Lactobacillus- predominant vaginal microbiota, 4-6 with intermediate microbiota (emergence ...

Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat sexually transmitted diseases. But several natural remedies can also help. Written by Satata Karmakar | Updated : November 21, 2020 7:35 PM IST Sexually transmitted diseases which are also known as STDs are infections that can be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected individual. How are they transmitted? Well, STDs can be transmitted during vaginal or other types of sexual intercourse including oral and anal sex, but some are acquired simply by skin-to-skin contact. Scary isn't it? We get it. STDs can't be treated completely using home remedies, however, they can be under control if you try some of the effective home remedies. HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, some forms of hepatitis, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are some of the commonly found STDs. What Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases Or STDs? Sexually transmitted d...

Actor Michael Douglas attends the premiere of the film "Side Effects" in New York January 31, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT) - RTR3D7K3 (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly) The Guardian newspaper published an interview with Michael Douglas on Sunday, in which the 68-year-old actor said his throat cancer hadn't been caused by drinking or smoking – but by having oral sex. "Without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus," Douglas told the British newspaper.  Douglas also went on to speculate that the stress of his son Cameron's incarceration might have helped trigger the cancer as well. While a representative for Douglas maintains the actor did not specifically say oral sex was the cause of his cancer, the conversation still begs the question: Does having oral sex play a role in the development of oral cancer? While a connection between the two ma...

Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are harmless growths that are made up of proteins and skin. They are usually flesh-colored, and can range in size from 1 mm to 1 cm in diameter. Typically found in skin folds or creases, which are generally areas of high friction, skin tags usually hang from the body by a tiny stalk. They rarely result in major health problems and may disappear on their own. However, sometimes skin tags that form on the eyelids can cause irritation or obscure vision, and you may want to have them removed. Read on to learn more about skin tags and what to do if you develop one on your eyelid. DermNet NZ Why Skin Tags Appear on Eyelids Skin tags can develop on many parts of the body, especially in folds or areas that frequently rub against one another, such as the eyelids. Common sites where skin tags can be found include: Under the breasts Underarms Groin Neck Perianal area Eyelids What Causes Skin...

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. A person can contract HPV through intimate skin-to-skin or sexual contact. For the majority of those with the infection, HPV has no symptoms and goes away on its own. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , HPV is very common, and most cases of HPV will go away and not cause health problems. However, in some people, the HPV infection does not go away. This can lead to the appearance of common warts, genital warts, and cancer. The type of HPV that causes genital warts is different from the type that can cause cancer. In this article, we discuss the symptoms, treatment options, and prevention methods of HPV. Share on Pinterest While HPV may go away on its own, doctors recommend that people, particularly adolescents, have the vaccine to reduce the chance of contracting HPV. HPVs are a group of viruses that can affect the skin. The Food and Drug Administr...

Pain while urinating or bumps near the genital area may be STD symptoms. Or perhaps you are just suffering from a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or some other bacterial infection. No matter the symptom, you may need to get yourself checked if the condition persists. Before that, you might want to know how to spot different STD symptoms. Without further ado, let's talk more about the different types of STDs and how their symptoms vary from each other. Editor's Choice Results: Best Overall STD Test: STD Testing Now Visit STD Testing Now Among all other STDs, the most common ones are syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HPV, genital herpes, and HIV. With sexual intercourse being the fastest way of catching an STD, you need to make sure that you and your partner are free of it. Even though you may be using protection, it's not the safest way of avoiding an STD transmission: an STD test is. With STD Testing Now, you will be in safe hands who will ensure your safety and privacy...

"With rising rates of STIs, appropriate treatment is essential," said Contemporary OB/GYN® Editor in Chief, Catherine Y. Spong, MD. The CDC continues to recommend routine screenings for common STIs for all sexually active adolescents and young adults. The guidelines also recommend opt-out screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea for female adolescent and young adult patients, which could increase screening significantly, save costs, and identify STIs among youths who do not wish to disclose their sexual activity. The new guidelines also include a change to doxycycline as the first treatment for chlamydia in place of azithromycin. Specifically, they recommend doxycycline 100 milligrams (mg) orally twice a day for seven days as first-line chlamydia infection treatment. For doxycycline allergy or pregnancy patients, alternatives include azithromycin 1 gram (g) orally in a single dose or levofloxacin 500 mg orally once daily for seven days. Antibiotic resistance complicates gonorrh...

There is ongoing scientific debate regarding how best to prevent, manage and reduce rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A possible future option is STI prophylaxis – taking medications either prior to (pre-), or shortly after (post-), exposure to an STI in order to prevent infection. However, this raises concerns regarding the development of antibiotic resistance, which would render medications less effective at treating STIs. Experts presented their opposing views to the virtual HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) conference last week, with Professor Jeanne Marrazzo from the University of Alabama at Birmingham presenting arguments against STI prophylaxis, while Professor Jean-Michel Molina from the University of Paris presented data on instances where it may be beneficial. Arguments against STI prophylaxis Marrazzo argued that there is currently a lack of data regarding both the short and long-term effects of frequent antibiotic use over time; this is especially ...

A myriad of scalp conditions can cause dryness and itchiness in the area, but not all of them are serious. Sometimes a dry, itchy scalp is a result of environmental factors such as temperature changes or certain lifestyle factors such as excessive heat styling. Some conditions that could cause a dry, itchy scalp require medical attention. Plan Shooting 2 / Imazins / Getty Images Dandruff Dandruff is a common condition that can cause the scalp to become dry, itchy, and flaky. As much as 95% of the population have or will have dandruff at some point in their life. Contrary to popular belief, dandruff is not a result of poor hygiene—though not washing your hair regularly can make it more obvious. Some possible causes of dandruff include: Seborrheic dermatitis Tinea capitis (ringworm) Eczema Contact dermatitis Psoriasis Cradle cap Stress and cold weather may worsen dandruff. Treatment Dandruff is generally harmles...

Across the globe, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening programmes are not being implemented to their maximum potential to prevent and eliminate cervical cancer. However, some promising progress has been made since the development of the World Health Organization (WHO) 90-70-90 Strategy in 2018. The WHO 90-70-90 Strategy In 2018, the WHO developed its global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. This strategy is made up of three key targets – the 90-70-90 targets – to be reached by 2030: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15 years. 70% of women screened with a high-performance test by 35 years of age and again by 45 years of age. 90% of women identified with cervical disease receiving treatment (90% of women with precancer treated, and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed). This global call-to-action provides a roadmap to eliminate cervical cancer in a century...

Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. In 2011, the Texas Legislature led the country and overwhelmingly passed the first law requiring meningitis vaccines for students under 22 enrolling in college. Ten years later, lawmakers have been asked to again consider a vaccination mandate. This time, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea is facing a much more skeptical reception. Whether to issue protective measures against COVID-19 and who can decide such requirements have been debated throughout the summer as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread across the state and country with local jurisdictions and the state battling mask mandates in courts across Texas. The decision to mandate a COVID-19 vaccine, a version of which received full approval from the federal U.S. Food and Drug administration three days ago, has been off th...