Resources

Over the Counter STD Test

In Home STD Tests Home STD testing has finally come of age with the reliable Over the Counter STD test offered by My Lab Box. The company sends quality STD screening kits, discreetly packaged, to your home. The tests can be self-administered and takeClick here to read full article ›

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Fake STD Report Hits Social Media

Fake STD Fax Report

Fake STD Report of Names and Diseases for Baton Rouge The Washington Department of Health and Hospitals declared an STD fax list published on Social Media to be a fake. The fake STD report purported to be a fax report from the LeoClick here to read full article ›

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Billboard Targets Mobile Hookup Apps

AHF Billboard Campaign Image

STD Billboard Campaign The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, or AHF, launched a new billboard campaign targeted at users of location-based mobile dating apps. The apps are often referred to as mobile hookup apps, because they use the GPS functionality in yourClick here to read full article ›

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Hepatitis B Cure in Human Trials

Hepatitis B Drugs

Australian researchers have begun clinical trials of a combination drug therapy that has proven to be 100 percent effective as a hepatitis B cure in preclinical models. The therapy combines birinapant, an antiviral drug, and entecavir, an anticancer drug. TheClick here to read full article ›

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Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Outbreak in Northern England

Leeds Town Hall

Health care officials in northern England are trying to control an outbreak of a highly antibiotic-resistant strain of gonorrhea. An outbreak control team has been sent by Public Health England to Leeds, where there have been 12 reported cases of thisClick here to read full article ›

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STD Test Privacy = NONE

Confidential Test Results

There is no STD test privacy. That’s because most sexually-transmitted diseases are reportable diseases in every state. It means that someone has to submit a report to the health department every time there’s a positive test for an STD. WhileClick here to read full article ›

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“Female Viagra” Approved by FDA

Sexual Dysfunction in Women

In August 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug fibanserin, sold by Sprout Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Addyi, for use in treating premenopausal women with a low sexual desire, called hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD.Click here to read full article ›

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NYC Closes Busiest STD Clinic

New York's Chelsea Neighborhood

In March 2015, New York’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, or DOHMH, closed the busiest free STD clinic in the city, without advance notification to the community and apparently without many plans to serve the 20,000 annual patients whoClick here to read full article ›

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Nobel Scientist Urges HPV Vaccination for Boys

HPV Vaccine

Humanpapillomavirus, or HPV, is a sexually-transmitted disease that most sexually-active people will contract during their lifetimes. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that there are 14 million new infections of HPV every year. For the majority of people who contract HPV,Click here to read full article ›

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Anonymous Partner Notification Service

Anonymous Partner Notification

When you follow the steps in our guide to anonymous STD testing, you are the only person who knows that you had an STD test and the results of the test. This means that the health department doesn’t follow upClick here to read full article ›

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Do I Have Syphilis?

Syphilis Symptoms

If you have syphilis and you don’t get treatment, the disease progresses in stages and progressively inflicts more irreversible damage on your body. Recognize the symptoms at each stage of syphilis and get tested for the disease if you’re sexually active, and especially if you are a man who has sex with men…. Click here to read full article ›

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How Can I Prevent Getting an STD?

Prevent Sexually-Transmitted Diseases

Prevent getting an STD by educating yourself, having a monogamous relationship, having fewer sex partners, using condoms and getting tested regularly…. Click here to read full article ›

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Startup Develops STD Testing Ring

STD Testing Ring - Hoope (Top View)

A startup company has developed a ring that sits on the thumb, numbs an area with vibrations, inserts a needle and takes a blood sample. The blood sample is split into four channels that simultaneously test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis. The results are sent to a smartphone in fewer than 60 seconds…. Click here to read full article ›

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Do I Have Herpes?

Do I Have Herpes?

You can get herpes from a single sexual encounter with someone who has the disease, doesn’t know he has it and isn’t experiencing any symptoms. The only way to know for sure that you have the disease is to get tested…. Click here to read full article ›

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Where Can I Get an STD Test?

Where Can I Get an STD Test?

