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Question:
I am sexually active and have been with more than one partner,around christmas i had a PAP smear and it came up normal. However, Today 4/1/02 i went to get a regualr sports physical and he had me urinate in a cup to test my urine. He told me there was alot of bacteria in my urine. My question is, since my last pap smear, (which came out normal) i have been with one person and i know he hasnt been with anyone else, could i have an STD even though my PAP came out normal? Does PAP smears detect STDs? the doc asked me if i have had any pain or discharge. i have not had any symptoms or problems. PLEASE HELP! Thank you so much
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Answer:
by Georgan Gregg: ()
I’m so glad you decided to learn more about your concerns. Ideally, you would get this information from your doctor. Most encourage questions to be sure the problem & treatment is understood—because they know patients will be more likely to follow through on treatment. Don’t let your youth stop you from asking questions of medical caregivers. After all, it’s your body & your health. Let’s go over the basics of bacteria in your urine & PAP tests.
Yes, you could have an STD even if your PAP was normal, however, the bacteria in your urine isn’t necessarily an STD. It sounds like you might have asymptomatic bacteriuria, a condition in which bacteria are in your urine, although you have no symptoms of infection. If a urinalysis shows white blood cells & bacteria, which may indicate infection in the kidneys or bladder, your doctor may decide to culture the urine to identify the specific bacteria.
Urine is normally sterile, meaning no bacteria. A small number of bacteria may be found in the urine of many healthy people, which is usually harmless. If the number of bacteria reaches a certain level, it may mean that the bladder, urethra, or kidneys are infected. Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs more often in females than males because the urethra is shorter in females. The short urethra makes it easier for bacteria to go from the anus or genital area up the urethra & into the bladder during activities like wiping or sexual intercourse. Most bacterial infections of the urinary tract are caused this way. Asymptomatic bacteriuria may or may not be treated with an antibiotic. If your doctor prescribes an oral antibiotic, take it all, even though you have no symptoms. You may need to return to your doctor's office after you have taken all the antibiotic to give another urine sample to see if there are still bacteria in your urine. Your doctor may recommend periodic tests of your urine to see if the bacteriuria recurs, although it usually clears up after a short course of treatment with antibiotics. However, it could recur. Untreated, it might develop into a full-blown urinary tract infection. If the infection is not then treated with antibiotics, the kidneys could be damaged.
To prevent bacteriuria from returning you can:
·Drink plenty of fluids (6-8 glasses each day).
·Be sure you urinate regularly during the day & your bladder is completely emptied each time. Avoid long waits.
·Keep your vaginal area clean & wipe from front to back after a bowel movement.
·Urinate before & after intercourse.
·Wear cotton underwear, which allows better air circulation than nylon. Wear pantyhose that have a cotton crotch.
·Avoid tight clothes in the genital area, such as control-top pantyhose & tight jeans. Don’t wear a wet bathing suit for long periods of time.
·Use tampons instead of sanitary pads during your menstrual periods. Change tampons every 3-4 hours. Sanitary pads can act as a breeding ground for bacteria, which can enter the urethra & the bladder.
PAP smear or test is a way to examine cells collected from the cervix (the lower, narrow end of the uterus). This test can show the presence of infection, inflammation, abnormal cells, or cancer. The only STD a PAP could find is human papillomaviruses (HPVs). HPV is a group of more than 100 viruses. Some HPVs are sexually transmitted & cause wart-like growths on the genitals. More than a dozen of these HPVs have been linked to cervical cancer. Other types of HPV cause the common warts that grow on hands & feet, which don’t lead to cancer.
HPV infection is the primary risk factor for cervical cancer. However, although HPV infection is very common, only a very small percentage of women infected with untreated HPV are at risk of developing cervical cancer. HPV is more common in women in their late teens & twenties. Because HPV is spread mainly through sexual contact, risk increases with number of sexual partners. Women who become sexually active at a young age (especially age 16 or younger), who have multiple sexual partners, & whose sexual partners have other partners are at increased risk. The virus can disappear but remain detectable for years after infection. Most HPV infections go away on their own without causing any type of abnormality.
Good luck & don’t hesitate to contact us again.Reviewed by: Patricia Fawver Ph.D. in Sexology
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