What STDs Can Cause Bugs In Your Vagina?

On their own, most STDs carry with them a certain amount of grossness. However, if you add bugs in your vagina into that equation, they get quite the more questionable. When it comes to sexually transmitted diseases and infections, parasites and bugs are not all that rare. In fact, there are three instances that creepy crawlers could make their ways into your privates or vagina.

Trichomoniasis

Better known as Trich, this STD is caused by a parasitic bacteria officially known as Tirchomonas vaginalis. Most of the time, this STD is most associated with itchiness and dryness but what is really going on is a little bit more intrusive. Trich is a protozoan parasite so even though you won’t see big creepy crawlers down there, they are extremely tiny parasites working on their own accord. Luckily, Trich is one of the most common STDs and is very easy to take care of with a round of antibiotics. This infection attacks the urinary tract during sexual interaction and can irritate the cervix, urethra, vulva, and the foreskin on men’s penises. It infects roughly 3.7 million Americans a year and can sometimes even go unnoticed without any symptoms. It’s important to follow all directions given by your doctor since almost 1 in 5 people get reinfected shortly after treatment.

Scabies

This is a type of really small mite called Scarcoptes scabiei that can be transferred either sexually or by skin-to-skin contact with an infected individual. As they burrow into your skin, they can cause intense itching and irritation. Their bites most often cause red rashes and bumps that occur from their eight legs burrowing under and around your skin. Scabies infections can be treated with a round of antibiotics, but the mites can linger on linens and other towels around your house causing very common reinfection problems.

Pubic Lice

Most commonly referred to as crabs, pubic lice affects the genital and pubic area around men and women. Their scientific name is Pthirus pubis and they feed on blood. Pubic lice are similar to head lice but different in that they tend to attack only the pubic area. They most commonly are contracted through sex with an infected partner, but can also spread from using infected towels or clothing. Symptoms include affected skin turning a grayish or blue-ish color, itching and genital sores that appear from itching and scratching infected areas. Eggs can often be seen around the pubic area and are a sure sign of infection. Treatment is as easy as a prescription wash.

Regardless of the type of bug, all bugs in your vagina are a cause for worry. Now, while most of them are curable, knowing that you have them is the first step to getting rid of them. That means that if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms above, consult with your doctor or contact myLAB Box to get any of your testing needs. myLAB Box offers free doctor consultation with any positive results.

References

1. Jyoti Dhawan, Saurabh Singh, and Somesh Gupta. (2011). Insects are Crawling in My Genital Warts. J Cutan Aesthet Surg.
2. Hannah Soulsby, Brian L. Jones, Michael Coyne, and Claire L. Alexander. (2016). An unusual case of vaginal myiasis. JMM Case Rep.
3. William A. Banks. (2015). A Vagina Monologue: Mom’s Stress, Bugs, and Baby’s Brain. Endocrinology.
4. Kazunori Yoshizawa, Rodrigo L. Ferreira, Yoshitaka Kamimura, Charles Lienhard. (2014). Female Penis, Male Vagina, and Their Correlated Evolution in a Cave Insect. Current Biology.
5. Naomi F. Sugar and Elinor A. Graham. (2006). Common Gynecologic Problems in Prepubertal Girls. Pediatrics in Review.