You can get an STD test from your doctor, at a public or private health clinic or online through an online laboratory…. Click here to read full article ›

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Confidential STD Testing is not Anonymous

Confidential STD Testing is Not Anonymous

A confidential STD test means that your test results are only shared with other people as required by law. Unfortunately, the law requires that positive test results are shared with the state health department and confidential STD test results are not anonymous…. Click here to read full article ›

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STD Infection and Reinfection Between Partners

partner-std-infection

When your STD infection is cured, you can easily become reinfected if your partner wasn’t tested and treated for the STD at the same time. The CDC has a controversial program that provides two prescriptions to STD-infected patients: one for the patient and one for his partner…. Click here to read full article ›

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What to Expect From a Chlamydia Test

Chlamydia Treatment

When you follow the instructions in our testing guide, you only have to provide a urine sample for your chlamydia test. If you test positive, a doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics to you that he can call in to your pharmacy…. Click here to read full article ›

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Cure for a Sexually-Transmitted Disease

Antibiotic Treatment for STDs

If you have a sexually-transmitted disease, there is not a single reason to wait to get tested and to get treatment. Delaying treatment makes the treatment more difficult and damage from the disease more permanent. If you wait too long, you won’t be able to have an anonymous STD test anymore…. Click here to read full article ›

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What Is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis Vaccination

Hepatitis Vaccination

Hepatitis is an infection of your liver. While it’s not always thought of as a sexually-transmitted disease, it’s commonly passed to another person during sex. There are three different viruses that cause different types of hepatitis found in the United States: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E are not common in the U.S.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is caused by the Hepatitis A virus, or HAV. It’s typically transmitted from oral contact with fecal matter, either through contact with another person or through contaminated food or water. Hepatitis A is classified as a sexually-transmitted disease, which is passed on during sexual activities such as anilingus, or rimming. Although Hepatitis A is highly contagious, you can get vaccinated to protect yourself against the disease. The antibodies that your immune system produces to protect you against Hepatitis A last for life and prevent you from getting reinfected with the disease. Vaccination is recommended for all children, and especially recommended for men who have sex with men, users of injection and non-injection illegal drugs, people with liver disease and people traveling to or working in countries with a high incidence of HAV.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is caused by the Hepatitis B virus, or HBV. HBV  is transmitted through blood, semen or other bodily fluid, usually through sexual contact, sharing needles for drugs or from mother to baby at birth. When an infant contracts HBV, it usually leads to a chronic, long-term illness that can cause cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer. When an adult contracts HBV, it’s typically a short-term illness, but a small number of adults also suffer from chronic HBV. You can get vaccinated to protect yourself from getting HBV.

Hepatitis C

The Hepatitis C virus, or HCV, is transmitted through blood, usually by sharing needles used to inject drugs. Although it’s rare, HCV can be passed on through sexual contact. HCV is a serious disease that can cause severe health problems and even death. Most people who contract HCV suffer from the disease for the rest of their lives. There is no vaccine available to protect you from HCV. More than 75 percent of the people with HCV were born between 1945 and 1965. You can have HCV and not experience symptoms until the disease becomes very serious.

Hepatitis D and E

Two other forms of Hepatitis, Hepatitis D and Hepatitis E are not common in the United States. Hepatitis D only works in tandem with Hepatitis B, so a vaccination against Hepatitis B protects you from Hepatitis D. There is currently no vaccine for Hepatitis E, which is typically contracted through a contaminated water supply in a country with poor sanitation.

Anonymous Hepatitis Tests

You can get tested for all forms of Hepatitis. If you’re concerned about having your name reported to the state health department, follow the instructions in our free guide to anonymous STD testing to get an anonymous Hepatitis test. Hepatitis can be deadly, and the longer you wait to get tested, the more serious the effects of the disease might become.

For more information, visit the Viral Hepatitis subsite at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

View the following video for more information about Hepatitis C.

