Chlamydia
What is it?
Chlamydia is a bacterial STI that affects both guys and girls,and is
easily
passed
on. It usually infects the penis or vagina but it can also affect the
throat,
bum and eyes. Although particularly common amongst younger people, it
can
affect
anyone who is sexually active.
Often people who are infected with Chlamydia have no idea that they have
it.
Around
70% of girls and 50% of guys who have Chlamydia have no symptoms at all.
If
you do
have symptoms they may be so mild that they aren’t noticed.
Treatment
Antibiotics will effectively treat Chlamydia. When one person is
treated,
it’s
important that all the people you have had sex with are tested to
determine
whether
they need treatment too.
If you think you have Chlamydia
check
out the
Where Can I page for more information.
Symptoms
- Symptoms in girls may include:
- A slight increase in vaginal discharge
- Pain on passing urine and the need to go more frequently
- Lower abdominal pain
- Irregular bleeding
- Symptoms in guys may include:
- A white/cloudy and watery discharge from the penis
- Pain or burning when passing water.
Prevention
Practising safer sex by using condoms can reduce the risk of getting
Chlamydia.
Crabs
What is it?
Pubic lice or crabs cannot jump or fly and are spread by close, usually
sexual, contact.
Sometimes they can be spread by sharing bedding,
towels, and clothing.
Although they are commonly found in pubic hair, pubic lice can also be
found in other coarse
hair such as under the
arms, on hairy legs, abdomens and chests, and occasionally in beards and
eyebrows. They cannot
travel into the hair on the head.
Treatment
Avoid close contact with a person known to have pubic lice until they
have been treated.
Ensure people who have been in close contact with an infected person are
also treated to avoid
re-infection.
Machine wash bedding, towels, and clothing in hot water to prevent
re-infection.
A medical shampoo or lotion treats pubic lice. Anti-itch medication or
cream can be used to
relieve itching that may continue for a few weeks after treatment.
Symptoms
The first attack of genital herpes is usually the most severe.
Symptoms
may include:
- Painful fluid-filled blisters.
- Tingling, itching, burning or soreness in the affected area.
- Enlarged and painful lymph glands.
- Pain on passing urine.
- A flu-like illness.
- Women may have an abnormal vaginal discharge
Symptoms disappear after ten to 21 days. After the first attack, the
virus hides in the nerve
fibres causing no symptoms.
Some people never get another outbreak; others may find it re-occurs
when they’re stressed or
run-down. Recurrent attacks usually affect the same area but are less
severe.
Prevention
There is no protection for pubic lice. But you can reduce your risk of
getting them by
limiting the number of people you have intimate or sexual contact with.
If you or your
partner has them, do not have sex until the treatment is completed.
Gonorrhoea
What is it?
Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection and both men and women can become
infected. It is usually
passed from one person to another during sex.
The bacteria can live inside the cells of the entrance to the womb
(cervix), the tube the urine
comes out of (urethra), the bum (rectum), the throat and occasionally
the eyes.
Treatment
It’s important to not just test yourself but to also test and treat (if
appropriate) all sexual
contacts. This helps to prevent the infection being passed on to others.
Tests are generally
done by swabbing the area or by a urine test.
The infection can be treated effectively with antibiotics.
If you think you have Chlamydia check out the Where Can
I page for more information
Symptoms
It's possible to have gonorrhoea and not have symptoms. When symptoms do
occur, guys are more
likely to notice them than girls. The symptoms depend on the site of the
infection
- Symptoms in girls may include:
- A slight increase in vaginal discharge
- Pain on passing urine and the need to go more frequently
- Lower abdominal pain
- Irregular bleeding
- Symptoms in guys may include:
- A change in vaginal discharge - it may increase in amount,
change colour
to yellow/green and
have a strong smell
Irritation and/or discharge from the anus may also occur
- Left untreated, gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease
in
women, inflammation of the
testicles and prostate gland in men, and eye infections in
babies if
it’s passed on
during birth.
Prevention
Practising safer sex by using condoms can reduce the risk of getting
Chlamydia.
What is it?
Hepatitis
What is it?
Hepatitis is a term used to describe inflammation or swelling of the
liver. It can occur as a
result of a viral infection or because the liver is exposed to
substances such as alcohol.
There are different types of hepatitis, some which can persist for many
years, and serious cases
can be fatal.
Hepatitis causes no noticeable symptoms, so when hepatitis is caused by
a virus, many people are
unaware they are infected. The most common types of hepatitis are
described:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A, caused by the hepatitis A virus, and is the most common
type of viral hepatitis. It
occurs in the UK, but is more common in countries where sanitation and
sewage disposal are poor.
Hepatitis A is usually caught by putting something in your mouth that
has been contaminated with
the poo of someone with hepatitis A. It is usually a short-term
infection and symptoms will pass
within 3 months. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A other
than using painkillers to
relieve symptoms.
A vaccination can protect you against hepatitis A.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus. This can be found in
blood and body fluids, such
as semen and vaginal fluids, so it can be spread during unprotected sex
or sexual contact and
through using the same needle as someone with the infection.
