Latest news with #chlamydia
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Map reveals where you are most at risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases... where does YOUR state rank?
Americans living in the south could be most at risk of sexually transmitted diseases, a new study reveals. Louisiana had the country's highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. It suffered 1,200 STD cases per 100,000 residents, making it the state most stricken by diseases that spread through sex, skin-to-skin contact and from mother to child during birth. In particular, Louisiana had the highest rate of chlamydia, America's most common STD that affects 1.6million adults every year. Mississippi and Alaska followed close behind with 1,084 and 1,067 STD cases per 100,000 people, respectively. Alaska also recorded the most instances of gonorrhea, which experts have previously blamed on weak public health infrastructure and high rates of substance abuse. It's the same state where a woman died earlier this year of disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI), which occurs when the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea invades the bloodstream and travels to vital organs. Meanwhile, Georgia, which had the fourth-highest overall STD rate, recorded the most HIV cases with 25.5 per 100,000. South Dakota rounded out the top five, recording the highest rate of syphilis infections. On the other hand, states in New England had the lowest STD rates, with Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine falling to the bottom of the list. The rankings, provided by a new study from Invigor Medical, used the latest CDC data - from 2023 - to calculate STD rates for all 50 states. The researchers found many states ranking in the top 10 have limited access to sexual health clinics and emphasize abstinence education as a primary method to prevent pregnancy and STDs, which could be drivers behind their higher rates. And many states do not mandate sex education in schools, meaning millions of students miss out on potentially life-saving information. States like Alaska and South Dakota also have higher numbers of outbreaks among Indigenous populations, which are more likely to have limited access to care. People in the New England region, on the other hand, typically have higher household incomes and rates of insurance, making them better able to access care and sexual education. The report also found women in the US are 10 percent more likely than men to be diagnosed with an STD, with a rate of 902 cases per 100,000 compared to 819. This could be because women are screened more often during routine reproductive health visits, while cases in men may go undiagnosed. The vagina also has a moist, thin lining that is easily penetrable, making it prone to infections. Louisiana had the country's highest rate of chlamydia with 792 cases per 100,000 residents. This added up to 36,242 diagnoses in 2023. Nationwide, chlamydia affects 1.6million Americans every year. Common symptoms of chlamydia include abnormal or foul-smelling vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, abdominal tenderness, pain during intercourse, irregular bleeding, and fever. However, less than half of infections show symptoms, and many are asymptomatic. Mississippi followed close behind overall and had the second-highest rate of chlamydia, with 701 cases per 100,000. Alaska recorded 1,067 STDs per 100,000 people in 2023 and had the highest rate of gonorrhea at 311 cases per 100,000. This adds up to about 2,280. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to serious health issues, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. And while the infection can usually be easily treated, some strains are resistant to commonly used antibiotics - making them harder to clear. Earlier this year in Alaska, an unnamed woman in her 50s died from disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) after contracting gonorrhea. This causes her to go into sepsis and heart failure. In DGI, gonorrhea infections travel to the bloodstream and infect organs throughout the body due to the infection going untreated. It's thought to occur in just 0.5 percent of gonorrhea cases. She is one of eight Alaskans to be identified with DGI since January of this year, the state health department said. The above chart from Invigor Medical shows the rate of STDs in the US by age group and sex Georgia, which had the fourth-highest rate of STDs overall, topped the list for HIV infections. It had an HIV rate of 25.5 per 100,000, totaling 2,359 cases. Nationwide, the HIV rate is 14 cases per 100,000 people. HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, attacks the body's immune system and leaves it unable to fight off foreign invaders. Left untreated, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Georgia's high rate could be from recent HIV outbreaks in the Atlanta area. South Dakota rounded out the top five with an overall STD rate of 1,015 per 100,000. It also had the highest rate of syphilis at 223 per 100,000 or roughly 2,000 cases. Syphilis among all ages is on the rise nationwide, increasing nearly 80 percent over the past five years, and the surge is worrying public health officials, as the disease can advance to damage the brain, nerves, eyes, and heart if it goes untreated. Symptoms begin with small open sores on the genitals, mouth, or rectum, as well as enlarged lymph nodes. In the second stage, a skin rash develops, as well as genitals sores, fever, muscle and joint pain, vision changes, and loss of appetite. When the infection advances further, it can inflame and damage heart valves and slowly degrade the brain, causing personality changes, memory loss, difficulty making decisions, and strokes. On the other end of the spectrum, Vermont recorded the fewest STD cases with a rate of 241 per 100,000. Schools in the state have more robust sexual health education programs than in other areas like the south. Its largest demographic is also over 60, a group historically less affected by STDs.
