Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by a bacteria. It is very common, especially among teenagers and young adults. Chlamydia can cause serious health problems. It has to be treated.

How do you get chlamydia?

You can get chlamydia if you have genital-to-genital contact, oral sex, vaginal sex or anal sex with a person who already has the infection. A pregnant woman can also pass it on to her baby while she is giving birth.

How can you tell if you have chlamydia?

Many people who have chlamydia do not have any signs that tell them they have a sexually transmitted infection. You can pass on chlamydia without even knowing that you have it.

If you have chlamydia and suffer from any symptoms, they could be:

Women

• Strange discharge from your vagina
• Itchy vagina
• A little bit of bleeding even when it is not time for your period
• Bleeding during or after you have vaginal sex
• Pain in your lower abdomen
• Pain when you urinate

Men

• Needing to urinate a lot
• A feeling of burning when you urinate
• Watery discharge coming out of your penis
• Burning or itching around the hole of your penis
• Pain in your balls

It is important to treat chlamydia because it can lead to serious health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Both men and women might become infertile if it is not treated, which means they may not be able to have children. A woman could also have an ectopic pregnancy, which is when an egg grows outside of the uterus in the wrong place.

How do you get tested for chlamydia?

For women, a doctor or nurse will check for infection by taking a swab of the cervix, the opening to the uterus.

For men, the doctor or nurse will use a urine test or swab the urethra, the opening of the penis.

How is chlamydia treated?

It can be cured with antibiotics. If your sexual partner(s) are not tested and treated for chlamydia, you can be reinfected.

Do you need a follow-up test?

Yes. You should have another test to make sure the infection is gone. Women should get this test done after they have finished all of the antibiotic pills and have had one period. Men should get another test done a month after finishing the antibiotics.

How do you know when you can no longer pass the infection on?

The only way to be sure that you are cured and can no longer pass on the infection is to do the follow-up test. If the second test is negative, you no longer have chlamydia and cannot pass it to your partner(s).

How can you reduce your chances of getting chlamydia?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal and anal sex.

back to the top

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by a bacteria. Gonorrhea can cause serious health problems. It has to be treated. Gonorrhea can infect the penis, rectum, throat, eyes or cervix. The cervix is the opening into the uterus. The rectum is the lower part of your intestines.

How do you get gonorrhea?

You can get gonorrhea if you have genital-to-genital contact, oral sex, vaginal sex or anal sex with a person who already has the infection. A pregnant woman can also pass it to her baby while she is giving birth.

How can you tell if you have gonorrhea?

Some people who have gonorrhea do not have any signs that tell them they have a sexually transmitted infection. You can pass on gonorrhea without even knowing that you have it.

If you have gonorrhea and there are symptoms, you might notice:

Women

• Strange discharge from your vagina
• Itchy, red or swollen vagina
• Pain when you urinate
• Pain in your lower abdomen
• Pain when you have vaginal intercourse

Men

• Pain when you urinate
• Discharge from your penis that is thick, white and yellow

It is important to treat gonorrhea because it can lead to serious health problems.

How do you get tested for gonorrhea?

For women, the doctor or nurse will check for infection by taking a swab of the cervix.

For men, the doctor or nurse will use a urine test or swab the urethra, the opening of the penis.

How is gonorrhea treated?

It can be cured with antibiotics. If your sexual partner(s) are not tested and treated for gonorrhea, they can give the infection back to you.

Do you need a follow-up test?

Yes. You should have another test one week after finishing your antibiotics to make sure the infection is gone. Women should also get a second follow-up test after they’ve finished their antibiotics and had one period.

How do you know you can no longer pass the infection on?

The only way to be sure that you are cured and can no longer pass on the infection is to do the follow-up test. If the follow-up test is negative, you no longer have the infection, and you cannot pass it on to your partner(s).

How can you reduce your chances of getting gonorrhea?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal and anal sex.

back to the top

Herpes

Herpes is an infection. It is caused by a virus. The virus is called herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV. They can both cause sores around the mouth. These are called cold sores. They can also cause sores on the genitals. This is known as genital herpes.

How do you get herpes?