 

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New Test for Chlamydia DNA on a Smartphone

Chlamydia DNA Test

Researchers are hopeful that a new coffee mug-sized testing device for chlamydia DNA will expand chlamydia testing to more high-risk individuals…. Click here to read full article ›

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Montgomery, Alabama Has the Highest STD Infection Rate

Montgomery, Alabama

Montgomery, Alabama had the highest STD infection rate per 100,000 people in 2013 for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and the high infection rates are common throughout the state of Alabama…. Click here to read full article ›

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Officials Blame Online Hookup Apps for Rise in STD Infections

Internet dating

Some health officials are blaming online hookup apps and social media sites for the sharp increase in sexually-transmitted diseases across the country. People who meet online for anonymous sex don’t know about each other’s sexual history and often don’t use condoms…. Click here to read full article ›

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Types of HIV Tests

HIV Tests

There are three types of HIV tests that test for different indicators of HIV infection. The more sensitive test can also detect HIV earlier than other tests. … Click here to read full article ›

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What is HIV?

HIV Test

HIV Test

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system, which is responsible for fighting off diseases and infections and keeping the body healthy. A person without a strong immune system can’t fight off normal infections that most people get, and often contract infections or cancers that healthy people don’t ever get. HIV infects and destroys a certain kind of white blood cell, called a CD4+ cell, that’s a critical part of the immune system.

How You Get HIV

Most people get HIV by having unprotected sex with an infected person that involves passing blood, semen or vaginal fluid, or by sharing an intravenous needle with an infected person. A woman who is pregnant can also give the disease to her baby. HIV doesn’t survive outside the body, so you can’t get it from kissing or sharing a drinking glass with an infected person.

What is AIDS?

AIDS is an advanced state of HIV infection. It usually takes between 10 and 12 years for someone infected with HIV to develop AIDS. However, there are medicines available that can slow or stop the damage that HIV does to the immune system to prevent a person from developing AIDS. In AIDS patients, the same medicines can slow or stop the damage to the immune system, and it will begin to recover, although it might not return to a normal, healthy level.

Anonymous HIV Testing

There are different kinds of HIV tests available. Some tests you can do at home with a saliva sample and other tests you need to give a blood sample and have them tested in a lab. It might take up to three months after you’ve been infected with the HIV virus to test positive for HIV,  and the CDC recommends getting tested every three months if you’re in a high-risk group. We recommend the Oraquick Oral In-Home Saliva Test for HIV for completely anonymous HIV testing in the privacy of your own home. If you want an anonymous laboratory test that uses a blood sample, follow the instructions in our free guide to anonymous HIV and STD testing.

Resources

For more information, read the CDC Fact Sheet on STDs and HIV and view the video below.

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STD Testing Lab Recommended for Total Anonymity

Recommendation

We researched and tested the STD test centers to determine the center that provides the most identity protection and confidentiality of test results. Based on this research, we recommend STD Check as the testing center to use for maximum confidentiality. When you follow the instructions in our free guide to anonymous STD testing and use STD Check, you can get a truly anonymous STD or HIV test…. Click here to read full article ›

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Progress Toward a Chlamydia Vaccine in Mice

Chlamydia Vaccine

Researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston are making progress toward what could become a chlamydia vaccine. An important part of the discovery is the new way of delivering the combination of agents that stimulate the immune system to naturally fightClick here to read full article ›

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Students Invent Condom That Changes Color With STDs

condoms

Three students in the U.K. have invented a condom that changes color when it detects a sexually-transmitted disease. The boys, ages 14 and 15, … Click here to read full article ›

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Utah Hit by Gonorrhea Epidemic — Up By 700+ Percent

Utah Gonorrhea Epidemic

A gonorrhea epidemic has hit Utah, a state known for its socially conservative attitudes and views that often align with the religious right. Without state funding to combat sexually-transmitted diseases that many other states budget for, Utah health officials are doing what they can to contain the 700 percent increase in cases among women between 2011 and 2015…. Click here to read full article ›

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HIV Vaccine Alternative Might be Manufactured Protein

Manufactured Protein Could Become HIV Vaccine

Instead of stimulating the body to produce antibodies that fight the HIV virus, researchers at the Scripps Institute decided to manufacture a new protein that attracts the HIV virus and then prevents it from doing any damage to the body. This new research could might a drug that serves as an alternative to an HIV vaccine in humans…. Click here to read full article ›

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Experimental Herpes Vaccine Looks Promising

Experimental Herpes Vaccine Looks Promising

Using an unconventional approach, researchers have successfully developed an experimental herpes vaccine that prevents lab mice from contracting the disease. Human trials could begin in two years…. Click here to read full article ›

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How Do You Test for Herpes?