Medscape
18-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Gaps in STI Incidence and Testing Prevail in New York City
TOPLINE: This cross-sectional study of adults residing in New York City showed discrepancies between testing rates for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV and their incidence across demographics and socioeconomic status, potentially missing out cases among individuals who were not concurrently tested. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to compare testing, diagnosis patterns, and sociodemographic disparities among patients with STIs, particularly chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV, in New York City between January 2018 and June 2023. They analyzed 4,767,322 patients (mean age, 46 years; 61% women) from Healthix — a public health information exchange that collects data from healthcare facilities and stratified them by poverty level based on their residential area. The primary outcomes were proportion tested and confirmed positive for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and/or HIV. The patterns of concurrent testing, coinfection, and their variation based on sociodemographic and geographic factors were also evaluated. TAKEAWAY: During the study period, 1,519,121 chlamydia tests, 1,574,772 gonorrhea tests, and 1,200,560 HIV tests were conducted, with positivity rates of 2%, 1%, and 0.3%, respectively. Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing were predominantly concurrent (98% of chlamydia tests and 95% of gonorrhea tests); however, only 44% of HIV tests were conducted simultaneously with those for both chlamydia and gonorrhea. Men were less likely than women to be tested for chlamydia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62) and gonorrhea (aOR, 0.63), yet when tested, they had higher odds of testing positive for those infections (aOR, 1.09 and 3.28, respectively). In contrast, men had 16% higher odds of being tested for HIV and were also more likely to test positive for HIV. Individuals residing in very high-poverty areas were less likely to be tested but more likely to test positive for all three STIs than those residing in low-poverty areas. IN PRACTICE: 'Improving surveillance capacity may offer a more nuanced understanding of population- and neighborhood-level patterns, elucidate inequity, inform targeted intervention, and improve resource allocation,' the authors of the study wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Harry Reyes Nieva, PhD, Columbia University, New York City. It was published online on June 17, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: Healthix did not capture all testing conducted in New York City, and data on race and ethnicity of a substantial proportion of patients were missing. Although individuals on HIV preexposure prophylaxis typically undergo regular STI screening, the analysis approach did not fully account for its effect on the findings. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health and a fellowship from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group in High Performance Computing. One author reported receiving grants from the study funders. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
26-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Summer Sex, Silent STIs, and Sluggish Policy: A Wake-Up Call
Each summer, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, and genital herpes cases rise as seasonal risk-taking behaviours lead to more consultations for suspected sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite this trend, the coverage of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine remains insufficient, and mpox cases are re-emerging alongside a rise in syphilis cases. 'People in their 20s-40s are among the most frequent patients seeking care — often driven by anxiety after unprotected sexual encounters,' said Jean-Christophe Goffard, MD, PhD, in an interview with MediQualit y, a Medscape Network platform. Goffard is a professor at Université Libre de Bruxelles and director of the Internal Medicine Department at Hôpital Erasme in Brussels, Belgium, where he specialises in infectious disease screening and prevention. Although this age group is more likely to consult a physician after potential exposure, many others delay care, sometimes because the symptoms are mild or overlooked. In many cases, STIs do not cause any symptoms. 'Many patients are asymptomatic carriers,' Goffard explained. 'They can still transmit the infection or develop complications.' This highlights the difference between infection and disease: One can spread without causing any symptoms. Such clinical silence is particularly problematic in young women, for whom undiagnosed chlamydia or gonorrhoea infection can have serious consequences, such as damage to the fallopian tubes, an increased risk for ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. While some STI symptoms, such as vaginal discharge, ulcers, and burning, are common, others may be more subtle or misdiagnosed. Syphilis rashes, for example, can appear on the torso, palms, or soles. 'These macules may go unnoticed or be mistaken for other skin conditions,' Goffard warned. Certain STIs can also present with neurologic or ocular involvement, such as vision loss, making diagnosis more complex and requiring increased vigilance. Syphilis, once considered an 'old disease,' is returning. 