• Kissing someone who has a cold sore.
• Your genital area can be infected after receiving oral sex, having vaginal or anal sex or through any genital-to-genital contact with someone who has the virus.
• Herpes can spread to other parts of your body by touching the sore.
• In most cases, people with herpes pass on the virus when they have sores on their mouth or genitals that are easy to see.
• Sometimes people with herpes can pass on the virus when there are no sore.
• A pregnant woman can also pass the virus to her baby when she is giving birth.
• Sometimes people may not know they have herpes, but can pass it on.

How can you tell if you have herpes?

Herpes sores may show up 2–20 days after contact with a person infected with herpes. If you notice symptoms, you will most likely feel itching or tingling on your skin. Then, you will get blisters full of water. You will get a painful sore when the blisters break. This sore forms a scab. The sore will heal by itself, but you still have the virus. When you first get herpes, you may also feel like you have the flu, have pain in your muscles and joints, and find it painful to urinate. This may last several weeks.

Can herpes sores keep coming back?

Yes. The first time you get herpes sores is usually the worst. Most people get it more than once, but it is milder after the first time. You might get herpes again because you:

• are tired or under stress
• are ill
• have a fever
• got too much sun
• have your period
• are pregnant
• are not eating well

If you have herpes, resting, eating well and exercising may help reduce the number of times that herpes sores appear.

How do you get tested for herpes?

If you notice sores on your genitals, see your health practitioner. A practitioner will examine you and take a swab of the sores to see if it is herpes. There is a new blood test that confirms herpes. However, it is not widely available and the cost is not covered by OHIP.

How is herpes treated?

Even though herpes cannot be cured, there is treatment available. There are several drugs that can reduce the length of the herpes outbreak, and reduce the pain. A clinician can prescribe the medication for you. This medication should be started within 72 hours of first noticing symptoms. Medication is also available to reduce your chance of having another outbreak.

When you have a herpes outbreak:

• See your health practitioner for herpes medication within 72 hours
• Keep the area clean and dry
• Wear cotton underwear
• Wear loose-fitting clothes
• Do not sunbathe
• If it hurts when you urinate, sit in a tub of warm water to urinate, or pour water over the area
• Apply ice packs to the sores to reduce pain

How can you reduce the chances of passing on the virus to a partner?

• Don’t have oral sex when you have cold sores around the mouth.
• Don’t have vaginal or anal sex if you have an outbreak of genital herpes. Wait until the sores are gone.
• Use condoms even if you do not see any sores. The virus can sometimes be passed on even when there are no sores.

How can you reduce your chances of getting genital herpes?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal and anal sex. The herpes virus lives in the skin around the genitals, so condoms during intercourse provide only partial protection, as they do not cover all of the skin where the virus can live.

back to the top

HPV

HPV is short for human papillomavirus. There are many different types of HPV. Some types are sexually transmitted and cause genital warts. Genital warts may grow on your penis, anus, or inside or outside the vagina. Some HPV types can cause changes to a woman’s cervix and have the potential to cause cervical or anal cancer. (The cervix is the opening to the uterus.) Most cases of cervical cancer take 8 years or more to develop.

How do you get HPV?

You can get it if you have oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex or genital-to-genital contact with a person who already has the virus. Your partner may not have visible warts but can still spread the virus. A pregnant woman may also pass the virus to her child during delivery.

How can you tell if you have HPV?

How do you get tested for HPV?

There is no special test for HPV. A clinician can tell if you have genital warts by looking at them.

A clinician can do a simple test called a PAP test to check your cervix. They will gently take some cells from your cervix. If you are having sex, it is important to have a PAP test once a year. If you have HPV, you might need PAP tests more often. Some types of HPV can cause changes to a woman’s cervix. If these changes aren’t treated, they may lead to cancer of the cervix.

How is HPV treated?

Right now, there is no cure for HPV. There are many different strains of HPV. Some stay in your body, while others may disappear over time.

If you have genital warts, there are different ways a clinician can get rid of them:

• Freeze the warts with liquid nitrogen
• Laser the warts
• Remove the warts surgically
• Prescribe you a cream to apply at home for up to 16 weeks

If your PAP test shows that HPV has caused changes to your cervix, you may be sent to a special doctor for treatment. (Keep in mind that it normally takes 8 or so years for these cervical changes to develop.)