How Do You Test for Herpes?

There are several different herpes tests that can be performed to determine if you have the virus. Some tests use blood and others use a swab of a genital herpes sore…. Click here to read full article ›

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What Is Trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a sexually-transmitted disease caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. The parasite is passed from one person to another during sex, and it infects the lower genital tract in women and the inside of the penis in men. The parasite does not commonly infect other parts of the body such as the mouth or anus.

Trichomoniasis Symptoms

Only about 30 percent of those infected with the parasite develop symptoms. Women might experience itching, burning, redness and soreness of the genitals, have difficulty urinating and have a clear, white, yellow or green discharge from the vagina with an unusual odor. Men might feel itching and burning inside the penis, burning after they urinate or ejaculate and might have discharge from the penis. For those who experience symptoms, sex is very unpleasant.

It’s not clear why some people get symptoms and why others don’t. Women are more likely to get trichomoniasis than men, and older women are more susceptible than younger women. Pregnant women with trichomoniasis have a higher risk of delivering a premature or a low-weight baby.

Trichomoniasis Prevention

Using condoms during sex can help prevent trichomoniasis infection, but the only way to prevent infection entirely is to abstain from having sex with another person.

Trichomoniasis Cure

Trichomoniasis is considered the most curable sexually-transmitted disease. A single dose of metronidazole or tinidazole by mouth will cure the disease. However, anyone who is infected can pass it to another person during sex, even if the person does not experience any symptoms. If your sex partners have the disease and don’t know it because they don’t have any symptoms, you can become reinfected by having sex with them. About 20 percent of those treated for trichomoniasis become reinfected within three months. If left untreated, trichomoniasis can last for months or even years.

Anonymous Trichomoniasis Test

You can’t diagnose a trichomoniasis infection by your symptoms. There is a laboratory test that must be performed to determine if you have the disease. If you go to your doctor and you test positive for trichomoniasis, the doctor must report your name and other personal information to the state health department. To get an anonymous trichomoniasis test, follow the instructions in our free guide to anonymous STD testing.

For more information, read the CDC Fact Sheet on trichomoniasis.

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What Is Human Papillomavirus?

Human Papillomavirus

Human Papillomavirus

The most common sexually-transmitted infection is one you might not have ever hear of — genital human papillomavirus, or HPV. HPV is passed on through oral sex, vaginal sex and anal sex, and straight and gay couples are equally susceptible to it. There are more than 40 different kinds of the human papillomavirus, and you can have more than one HPV infection.

 Human Papillomavirus Incidence

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 79 million Americans have human papillomavirus, and about 14 million become infected every year. In fact, most sexually-active men and women will get at least one kind of HPV during their lives.

HPV Symptoms and Complications

Most people who have human papillomavirus don’t know they have it. They don’t experience any symptoms from HPV and their HPV infection doesn’t cause any health problems.

For some, however, human papillomavirus does cause serious health issues, usually in the form of genital warts and cervical cancer. About 2.5 percent of those infected with HPV develop genital warts, and more than 10,000 women in the U.S. develop cervical cancer that’s caused by HPV.

Your physician can help you treat genital warts. If you leave them untreated, there’s no way to tell what will happen. They might stay the same, they could go away, or they might multiply and grow larger.

Women who get Pap tests and follow up on the test results can detect problems that human papillomavirus might cause before they happen, such as cervical cancer. If a woman develops cervical cancer, it’s much more treatable when diagnosed early.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

While there are tests to screen for cervical cancer, there’s no test to determine if you have human papillomavirus.

However, if you’re under 26 years of age, there is a safe vaccine that can protect men and women against some of the diseases, such as cancer, caused by human papillomavirus. The vaccination process consists of three shots given over a period of six months, and you must receive all three shots to be fully vaccinated. The CDC recommends that all boys and girls should receive the vaccination at age 11 or 12, and receive a booster between ages 21 and 26. People under 26 who have a compromised immune system can receive the vaccination if they didn’t get it when they were younger.