'It is easily transmitted via oral sex, where condoms are rarely used. The epidemic has remained concentrated in certain groups; however, heterosexual transmission is increasing. In the US, universal screening is now recommended — as we did in the past, we should probably restart that here.' HPV Vaccination 'HPV vaccination coverage remains well below expectations in Belgium, particularly in French-speaking regions. 'In all honesty, we are quite disappointed,'' said Goffard. 'Rates remain low, especially due to vaccine hesitancy, which has only increased since the COVID-19 crisis.' Goffard emphasised the importance of vaccinating boys, citing the example of Australia, where broad HPV vaccination has contributed to the near elimination of genital warts (condylomas). 'These warts are not only stigmatising, but they can also sometimes be very mutilating,' he said. In Belgium, the HPV vaccine is reimbursed for boys up to 18 years of age; however, vaccination continues to lag behind the expectations. 'It is frustrating to see that while many hope for a cancer cure, a preventive vaccine already exists,' said Goffard. He stressed that the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer, whereas the hepatitis B vaccine protects against hepatocellular carcinoma. On a more positive note, he acknowledged that hepatitis B vaccination has been successfully integrated into Belgium's childhood immunisation schedule. Resurgence of mpox Another concern for Goffard was the resurgence of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. After the 2022 outbreak, the infection seemed to be under control, but it resurfaced, particularly among men who have sex with men. A vaccine exists, but its stock is insufficient. 'We had hoped that targeted vaccination would be enough, but current supply shortages are now preventing us from revaccinating those who missed the first campaign,' said Goffard, urging the government to anticipate another summer wave amid insufficient public awareness. Lack of Coordination Goffard highlighted the lack of coordination in vaccine and drug access across Europe as a critical issue. 'Each country currently manages its own vaccines and medicines independently, leading to a serious lack of coordination at the European level. However, infections do not respect borders. Let us not forget that Brussels is the second most cosmopolitan city in the world, after Dubai.' He argued for a common European public health policy, including centralised negotiations to ensure equitable access and fair pricing of vaccines and medicines. 'We often criticise governments, but we should also question the fairness of the pricing of medicines. Is it acceptable for essential drugs to be so expensive?' he asked. 'Patents are, of course, important to encourage research, but in my view, the prices of generic medicines remain far too high compared to their production costs and the profit margins earned by pharmaceutical giants. And then, we would be much stronger at the European level.' Alternative Tools Targeted screening is underused but remains one of the most effective methods for controlling rising STI rates. 'During consultations, practitioners should not hesitate to offer tests even when there are no symptoms, especially in high-risk or sexually active groups,' Goffard argued. He also highlighted the role of sexual health centres, which provide a multidisciplinary, non-judgemental, and accessible approach. These organisations play a key role in health education and information on contraception, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). HIV Prevention PrEP is an essential strategy for preventing HIV infection. It involves the administration of antiretroviral therapy before high-risk encounters. In Belgium, PrEP is available by prescription, reimbursed under certain conditions, and can be administered continuously or on demand. However, it did not protect against other STIs. Oral sex remains a significant route for syphilis and gonorrhoea, and condoms are rarely used. In cases of HIV exposure, post-exposure treatment remains effective if administered within 72 hours. 'In Brussels, our department can rapidly manage these cases,' said Goffard. Innovations are on the horizon: 'A twice-yearly injection of a new drug promises HIV protection, but it is not yet reimbursed.' Doxycycline PEP (DoxyPEP Debate) To curb the rising rates of certain STIs, a new preventive approach, doxyPEP, has emerged. It involves taking an antibiotic within 72 hours after risky intercourse to prevent infections such as syphilis and chlamydia. 'Doxycycline taken after intercourse effectively reduces the risk of syphilis and chlamydia, particularly in high-risk populations. However, widespread use raises concerns about the emergence of bacterial resistance, including in non-targeted germs, such as those in the microbiota or on the skin. This could affect the management of skin and digestive tract infection. Therefore, we do not recommend the routine use of this approach. This may be justified for a small group of patients with recurrent STIs, but it remains a niche approach.' Community Approach Beyond the strict medical framework, prevention involves education, accessibility, and proximity. Associations conduct screening campaigns in festive, school, or community settings, making the issue easier to understand and more relatable outside the clinical setting. 'We need to adapt our messages to the realities of our audiences: young people, LGBTQIA+ people, migrants. It is often the most vulnerable who escape traditional campaigns,' Goffard concluded.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Koalas could be extinct in south-east Queensland in 'not-too-distant future', RSPCA says
