Genitourinary infections in Singapore are usually caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that are transmitted sexually.
Keywords: genitourinary infection, genitourinary infection in Singapore, Singapore genitourinary infection
Genitourinary infections are infections of the genitals (such as the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, penis, or testes) and/or of the urinary tract (such as the urethra and bladder). These infections can be caused by a variety of different microorganisms.
Diseases of the genitals are often sexually transmitted infections. Many of these infections also cause symptoms in the urinary tract. There are a wide variety of different infections in this category, which vary in their severity. In Singapore, genitourinary infections of this type are becoming steadily more common.
There are also a few sexually transmitted diseases that don’t fall into the category of genitourinary infections. These include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). While they may be transmited through the genitourinary system, these are primarily infections of other bodily systems.
Infections Causing External Symptoms
Some genitourinary infections primarily cause symptoms on the external genitalia. Genital warts are usually seen on the genitals and around the anus, although they can appear inside the vagina or urethra. These are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through direct contact with an infected area of skin.
Genital herpes causes multiple small sores to appear on the genitals. This disease is also caused by a virus, which is called herpes simplex virus (HSV). After infection with HSV, the virus remains in the body for life, and can reactivate multiple times to cause sores to appear again.
Syphilis also begins with a sore on the genitals, although it’s usually a single, larger sore. In later stages, the disease spreads into the body, causing symptoms in many other parts of the body. In this later stage, syphilis is very serious and can be fatal. It’s caused by bacteria and can be treated with antibiotics.
Infections Causing Internal Symptoms
Other genitourinary infections cause symptoms inside of the body. The primary symptom is often discharge from the vagina or penis, which may be accompanied by other symptoms.
There are several common diseases in this category. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are two diseases that are both caused by small bacteria. Because their symptoms are very similar, they’re often discussed together. Along with discharge from the vagina or the end of the penis, there is often a burning sensation with urination. Either disease can progress to infect the internal reproductive organs, which can lead to the permanent inability to have children; this can happen in men, but is more common in women. This is why it’s important to treat gonorrhea and chlamydia with antibiotics as soon as possible. In Singapore, gonorrhea and chlamydia are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases.
Another disease causing discharge is trichomoniasis. This is caused by a single-celled parasite. The discharge usually smells like fish, and there is often itching or discomfort in the vagina. In men, there are often no symptoms. This can be treated with antibiotics.
Another common cause of discharge is candidiasis, also known as a yeast infection. This can be sexually transmitted, but can also occur when the normal balance of the body is disrupted, such as when taking antibiotics for other causes. This disruption allows the yeast, which are normally present in very small amounts, to grow out of control. The discharge in a yeast infection is cottage cheese-like in consistency and often smells like bread. Candidiasis can be cured by antibiotics.
Urinary Tract Infections
Another category of genitourinary infections are urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs. These cause symptoms of burning during urination, but don’t cause symptoms of the genitals. UTIs are usually caused by the normal bacteria of the body growing in the urethra and bladder, where they don’t belong. They may be transferred there by sexual intercourse, but UTIs are not sexually transmitted diseases. They’re more common among women, who have much shorter urethras than men. Most UTIs can be treated with antibiotics.
References
Genitourinary at Shim Clinic, Singapore