For more information, read the CDC Fact Sheet on genital HPV infection.

Video — You Are the Key to HPV Cancer Prevention

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FDA Grants Waiver for Rapid-Screening Syphilis Test

Rapid Syphilis Test

The FDA granted a waiver that makes it possible for health care clinics and community outreach centers to administer a syphilis test that provides accurate results in 12 minutes…. Click here to read full article ›

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Anonymous STD Testing How-To Guide

Anonymous STD Testing

Follow the instructions in this guide to anonymous STD testing to get an accurate and anonymous test for sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV. The guide shows you how to protect your identity and to destroy all evidence that you even had a test. You might be able to get anonymous treatment over the phone from a doctor, depending on the STDs for which you test positive…. Click here to read full article ›

Posted in AIDS, Chlamydia, Crabs, Exclusive Guide, Gonorrhea, Herpes, HIV, Human Papillomavirus, Recommendations, STD Testing, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Syphilis — the Great Imitator Among STDs

Syphilis

Syphilis — the Great Imitator Syphilis is known as the “great imitator” among sexually-transmitted diseases and infections because it has the same symptoms as many other more common infections, and the symptoms will go away on their own while theClick here to read full article ›

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Syphilis Test Data Indicates Major Concern

Syphilis Test Data is a Concern

Syphilis Test Data In 1986, there were 9 reported cases of early latent syphilis infection per 100,000 people. That number rose to 21 cases in 1991 and then consistently declined each year. In 2000 and 2001, the rate was downClick here to read full article ›

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Most STD Tests are Not Confidential or Anonymous

Anonymous STD Test

See what happened when John visited his doctor to get a test for syphilis. Don’t let this happen to you!

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HIPPA Doesn’t Protect Your Positive STD Test Results

Government Reporting Allowed Without Notice

HIPPA doesn’t protect your positive STD test results when it comes to government reporting. In fact, they don’t even have to notify you that they have released your confidential information to the public health department…. Click here to read full article ›

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Test Your Knowledge of Sexually-Transmitted Diseases

Test Your Knowledge

The more you know about the different types of sexually-transmitted diseases, the more equipped you can become to avoid contracting one of these viruses. The more you know about their symptoms and treatment, the more likely it is you canClick here to read full article ›

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New Ocular Syphilis Infection Causes Blindness

Ocular Syphilis

Ocular syphilis is a complication of primary or secondary syphilis that can cause blindness. Syphilis can be cured — get tested!… Click here to read full article ›

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Do You Have Chlamydia?

Urinalysis Test

Men and women experience different symptoms with chlamydia, and some p;people don’t experience any symptoms at all. Understand chlamydia symptoms, get tested and get treatment…. Click here to read full article ›

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Dongle Gives HIV and Syphilis Test Results in 15 Minutes

HIV Test and Syphilis Tests With a Single Drop of Blood

Researchers developed an iPhone dongle that can test for HIV and syphilis with a single drop of blood and produce results in about 15 minutes…. Click here to read full article ›

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CDC: Sexually Transmitted Diseases are an Epidemic in the U.S.

STDs are an Epidemic

There are 20 million new cases of STD infections each year, causing the CDC to declare sexually transmitted diseases an epidemic in the U.S. Many STDs are curable if caught early, so get a truly anonymous STD test by following our guide…. Click here to read full article ›

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Today is National HIV Testing Day — Know Your Status!

National HIV Testing Day

What is my status? If you don’t know your HIV status and you’ve had unprotected sex, get tested! And what better day to get an HIV test than today, June 27, 2014, which is National HIV Testing Day. There areClick here to read full article ›

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Two-Thirds of Healthy Americans Might Have HPV Virus

Worried about HPV

A study suggests that almost 70 percent of healthy Americans might be infected with the HPV virus. However, only two types of HPV are linked to cancer; the remaining types don’t seem to be a health risk…. Click here to read full article ›

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What Is Syphilis?

