STD awareness: About intestinal parasitic infections
SEXUALLY transmitted intestinal parasitic infections stem from illnesses caused by intestinal parasites known as protozoa — parasitic single-celled organisms that can divide only within a host organism.
According to obstetrician-gynaecologist (ObGyn) Dr Jordan Hardie, three types — giardiasis, amebiasis and cryptosporidiosis are caused by giardia duodenalis, entamoeba histolytica and cryptosporidium spp respectively.
However, Dr Hardie explained that while it is uncommon, those most affected are people who practise analingus, fellatio after anal genital intercourse, anal intercourse, people who live in areas with inadequate water supply, and immunocompromised individuals.
The ObGyn said patients may report a low-grade fever, abdominal pain, anorexia and/or diarrhoea which may be watery or bloody.
“The health risks include dehydration, cholecystitis (inflammation of the gall bladder), necrotizing colitis (inflammation leading to death of the bowel) and toxic megacolon (acute inflammation of the colon leading to enlargement). The latter two conditions may require surgery.”
To identify intestinal parasites, routine stool examination is usually recommended. However, because giardia attaches so securely to the mucosal surface, a series of five or six stool specimens may still fail to identify the organism.
Sexual activity can be a method of transmission for several important parasitic diseases, including amebiasis and giardiasis. Oral-anal and oral-genital contact predispose male homosexuals to infections with these enteric pathogens. Both of these organisms may cause acute and chronic illnesses as well as other abdominal symptoms. Most gay men with amebiasis are asymptomatic. Both diseases can frequently be diagnosed on routine stool examination, and multiple treatment regimens exist for both.
However, Dr Hardie stated that while the treatment may vary and include surgical procedures, the primary treatment method is with antibiotic therapy.
— Kimberley Hibbert