How can you prevent spreading the virus to your partner(s)?

There is still no cure for HPV, so you may always have this virus in your body. Even after you have been treated for warts, you could pass HPV on to the people you have sex with. That’s why it is so important to talk to your partner(s) before you start having vaginal or anal intercourse. It might be hard to talk about HPV, but it is important that both you and your partner(s) know the risks. Latex condoms can lower your chances of passing on HPV.

How can you reduce your chances of getting HPV?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal, and anal sex. The HPV virus lives in the skin around the genitals, so condoms during intercourse provide only partial protection as they do not cover all of the skin where the virus can live.

There is a new HPV vaccine available, which provides protection against four strains of HPV, the two most common strains that cause warts and the two most common strains which cause cervical changes. The vaccine is only recommended for girls and women ages 9–26, and is not covered by OHIP. Your healthcare practitioner can tell you more about it.

back to the top

HIV

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that leads to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). HIV attacks your body’s immune system. When the immune system is weakened, the body loses its ability to fight off germs, infections, and viruses. A person is diagnosed with AIDS when they have HIV and become ill from one of the many infections or cancers that the body can no longer fight off. The amount of time that it takes for HIV to progress to an AIDS diagnosis varies from one person to another.

How do you get HIV?

You can only get HIV by having the virus enter your blood stream from blood, semen, vaginal fluid or breast milk from a person who has the virus. You can get HIV by having unprotected sex (vaginal, anal or oral). Unprotected vaginal and anal sex is riskier than oral sex, which is less likely to result in AIDS. Sharing needles can result in HIV. Women can pass the virus on to their baby during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

HIV cannot be passed through casual contact such as hugging, kissing, mutual masturbation, inserting fingers into the anus or vagina, shaking hands, sharing food or sitting on toilet seats.

How can you tell if you have HIV?

Many people who have HIV don’t know they do because there may be no symptoms for many years. Whether you know or not, once infected, you can spread HIV to others. If you have had unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, shared needles or had a blood transfusion before 1985, you may want to get tested. You can do this anonymously.

It is important to wait for 12 weeks after your last at-risk behaviour or the test may not be accurate. Remember, you can pass HIV on to someone else as soon as you get the virus.

Healthcare professionals are required to notify the local medical officer of health of suspected or confirmed cases of this disease.

How can you reduce your chances of getting HIV?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal and anal sex.

back to the top

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a virus. It can cause a serious infection of the liver.

How do you get Hepatitis B?

You can get it from the blood, semen, urine, vaginal fluid or saliva of a person who has hepatitis B. The virus can be passed on through vaginal, oral or anal sex. Hepatitis B can also spread by sharing personal items, like toothbrushes and razors, or by sharing needles or tattoo equipment. A pregnant woman can pass Hepatitis B on to her baby before it is born.

Hepatitis B is not spread through food or water or by casual contact.

How can you tell if you have Hepatitis B?

Almost half of the people who have hepatitis B don’t even know that they have it. They can still pass the virus on without knowing it.

When they are experienced, symptoms of hepatitis B include:

• Feeling tired
• Pain in your abdomen
• Urine or stool is a strange colour
• Skin is yellow
• Not feeling hungry
• Wanting to throw up

How do you get tested for Hepatitis B?

You can get a special blood test. If they suspect or confirm cases of this disease, healthcare professionals are required to notify the local medical officer of health.

How is hepatitis B prevented and treated?

There is no cure for Hepatitis B. There are medications available to treat chronic (life-long) hepatitis B infection.

You can protect yourself with a vaccine. It is given by needle. It takes three needles over several months to work. If you are at risk for getting hepatitis B, you and your partner(s) can ask a clinician about this option.

Do you need a follow-up test?

Yes. If you have hepatitis B, the doctor or nurse will give you another blood test to see if you are still able to pass the infection on to other people.

How can you reduce your chances of getting hepatitis B?

You can engage in low-risk activities such as kissing, touching and masturbation, and use condoms and dental dams for oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Or get the vaccine (see "How is hepatitis B prevented and treated?")

back to the top

Syphilis

Syphilis is an infection caused by a bacteria. Syphilis is usually sexually transmitted from one person to another. It can cause serious health problems if it is not treated.