Shot of Penicillin

Syphilis can be treated with a shot of penicillin

What Is Syphilis?

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that usually begins as a painless sore on your genitals, vagina, anus or inside the rectum. Syphilis spreads from person to person by direct contact with a sore. It’s quite common to have syphilis but not know you are infected with the sexually-transmitted disease. A large number of people with a syphilis infection don’t show any symptoms for years. What makes syphilis more difficult to detect is that its symptoms are so similar to the symptoms you would have with other diseases that syphilis is often overlooked as the potential cause of those symptoms.

Syphilis Stages

Syphilis progresses in stages. In the primary stage, a small, round painless sore appears, lasts from about three to six weeks and heals itself without treatment. If not treated, syphilis progresses to the secondary stage. In this stage, most people begin to develop a skin rash on the lower part of their body. Some people also develop fever, sore throat, muscle aches and fatigue. These symptoms will resolve on their own with or without treatment, but without treatment the disease progresses to the latent stage. In the latent stage, syphilis lies dormant. You are still infected with syphilis, but there are no signs or symptoms of syphilis. This can last for years. About 15 percent of people progress to the late stage of syphilis, which could occur 10 to 20 years after the initial infection. Late-stage syphilis can damage internal organs such as the brain, nerves, eyes, heart liver, bones and joints. Late stage syphilis symptoms include paralysis, numbness, gradual blindness and dementia. Late-stage syphilis can kill you.

Syphilis Cure

While syphilis is dangerous, it is also detectable, treatable and easy to cure in its early stages. A simple blood test can detect if you are infected with syphilis and a single shot of penicillin will cure syphilis if you’ve had it for less than a year. The longer you’ve had the disease, the more difficult it becomes to cure. Unfortunately you can’t reverse any damage that syphilis has done up to the point it’s cured.

Anonymous Syphilis Test

Everyone who is sexually active should be screened for syphilis. If you’ve already had syphilis, you can get it again by coming into contact with another syphilis sore. Know your status! If you believe you have symptoms that could be from a syphilis infection, you can avoid embarrassment with a private and confidential test for syphilis. Follow the instructions in our anonymous testing guide and get a truly anonymous syphilis test so you can catch it early and get treatment. For more information, refer to the CDC Fact Sheet for Syphilis.

Video — The Symptoms of Syphilis

 

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Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea Worries Health Officials

Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea

A new strain of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is worrying health officials because there are no other drugs we now of right now to treat gonorrhea…. Click here to read full article ›

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What is Herpes?

Genital Herpes

What is the Herpes Virus?

There are two herpes simplex viruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2. The HSV-1 virus commonly manifests itself as what we call “fever blisters.” It is typically caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who is infected with HSV-1.

How Common is Herpes?

Most people with genital herpes have HSV-2. Estimates are that about one in every six people aged 14 to 49 have genital HSV-2. It’s more common in women than men and it’s easier for a woman to contract it from a man than a man from a woman.

How Can You Get Herpes?

You can get genital herpes by coming into contact with the open sores of an infected individual, but you can also get genital herpes by coming into contact with skin that doesn’t appear to have a sore. It’s typically only passed during sexual contact.

What Are the Symptoms of Herpes?

Most people with genital herpes minimal symptoms. One or more blisters may appear around the genitals or rectum. After the blisters break, they leave tender sores that may take from two to four weeks to heal.  The first outbreak usually occurs within two weeks of being infected and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms including fever and swollen glands. Future outbreaks usually take less time to heal and the number of outbreaks typically decreases as time goes on.

How Do I Know if I Have Herpes?

Unless they get an STD test, many people with herpes don’t know they are infected and have no symptoms at all. They might not ever get any sores or may experience a very mild skin irritation that might be mistaken as an insect bite.  However, these people are infected and can infect other people with the herpes virus.

How Can I Prevent Getting Herpes?

The best way to prevent getting infected is to abstain from sexual contact. Condoms, when properly used, can reduce the risk of getting herpes but do not eliminate the risk if you have sexual contact with an infected person. There is medication that can also reduce your risk of getting infected and this should be considered for people with suppressed immune systems.

