Genitourinary Infections
Home GU Infections GU Disease & HIV Test GU Symptoms & STD Clinic Contact Us About PrivacyIn Singapore, genitourinary infections can be either sexually transmitted diseases or urinary tract infections. Most can be cured with medications.
Keywords: genitourinary infection, genitourinary infection in Singapore, Singapore genitourinary infection
Genitourinary infections are a broad category of diseases, with two major subcategories: urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs are usually caused by the body’s own normal bacteria. Many such bacteria normally grow in the rectum, vagina, and on the skin. The urethra and bladder normally have very few or no bacteria. When the normal bacteria of other parts of the body get transferred into the urethra and start growing, a urinary tract infection is the result. Bacteria can also be introduced into the urinary tract by devices like catheters.
Most UTIs in Singapore can be treated with antibiotics. However, some people (most commonly women) are prone to getting them over and over. Drinking cranberry juice is a commonly used home remedy that research suggests can help to prevent UTIs. In some people, a small dose of antibiotic is used daily to prevent UTIs; however, this can have side effects and is only recommended in certain cases.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Unlike UTIs, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are caused by organisms that are introduced into the body through sexual activity. These organisms are normally present in the body. Depending on the organism, there can be a variety of symptoms of STIs.
Some STIs primarily cause internal symptoms. Examples include gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. In women, these STIs often cause vaginal discharge. The color, consistency, and smell of the discharge can help the doctor diagnose which STI is causing the symptoms; for instance, trichomoniasis causes a thin white discharge with a fishy smell, while gonorrhea and chlamydia cause a thicker greenish or yellowish discharge. There may also be a burning sensation with urination, and pain when having intercourse. Pain in the pelvic or lower abdominal area may occur, especially in the later stages of the infection. In men, these same STIs may cause discharge from the tip of the penis, and a burning sensation during urination. There may also be swelling of the penis.
Other STIs affect the external genitalia. For example, genital herpes, which is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), causes sores to appear on the genitals. A virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) causes genital warts; because other strains of this virus also cause cancer of the cervix in women, it’s recommended that all sexually active men and women in Singapore get the HPV vaccine. Syphilis, caused by bacteria, causes a sore to appear on the genitals; it progresses to a more severe infection of the whole body if it’s not treated with antibiotics.
One common genitourinary infection that’s neither a UTI nor an STI is candidiasis, or a yeast infection. This is a common infection in women, which is caused by an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina. The yeast are normally present in small amounts, but can grow to much larger numbers and cause symptoms, including vaginal discharge and itching. This may happen when women take antibiotics for another infection, because the antibiotics kill the bacteria that normally keep the yeast population down. In some cases, the increased numbers of yeast are transferred into the vagina by sexual activity, in which case candidiasis is a sexually transmitted infection.
References
Genitourinary at Shim Clinic, Singapore