STI Detection Package near me in Agra

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum. It is most commonly spread by sexual route (through contact with syphilis sore (Chancre)). Syphilis is easily treatable with antibiotics. However, it can cause severe health problems if left untreated and can be potentially fatal. Maternal transfer to unborn child through an infected mother can cause serious and potentially fatal consequences for the baby.

There are several stages of syphilis:

·       Primary syphilis: Primary stage starts 2-3 weeks after being infected. It usually appears as one or more painless chancres on the sexual partner's chancre exposed body parts such as on the penis or vagina. Since it is painless, it may go unnoticed, especially if it is in the rectum or on the cervix. It usually disappears within 4-6 weeks even without any treatment.

·       Secondary syphilis: Primary syphilis can progress to secondary syphilis if the infected person is left untreated. The symptoms generally develop from 6 weeks to 6 months after the chancre first appears. It is mainly observed as non-itchy skin rash (rough, red, and spotted), appearing typically on the palms of the hands and the bottoms of the feet. Other associated symptoms could be fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and body aches.

·       Late or tertiary syphilis: Secondary syphilis can progress to late or tertiary stage if it is further left untreated. In this, an infected person may remain without any symptoms (asymptomatic) but continues to have the infection and can last for years. There are various complications associated with tertiary syphilis which can occur if still left untreated such as the bacteria can damage the heart, eyes, brain, central nervous system (Neurosyphilis), bones, joints, or almost any other part of the body. Tertiary syphilis can last for years, with the final stage leading to mental illness, blindness, other neurological problems, heart disease, and death.

Hepatitis C is one of the five hepatitis viruses identified so far, including A, B, D, and E, that are known to cause the disease. HCV causes liver inflammation and damage. It is spread by exposure to contaminated blood, sharing of needles by intravenous drug users, sharing personal items contaminated by blood such as razors, through sex with an infected person, via healthcare occupational exposure, and, less commonly, from mother to baby during childbirth.

It has been observed that most infected people do not see any symptoms (asymptomatic) which makes them unaware of the condition. The acute HCV infection may cause few to mild nonspecific symptoms. This chronic infection may not show any symptoms for a decade or two before causing sufficient liver damage to affect liver function.

Hepatitis C antibody tests are used to screen individuals with risk factors, people who have symptoms associated with hepatitis or liver disease, or those who have been exposed to the virus.

It is possible that the antibody test remains positive even after clearing the infection. So to further diagnose, the test is followed by a hepatitis C RNA test. This test detects the genetic material of the virus. A positive result on the RNA test may indicate the virus is present, the infection has not resolved, and the requirement of treatment.

Many times, a liver panel test is also prescribed by the physician which will include a hepatitis C test to help assess the health of the liver.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV Virus is of two types: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is found in AIDS patients, AIDS-related complex patients, and those persons who are at high risk of getting affected by AIDS. HIV virus can be transmitted by sexual contact, exposure to blood or blood products of AIDS infected patients or transfer of infection from AIDS-infected mother to the fetus. Most of the cases of HIV-2 infected patients are seen in West Africa, and it is detected in patients who had sexual contact with people of that geographic region. These viruses have the same morphology, overall genomic structure, and ability to cause infection. 

When the patient gets infected with the virus, the virus attacks the immune system called CD4 and combines with antibodies to use them for making a large number of copies inside the body of the patient by replication. During the first few weeks of infection, the amount of virus present and the level of p24 antigen in the blood becomes very high. After another 2-8 weeks, these increased levels start to fall as the body of the infected patient starts producing antibodies against the antigen of the virus. At this time, the HIV virus antibody can be detected in the patient’s blood via tests. The tests should be performed at this brief time because after some time both the levels of antigen and antibody in the blood falls. This will make the detection of virus infection difficult as the initial infection may have been resolved and you may not get a positive result against the infection.

The patients who fall under the risk for HIV-1 or HIV-2 infection are screened for HIV-1 or HIV-2 antigen or antibody screening test.

HBsAg test detects the presence or absence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in the blood.

Hepatitis B virus is one of the five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E and is the causative agent of Hepatitis B (infection in the liver). Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) is present on the surface of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBsAg is present in the blood of patients with viral hepatitis B (with or without clinical symptoms).

HBsAg is the first marker appearing in the blood at 6 to 16 weeks following exposure to HBV. In most cases after an acute infection, this virus clears up on its own in 1 to 2 months after the onset of symptoms. But in some people, the virus does not go away and results in chronic infection which over the years may lead to liver damage (scarring or cirrhosis) or liver cancer. Persistence of HBsAg for more than 6 months indicates the development of either a chronic carrier state or chronic HBV infection.