If they suspect or confirm cases of this disease, health care professionals are required to notify the local medical officer of health.

How do you get syphilis?

You can get it if you have oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex, genital-to-genital contact or by sharing a needle with a person who already has the infection. Syphilis can cause sores around the genitals and mouth, and later a rash on the skin. The infection can be passed on through these sores and the rash. Some people with syphilis may have no sores or rash, but can still pass on the infection. A pregnant woman with syphilis can pass on the infection to her baby before it is born.

How can you tell if you have syphilis?

Many people that have syphilis have no symptoms.

• If you do have symptoms, in most cases the first sign is an open sore that doesn’t hurt. It is called a chancre. You may not notice it. The sore goes away even if it is not treated.
• Three to 16 months later, you may get a body rash and feel like you have the flu. This feeling can last for weeks or months.
• If you don’t treat the syphilis, you may get very sick. You may develop problems with your brain, liver, or arteries. You may not have any symptoms but still get very sick.

How do you get tested for syphilis?

You can get a special blood test. It can take between 2 and 12 weeks for the infection to show up in your blood.

How is syphilis treated?

You should be treated for syphilis as soon as you find out that you have it. Syphilis can be cured with antibiotics, usually penicillin. You will get one or more injections of penicillin, each a week apart. It is important to go each week for your injection until the treatment is finished. If you are allergic to penicillin, you will be given another antibiotic. Your sexual partner(s) may need to be treated too.

Do you need a follow-up test?

Yes. The clinician will do several blood tests over the next two years to make sure that the infection is gone.

How do you prevent passing the infection to your partner(s)?

Once you have had a negative follow-up test, you can no longer pass on the infection, and you are cured. Until you have a negative follow-up test, you may be able to pass on the infection.

How can you reduce your chances of getting syphilis?

back to the top

Pubic Lice and Scabies

Pubic lice are also known as crabs. They are usually found around the genitals in pubic hair. Lice look like tiny crabs. They are grey or brownish red. Lice live by feeding on human blood. They lay their eggs at the base of the hair. Their eggs are called nits.

Scabies are caused by mites that push under the skin to lay their eggs. The infectionis usually found between the fingers, around the genitals, on the wrists, on the buttocks or under the arms.

How do you get pubic lice and scabies?

Pubic lice spread both through sexual and non-sexual contact with someone who has them. An example of non-sexual contact is sharing towels, sheets and toilet seats with an infected person. Lice can live for up to two days away from the body.

How can you tell if you have pubic lice and scabies?

If you have pubic lice you may feel itching in the genital area. You may see tiny blood spots on your underwear. You may also see blue spots on the skin of your pubic area or thighs. You might see the pubic lice or eggs.

If you have scabies, you might get a rash on any part of your body, but you will usually find them between fingers and toes.

How do you get tested for pubic lice and scabies?

You can usually tell if you have pubic lice by finding the adult lice or eggs on the hair. If it moves, it is pubic lice.

Scabies are harder to recognize. If you think you may have scabies, you can see a clinician to be diagnosed.

How are pubic lice and scabies treated?

You can go to the drug store and they will give you something to treat pubic lice and scabies. You can use R&C Shampoo or Kwellada. Your partner(s), friends, and family may also have lice. They may have to be treated too. Infants, women who are pregnant, and women who are breastfeeding should ask for a special treatment.

• Dry clean or machine wash in hot water any of your clothing that has been in contact with pubic lice or scabies.
• Wash all bed linen.
• You can store quilts and blankets for two weeks in tied garbage bags if you cannot wash them.
• Expose them to freezing temperature. The cold will kill the lice.
• You might want to get a spray at the drugstore to clean everything that has been infested with lice or scabies.

Do you need a follow-up test?

The treatment usually works. You may need to try the treatment again after one week. You may still feel the itching after you are cured. Don’t use the treatment a third time. If you still feel that you have lice, talk to a clinician.

Chlamydia| Gonorrhea| Herpes| HPV| HIV| Hepatitis B| Syphilis| Pubic Lice and Scabies

back to the top