How Can I Get Tested for Herpes?

A healthcare professional can diagnose the herpes virus when someone experiences an outbreak, if the outbreak is typical. She can also take a sample from what appears to be an open sore and test it in the laboratory. Between outbreaks, you can get an STD blood test to check for antibodies to the HSV-1 or HSV-2. If your STD test results are positive for HSV-2 antibodies, you are almost certainly are infected with genital herpes.

Is There a Cure for Herpes?

While there is no cure for herpes, antiviral medicines can help lessen the duration and intensity of outbreaks. Some medications, when taken daily, can also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others.

Is There a Link Between HIV and Herpes?

It’s important that you get a herpes test to know if you’re infected with the Herpes HSV-2 virus. Healthcare researchers believe that herpes plays a role in spreading HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. People infected with herpes are believed to be more susceptible to HIV infection and people with herpes and HIV are thought to be more contagious than those without herpes.

Anonymous Herpes Testing

What is your status? Find out! Get tested for the herpes virus and other sexually transmitted diseases so you understand what you have and can treat it properly. Not knowing does more harm than good. If you’re worried about getting an anonymous herpes test, follow our Anonymous STD Testing guide and keep your STD test results anonymous and confidential!

For more information on herpes, read the CDC Fact Sheet on genital herpes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Video – What You Need to Know About Genital Herpes

 

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Porn Stars Get Free Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Testing and Treatment

Free Porn Star Screenings

According to XBiz, an adult industry news source, Talent Testing Service, an STD and HIV testing service for adult entertainers and their managers, announced a partnership with UCLA for a sexual health study of gonorrhea and chlamydia. The tests willClick here to read full article ›

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What is Chlamydia?

Doctor Diagnoses Chlamydia

Chlamydia Diagnosis

What Causes Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is an STD caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a very common sexually-transmitted disease that is often contracted in conjunction with gonorrhea.

How Can You Contract Chlamydia?

Chlamydia can be contracted by having oral, vaginal or anal sex with an infected person. It is spread through both heterosexual and homosexual sex. Men and women can contract the disease in the throat, the vagina, the penis and the anus. A person treated for chlamydia can be easily reinfected upon having sex with a partner who has not been treated.

Is Chlamydia Dangerous to Women?

Chlamydia is most dangerous to females.  The majority of women infected with chlamydia do not experience any symptoms. However, chlamydia can silently cause irreparable harm to their reproductive systems and render them sterile, even before they realize they are infected with the disease. Women who are reinfected with chlamydia are at even greater risk for long-term damage to their reproductive organs. About 15 percent of women infected with chlamydia develop pelvic inflammatory disease, which often leads to pregnancy outside the uterus or infertility. Regular testing for chlamydia for sexually active females is the only way to detect the disease so it can be treated. Sexually active females should have a chlamydia screening at least annually. Pregnant women should also have a chlamydia screening, as chlamydia can be passed from a mother to her child at birth.

Is Chlamydia Dangerous to Men?

Chlamydia seldom causes complications in men other than discharge from the penis, although it can cause epididymitis and, in rare cases, sterility. Researchers believe, however, that a person infected with chlamydia is more susceptible to contracting HIV from an infected partner than someone who does not have chlamydia.

What is the Treatment for Chlamydia?

Chlamydia can be treated and cured with either a single dose or seven-day regimen of antibiotics. For seven days after the single antibiotic dose or during the course of the seven-day regimen, an infected person should abstain from having sex with other people. Anyone infected with chlamydia should get a follow-up test about three months after being treated to ensure that the disease has been cured.

How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is known as a silent disease. The only way to make sure you aren’t infected with chlamydia is to get tested for it. If you go to your doctor for a chlamydia test that turns out positive, your doctor will report your name and other vital statistics to the state health department. Instead, you can get a truly anonymous chlamydia test by following the instructions in our Anonymous Guide to STD Testing.

How Common Is Chlamydia?

The CDC reports that medical professionals, who are required by law to report your name and other personal information to the state health department if you test positive for chlamydia, reported 500,000 people last year to state health departments for having a chlamydia infection. The CDC estimates that actual infection rates are much higher because some people take steps, such as those found in our free guide to anonymous chlamydia testing, and get an anonymous chlamydia test.