South-east Queensland has fewer than 16,000 koalas left in the wild, and of those experts say 10 per cent will end up in veterinary hospitals each year. Only half who receive hospital care will survive. Australia's iconic marsupial is up against a chlamydia epidemic, vehicle strikes and dog and feral animal attacks. It's also under threat from the creep of urban development into its habitat. RSPCA Queensland wildlife veterinary director Dr Tim Portas said koala numbers continue to decline. "Unless something significant changes and we look at protecting koala habitat and disease control programs for chlamydia, there's a real risk we won't have koalas in south-east Queensland in the not-too-distant future," he said. Koalas Maximus and William faced an uncertain fate when they came to a wildlife hospital, west of Brisbane, at the end of last year. Both were infected with chlamydia, could barely see, and were malnourished and dehydrated. Maximus needed treatment for six months before he could be released back into the Woogaroo Forest, west of Brisbane, while William returned home to the same area after nearly two months in care. Their release is bittersweet for wildlife rescuers who fear it's only a matter of time before they see them again. "We would like to think you treat these koalas and they don't come back but the unfortunate reality is that even with the chlamydia vaccine they can be reinfected … so it's a bit of an uphill battle," Dr Portas said. "There are a couple of vaccines available, but they are not readily available at the moment, so ideally we would vaccinate every koala that goes out, but we are not in a position to do that." Woogaroo Forest, near Ipswich, spans more than 450 hectares, with the majority listed as prime koala habitat by the Queensland Government. It's also home to sugar gliders, platypus, kangaroos, wallabies, and echidnas. But a third of that native bushland has been marked for urban development, including almost two thousand homes, a commercial centre, childcare centre, and sports park. There are fears this could corner koalas in islands of bushland surrounded by development, increase the risk of run-ins with cars and dogs and expose them to added stress and disease. "Once something is listed as endangered, you know that every single one of those animals needs to be protected. "But at the other end of the system you've got big developers making hundreds of millions of dollars and building houses that are spread out, that aren't communities," Rebecca Larkin, from the Ipswich Koala Protection Society, said. While these sites may not pose a major threat on their own, if all are approved, experts say it will dramatically reduce available habitat. "It's death by a thousand cuts … if you look at the broader picture then how can you not determine that these developments in combination will have a significant impact," University of Queensland researcher Dr Sean FitzGibbon said. "But that doesn't seem to be how they are assessed, it's one at a time." In a statement, Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the land was privately owned and "unfortunately" not preserved forest. The site was earmarked for housing development nearly 30 years ago by the state government, she said. It's under the Springfield Structure Plan, which Ms Harding said, "was put in place by the Queensland Government in the 1990s to support significant residential development". Ipswich City Council has already approved the developments but it's the federal government that will do the environmental assessment and ultimately decide whether they go ahead. A spokesperson for the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said each of the four proposals will need to be fully assessed under national environmental law. "The department is yet to receive preliminary documentation responses for any of the referrals which sufficiently address the department's information requirements," they said. Dr Portas said koala habitat like the Woogaroo Forest needs to be "quarantined" from development. "Obviously we have a growing population and there's a need for more houses, but we probably need to look at more comprehensive strategies that don't target prime habitat," he said. Using a handheld receiver with a directional antenna, researchers can track and monitor collared koalas in bushland in Brisbane's south-west. Among them is Matilda — a young, displaced koala who's been used to successfully re-establish a locally extinct population in the Pooh Corner Bushland Reserve at Wacol. The program is being rolled out across the city. "We've been able to re-populate this area with rescued koalas, young animals that needed a new home," Dr FitzGibbon said. The Koala Research Program, a collaboration between Brisbane City Council and research institutes, carefully selects koalas they believe will have the best chance of adapting to a new habitat and starting up a new population. "The thing that strikes me is that koalas are actually very adaptable and quite a tough animal," Dr FitzGibbon said. "They need the right food trees and connectivity, that's crucial." With the 2032 Olympic Games just seven years away, experts say the need to strike the right balance between development and the environment has never been more important. "I don't want to be somebody who stands there with Olympic visitors and says 'Look I could have shown you koalas in the wild, but I'm sorry I can't because they are now extinct'," Ms Larkin said. "People need the forest as much as the animals."