It is a viral infection that affects the liver and blood. It has long
term complications which
can include liver failure and cirrhosis of the liver
Most people infected with hepatitis B are able to fight off the virus
and recover from the
infection within a few months. The infection can be unpleasant to live
with, but normally causes
no lasting harm; a small minority of people develop a long-term
infection. This is known as
chronic hepatitis B.
A vaccination is available for hepatitis B, which is recommended for
people in high-risk groups,
such as drug users.
To reduce your risk of getting the infection:
Get a hepatitis B vaccination
Don’t share needles with drug users
Use a condom during sex
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is the most common type of viral hepatitis in England. The
virus can be found in the
blood and, to a much lesser extent, the saliva and semen or vaginal
fluid of an infected person.
It is particularly strong in the blood, so it can be passed on through
blood-to-blood contact.
Most often hepatitis C is passed on through needle sharing drug use.
Hepatitis C often causes no symptoms or symptoms are flu-like, so people
can be unaware they are
infected.
Around one in four people will fight off the infection and will be free
of the virus. In the
remaining three out of four people, the virus will stay in their body
for many years. This is
known as chronic hepatitis C.
Chronic hepatitis C can be treated by taking antiviral medications,
although there can be
unpleasant side effects.
There is currently no vaccination for hepatitis C.
HIV
What is it?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If someone is infected by
HIV it will stay with
them for the rest of their life. HIV is a virus which weakens and
damages the
immune system so that person cannot fight off infections. Someone who
has HIV is diagnosed as
having AIDS only when tests show their immune system cannot cope and
they
develop one or more particular illnesses.
HIV can be passed from one person to another through blood, semen,
pre-ejaculation, vaginal
fluids or breast milk. So using needles which have already been used by
someone infected with HIV, having unprotected sex, blood entering the
body through cold sores or
cuts will increase the risk.
Treatment
If you have had sex with someone in the last three days (72 hours) who
is HIV positive, you can
take a short course of anti-HIV drugs which may help to prevent
infection, but this is not
always effective.
Once you are infected with HIV you will remain infected with the virus
for the rest of your life
and will be able to pass it on to someone else.
HIV needs to be monitored carefully and treatment given when necessary
or it will cause
long-term damage and could develop into the later stages, which can
cause death.
Symptoms
Many people who are infected by HIV have no symptoms at all. About half
the number of people who become infected my get flu- like symptoms
within the first few weeks,
these may include: fever,
rash, swollen glands, sore throat, mouth ulcers and aching muscles/
joints. Some people are
first diagnosed with HIV when they become ill due to their immune system
becoming weak.
To be sure you have HIV you would need to have a test. About a third of
people with HIV do not know they are infected.
Prevention
Always use a condom when having sex and sexual contact with the other
people. You and your partners should be open and honest about having HIV
and taking the precautions needed.
What is it?
Thrush is an infection that is caused by a yeast fungus. It is NOT a STI
but can sometimes
develop after sex.
3 of out 4 women will have thrush at some point in their lives, however
men are far less likely to have it.
Thrush is usually caused by yeast fungus Candida Albican. This yeast is
natural and lives
harmlessly on the skin, in the mouth, gut and vagina.
Treatment
Treatment is simple; you will most likely be given some antifungal
cream, pessaries, pills or a
combination. The cream is applied to the area and the pessary is usually
an almond-shaped tablet
which is placed into the vagina.
If you are sure you have thrush you can buy treatment from the pharmacy
without attending your
GP.
Symptoms
Your chances of developing thrush are increased by:
- Being pregnant
- Wearing tight clothing
- Certain antibiotics
- Having chemotherapy
- Uncontrolled diabetes, HIV, or illness that effects the immune
system
- The use of products which may cause irritation, like vaginal
deodorants
Not everyone will have symptoms, but you might notice:
Girls:
- Itching, soreness and redness around the vagina and bum
- Unusual, white discharge from the vagina which smells yeasty and
has a texture of
cottage cheese
- Pain when weeing
- Pain during sex
Guys:
- Itching, sorenesss and redness around and under the foreskin or
on the tip of the
penis
- A thin or thicker, white discharge from under the foreskin which
smells yeasty and has a
texture of cottage cheese
- Difficulty pulling back the foreskin
Prevention
Some people get thrush once and other will experience it may times. If
you get thrush 4 or more
times in 12 months you should seek medical attention, this
is called re-current thrush.
Avoid wearing tight clothing, make sure the vagina is well lubricated
before sex and girls
should wash and wipe genitals from front to back.
Genital warts
What is it?
Genital warts are caused by infection with a virus called the Human
Papilloma Virus or HPV; this
is different from the strain that causes warts on the fingers and hands.
It's a STI spread through intimate contact. This doesn't need to be
penetrative sex; close
genital contact is enough. Men and women can get genital warts.
Treatment
Genital warts can be treated by painting them with a special liquid
which you can apply at home.
You would need to make an appointment at your local clinic.
Other treatments include cryotherapy (freezing), cauterisation
(burning), laser therapy and
surgical removal under general anaesthetic.
Symptoms
Genital warts may feel like gritty, hard bumps on the skin of the
genitals or around the anus
before they are seen.
Usually more than one genital wart is present. When visible, they may
appear as flat, smooth,
small bumps, or quite large, pink,
cauliflower-like lumps. They may itch, but are usually painless.
Prevention
Practising safer sex by using condoms provides some protection.