Venereologist in Athens
Venereologist Dr Karalexis
The specialist venereologist is Dr. Karalexis a military doctor and has more than 20 years of hospital experience at Syggros Hospital and the Naval Hospital of Athens.
Among other things he believes that sexually transmitted venereal diseases are a modern challenge.
He has undertaken the diagnosis and treatment of hundreds of cases, relieving the pain and mental burden they bring.
Venereal is group of infectious disease with an ever-increasing occurance worldwide. Syphilis, genital herpes, mild genital ulcer (hemophilic ducreyi), venereal lymphococci (chlamydia of the trachea), gonococcal infections, acute wart (papillomavirus), also known as venereal diseases are the most known diseases.
What does the Venereologist Dr Karalexis address at his clinic in Athens (DermaHair Clinic in Ilisia)?
Dr Karalexis, director of the Derma Hair Clinic in Ilisia, with his many years of experience in Athens and abroad. Says that a common element for venereal diseases is that they are transmitted through sexual contact, this can be direct or in rare instances indirect (sanitary ware, towels) contact with the patient’s genitals. AIDS and hepatitis B and C viruses are also transmitted through sexual intercourse but are described in another section of our website.
What are the consequences and characteristics of Venereal Diseases?
In many venereal diseases lesions appear in the genital area, however each of the above diseases has a different severity and its morbidity varies.
Thus Syphilis, without treatment can progressively cause skin rash to irreversible neurological damage (spina bifida, generalized paralysis). Syphilis in the primary stage appears in the form of syphilitic ulcer, ie a wound in the genital area after an incubation period of 3-4 weeks from the time of infection. Secondary syphilis occurs from 6 weeks to 6 months after the appearance of the initial ulcer (wound) with the manifestations of the so-called syphilis rosacea in the skin. In latent syphilis which is another stage of the disease, the manifestations from the skin are completely absent and the diagnosis is made only in the laboratory with special blood tests. Finally in tertiary syphilis that develops 3-7 years after the initial infection, tuberculosis like lesions on the skin and manifestations from the internal organs such as the heart, the joints, the gastrointestinal system and especially the nervous system (neurosyphilis). The predominant treatment for syphilis is the administration of penicillin in different doses and modes of administration depending on the stage of the disease.
Similarly, the course of gonococcal infection (gonorrhea) is varied which can remain localized causing urethritis, ie secretion of yellow-green fluid from the urethra in men and cervicitis in women, or have diffuse gonococcal disease, can cause sepsis with imminent death. Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics and is performed after culture and antibiogram, so that we have targeted treatment and avoid the occurrence of antibiotic resistance.
Herpes, on the other hand, is highly contagious and while in an otherwise healthy person it usually remains a localized skin infection, in an immunosuppressed it presents as a generalized, often catastrophic infection. The treatment of genital herpes is done with antiviral tablets.
The verified association of some strains of papilloma virus (acute wart) with the occurrence of cervical cancer. With an incubation period ranging from 1-10 months from the time we come in contact with the carrier of the disease, the warts appear as small papules or papillary sprouts in the genital area. In some rarer cases they may appear in the mucous membranes of the mouth or throat. Some causes that help the development of warts are:
- Pregnancy
- Infections from trichomonads
- Phimosis
- Urethritis
- Oxyuria
- Use of corticosteroids topically
The treatment of warts includes the following with the predominant treatment being the use of Lasers (Laser)
- Podophyllin and Podophyllotoxin topically
- Diathermy and Cryotherapy
- CO2 Laser
- Surgical removal
- Retinoids per os
- Interferon intravenously or systemically
Most sexually transmitted diseases generally respond well to certain antimicrobials and eventually heal or subside. Nevertheless, due to their often high morbidity and complications, prevention is the most important means of treatment. Precautions during sexual intercourse as well as strict observance of the rules of genital hygiene should always be followed.
In addition, anyone who becomes infected should consult their doctor to learn how to protect people with whom he or she comes in close contact.
Epidemiological data from the venereologist Dr. Karalexis
SYPHILIS: Syphilis has been on the rise in recent years. It is a bacterial infection, It is treated by taking antibiotics. It mainly affects the age group 25-34 in both sexes.
GONORRHEA: It is a bacterial infection. It spreads very quickly and can be avoided through the use of a condom. It mainly highlights the age group of men aged 25-34.
WARTS: Warts are the most common sexually transmitted disease, despite the use of the vaccine. They usually occur in people aged 18-35 years. The main reasons for their appearance are the large number of sexual partners or beginning a sexual lifestyle at a younger age and smoking, They are in the form of small tumors and appear in the genitals of women and men. Treatment involves the use of topical medications, cryotherapy, diathermy, surgical removal and Laser. There are two vaccines for human papillomavirus (HPV), the potent and the quadrivalent, which have been included in the national vaccination program since 2008.
AIDS: The most serious sexually transmitted disease. There are many ways to transmit it. Prevention involves using a condom, choosing a stable partner, and getting vaccinated against the HPV virus. However, there is still no effective cure for the disease.