ABC News
20-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
The Myths and Misconceptions About STIs.
MICHELLE WAKIM, REPORTER: STIs aren't brought up very often, but when they are, they're usually used as a punchline. MEAN GIRLS, MOVIE (2004): You will get chlamydia, and die. THE OFFICE, TV SHOW (2010): I know tonnes and tonnes of people who have herpes. I have it myself. SEX EDUCATION, DRAMA SERIES (2020): Why is it like the walking dead in here? What is going on? Chlamydia. Everyone's got it! Sexually transmitted infections are really common, but apart from a few pop culture references, we don't really talk about them. And it's left us exposed to growing infection rates, stigma, and a whole lot of misinformation. SEX EDUCATION, DRAMA SERIES: One for a fiver, three for ten. You cannot catch chlamydia from the air. You have to have sexual contact with the carrier. Shh, they don't know that do they. So if you're having sex or think you might one day, this is important stuff. NIKKI BRANDON, SEXUAL HEALTH NURSE, SHINE SA: My name's Nikki Brandon, I am a sexual health nurse. In sexual health, we do things like STI screening, so screening for sexually transmitted infections, and we also do lots of work around contraceptions. Oh I love my job. Nikki has been doing this for more than 30 years. So, we sat down with her to try and work through some of the big myths and misconceptions about STIs. NIKKI BRANDON: Oh well probably the, the most obvious one is, 'oh it won't happen to me' but of course STIs don't discriminate. If you're sexually active, then it can certainly happen to you. A sexually transmitted infection, or a STI, is an infection that can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact. NIKKI BRANDON: Obviously they're spread through sexual intercourse, so through vaginal sex, oral sex, and anal sex, but they can also be spread through some close contact, so sometimes skin-to-skin contact is enough. But what exactly are we spreading here? Well, first we have chlamydia, the most common STI in Australia. NIKKI BRANDON: The main thing with chlamydia is it doesn't always have symptoms, or if it does have symptoms the symptoms just aren't enough to be recognised. And here's a good spot to address misconception number two. NIKKI BRANDON: People think if they don't have any symptoms, then they must be okay. A lot of the sexually transmitted infections don't actually have symptoms, so you can't rely on symptoms alone. If there are symptoms, it will be things like a genital discharge, pain passing urine, and sometimes it can cause pain in the belly. Gonorrhoea is another big player and is quite similar to chlamydia in its symptoms. So again, you might get pain passing urine, discharge, irregular bleeding between periods or bleeding after sex. Next, we have syphilis. NIKKI BRANDON: Syphilis has got a few stages of symptoms. So initially, there might be an initial sore, which usually doesn't hurt. And then what can happen with syphilis is you can have a rash that will go all over the body, but it can affect their hands and the soles of the feet as well. And that's quite unusual for a rash. And one that you might have heard of is herpes. NIKKI BRANDON: Herpes is certainly one of those infections that causes a lot of concern with people. It's a cold sore. So cold sores are very common. Genital herpes is basically just a cold sore down there. So, while it's annoying and it can be a bit painful, it's not there all the time. The virus will stay in your nervous system, but it doesn't mean you're always going to have the symptoms and it doesn't mean that you're always going to be infectious. But when the symptoms are on the skin surface, so when the blisters are out, that's when you're the most infectious and that's where you shouldn't have any activity. But when the symptoms have gone and the sores are all healed up, you're good to go. But whether or not you have symptoms, STIs shouldn't go untreated. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea can actually progress to cause other conditions, which can lead to infertility or chronic pelvic pain. And with syphilis, it can end up damaging someone's vision, heart, lungs and bones, and can have devastating impacts on a pregnancy or the health of a baby. NIKKI BRANDON: There certainly can be consequences of untreated STIs. That's why regular screening is so important because if you wait to rely on symptoms, the infection can actually be causing more damage than it should. It's important to note that while we've mentioned some of the most common STIs, there are still others out there. In Australia, STI awareness really came into the spotlight in the 1980s during the HIV AIDS epidemic. At the time, some pretty full-on campaigns were shown on TV. OLD HIV AIDS TV CAMPAIGN: One person dies from AIDS in Australia every second day