Sexually transmitted infections

Herpes zoster is a reactivation of an infection with the varicella zoster virus, manifests as painful vesicular rash.

Grouped vesicles filled with straw colored liquid on an inflamed base that are accompanied by complaints of a tingling sensation and then pain are classic signs and symptoms of a herpes outbreak.

Age-based screening recommendations for chronic hepatitis C virus infection targeted to Americans born between 1945 and 1965 were announced by the CDC.

Syphilis is often called the "great imitator." The slides that follow show syphilis in various guises-and various disorders that can mimic the cutaneous manifestations of the sexually transmitted infection.

Did you know: The hepatitis B virus is the only human virus that is routinely tested for by measuring a marker, or “footprint,” of the virus in the blood? Here, an explanation for this and 4 more things you need to know about HBV.

A 31-year-old woman presents for evaluation of an asymptomatic, firm plaque on the forehead. Lesions of similar size and consistency were present at the nape of the neck and on the chest.

A 32-year-old woman presents with recurrent episodes of lip swelling associated with massive, painful blister formation and crusting.

What exactly are the new guidelines for vaccinating boys against HPV infection-and why is this development good news for both men and women?

Presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann recently made the unsubstantiated comment on national TV that the HPV vaccine has “very serious consequences” and that it can cause mental retardation.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann recently caught the attention of a lot of people when, during a television interview following a Presidential debate, she claimed that the HPV vaccine has “very significant consequences.”

A 22-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician’s office with right lower quadrant and suprapubic abdominal pain. She stated that the pain had begun earlier that day; she had no symptoms on awakening that morning.

What are the most significant health risks associated with tattoos?

These asymptomatic bumps that developed on the groin area of a 16-year-old girl after her first sexual exposure are molluscum contagiosum. Central umbiliication distinguishes these lesions from warts.

For several weeks, a 33-year-old man has had an asymptomatic lesion on the head of the penis. He has had a new sex partner in the past few months but is unaware of any health problems she may have. What is the likely cause of this lesion?

The Fifth International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention (IAS 2009) was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from July 19 to 22, 2009. More than 5500 delegates from more than 100 countries attended this annual event.

No matter what primary care demographic your practice represents, it would be most unusual not to encounter patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Since HCV infection is chronic and can lead to cirrhosis (occurring in 20% of patients over a period of 10 to 20 years), decisions regarding its management, referral, and follow-up are of the utmost importance.

The recent report on an HIV-positive cardiothoracic surgeon in Israel has offered a contemporary perspective on the risks of transmission of HIV in health care settings, specifically surgical settings.

Multiple sclerosis patients treated with natalizumab risk reactivation of latent herpes virus infections.

Syphilis took Europe by storm at the end of the 15th century in what was to become a sweeping epidemic. Before 1495, it was unknown or perhaps was attributed to other disease processes, such as leprosy.

Digestive diseases are costly to manage, with annual costs totaling $141.8 billion in 2004 (Figure 1), according to an NIH report. Direct costs associated with digestive diseases jumped from $85 billion in 1998 to nearly $98 billion in 2004. Prescription drug costs alone were $12.3 billion. Indirect costs for digestive diseases more than doubled, from $20 billion in 1998 to $44 billion in 2004, of which $32.8 billion was associated with lost productivity caused by increased mortality.

Persons who are unresponsive to the standard hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine regimen may benefit from a revaccination series using a double dose of the combined hepatitis A virus (HAV) and HBV vaccine.1,2

Should acute infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) be treated? If yes, what is the recommended treatment?

The prevalence of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection was 24.8% among a study population of 222 heterosexual men who confirmed that they had never engaged in male-male sexual intercourse. 1

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all persons older than 60 years be immunized against herpes zoster with a single dose of the live, attenuated virus vaccine. Furthermore, it urges clinicians to offer the vaccine at the first available clinical encounter.