and many more are becoming infected. AIDS is spread by sexual intercourse. NIKKI BRANDON: Obviously HIV had put a lot of fear into people, so there was a lot fear, there was a lot terror actually. You probably remember the campaign with the Grim Reaper, it was, it was scary times, and, and you know everyone was so scared. OLD HIV AIDS TV CAMPAIGN: AIDS can be stopped and you can help stop it. If you have sex, have just one safe partner or always use condoms, always. That fear was effective when it came to getting the message across about safe sex, but these ads also created a lot of stigma around the queer community, particularly around gay men, because a HIV diagnosis was and still is most common among men who have sex with men, but some of that stigma still remains today. NIKKI BRANDON: We're very much past that now. We've got excellent treatments for HIV. It's no longer the death sentence it was once perceived as being. We got treatments for people with HIV and we've got treatments to stop people developing HIV. We've absolutely come through that one. But in the decades since the 1980s, the number of STIs recorded each year has been climbing. Over the last 20 years, chlamydia has roughly tripled in the number new cases diagnosed per year, bringing us to more than 100,000 cases last year. Gonorrhoea has increased massively over those same two decades, from 7,000 in 2004 to 44,000 in 2024, and syphilis, which we nearly got rid of in the early 2000s, has increased by almost ninefold to around 6,000 cases per year. It's fair to say STIs have become pretty common, to the point where one in six of us will get one at some stage. SEX AND THE CITY, TV SHOW (2000): I always practice safe sex. GLEE, TV SHOW (2014): Yeah, the doctor called me and said I tested positive. How is that possible? I don't know how. Well, do you wear condoms? No. Well, that would be how. Well, a lot of us aren't actually being as safe as we could be, and that's what's leading to more infections. NIKKI BRANDON: So we actually like to use the phrase safe first sex. Safe first sex will incorporate things like consent, using protection condoms is so important and I think that's getting a bit lost at the moment, but condoms are the one thing that does protect against sexually transmitted infections. Now people aren't so fearful of HIV. People aren't using condoms as much as they used to be and obviously along with those regular STI screenings. While STI rates have gone up, testing has gone down. And a lot of that is because many of us don't actually know how testing works. NIKKI BRANDON: You know, some people think, 'oh well, I had a test, you know, I've already had a test, so I should be fine.' It's not one and done, you need to have regular testing. Like going to the dentist, you know, it should be just a, a routine thing that people are talking about and caring about. For young people under the age of 30, it should be at least once a year. Ideally, to have a test before a new partner, that would be ideal, but yeah, certainly with changing sexual partners, or at least once a year. And another misconception is around screening. I think people think that you have to get undressed or you have show people bits and pieces. You don't. STI testing is often as simple as a blood test, a urine test, or a swab. And in some cases, this can even be done at home. But sexual health clinics, your GP, Aboriginal health clinics or family planning centres are all good places to start. And each state has a sexual health service that you can call or email if you need more information. There's one more thing we have to do if we test positive for an STI. THE OFFICE, TV SHOW: You need to contact every woman you've been with and notify them of your herpes infestation. It's the right thing to do. SEX AND THE CITY, TV SHOW: She told me that I should contact all the people that I might've given it to, so they can all be treated. HEARTBREAK HIGH, TV SHOW (2022): Just wanted to let you know that I have chlamydia, so you probably do as well. NIKKI BRANDON: If people do test positive for an infection, you do have to tell your partners. So, telling people that you're having sex with is the most important way of actually eliminating all STIs. Experts like Nikki say while we might find those conversations a bit embarrassing, we shouldn't feel any shame about having an STI. And proper treatment can put any misconceptions about how it impacts us long-term to bed. NIKKI BRANDON: Oh no, no, you can absolutely have sex again. But this is why safe first sex is important. You know, use your protection, make sure all your activities are consensual, and like I say, regular testing. The important thing with all STIs is that if you're given treatment for an STI, you need to take the entire treatment, and that's it, it will go. You'll be, you'll be good to go again.