How Can I Find Out More Information About Chlamydia?

For more information about chlamydia, read the CDC Fact Sheet on the disease.

Video – What You Need to Know About Chlamydia

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The Danger of Not Knowing You Have an STD

Worrying about STDs

The last thing you want to hear is that you have a sexually transmitted disease such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Crabs or Trichominosis. It’s embarrassing and it’s scary.  If you test positive, your gender, birth date and results will beClick here to read full article ›

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Free HIV and AIDS Education Resources

HIV Bookmark provided by the CDC

You can download or order free HIV and AIDS educational resources for the workplace through the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…. Click here to read full article ›

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Your “Confidential” STD Test Doesn’t Have Confidential Results

Mandatory Reporting of STD Test Results

Each state requires your doctor and laboratory to report your full name and address, phone number, social security number, date of birth, gender, race and more to the state health department when you test positive for an STD, including HIV…. Click here to read full article ›

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What If You Have HIV+ Test Results?

Positive HIV Test Result or STD Test Result

HIV+ Test Results If you just discovered that you tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, it’s very natural to be confused, feel scared and be unsure of what you should do next. Here are some recommendations forClick here to read full article ›

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At-Home Confidential HIV Testing Now Available to Everyone

OraQuick In-Home HIV Test

We think the Oraquick at-home HIV saliva test is a good option that protects the confidentiality of your HIV test results. However, it doesn’t provide the anonymity you get when you follow our guide to anonymous STD and HIV testing…. Click here to read full article ›

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Australia is Preparing for eXtensively Drug-Resistant Strains of Gonorrhea

Extensively Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea

Australia fully expects that the XDR strains of gonorrhea that have been identified in France, Japan and other places, will be arriving in Australia some time soon. The country is trying to plan now for what to do. For theClick here to read full article ›

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What Is Gonorrhea?

Positive STD Test Results

Positive Gonorrhea Test Results

Gonorrhea is a common sexually-transmitted infection (STI), also called a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) and known by some as “the clap.” Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium that likes warm, moist areas. It grows in the urethra in men and grows in a number of places in the reproductive tract of women.

Gonorrhea Symptoms

Most men infected with Gonorrhea experience a burning sensation when they urinate and sometimes a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis. Some men get painful or swollen testicles. Symptoms usually begin to appear anywhere from one to 14 days after being infected. Most women who are infected with gonorrhea don’t experience any symptoms at all.

Harm From Gonorrhea

If untreated, gonorrhea can cause very serious problems and permanent damage. Untreated gonorrhea can make both men and women sterile. In men, it can cause a painful condition called epididymitis which creates pus-filled sacs in the scrotum.

Dual Infection

It’s common for people infected with gonorrhea to also be infected with chlamydia, and vice-versa. You can get gonorrhea more than once if you have unprotected sex with someone who passes it to you.

Anonymous Gonorrhea Testing

The STD lab we recommend performs the medically-accepted standard test for gonorrhea to determine your gonorrhea test results. For a completely anonymous test, follow the instructions in our free guide to anonymous STD testing.

For more information on gonorrhea, refer to the Gonorrhea – CDC Fact Sheet from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Video — What You Need to Know About Gonorrhea

 

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Why You Should Find Out Your HIV Status

Get STD Test or HIV Test

If you’re at risk for HIV, find out your status! Not knowing you have HIV isn’t going to make the problem go away. In fact, it makes the treatment longer and more complex and it puts your sexual partners moreClick here to read full article ›

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Scientists Discover Cells That Fight Herpes — New Hope for Vaccine

New Hope Herpes Vaccine

Most people who have genital herpes don’t experience any symptoms when the virus reactivates, and scientists now think they know why. Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington have successfully identified the T-cells thatClick here to read full article ›

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Circumcision Provides Some Protection Against HIV and Other STDs

circumcision

According to a study published in the online journal of the American Society for Microbiology, circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection in men by 50-60 percent. It also reduces the risk of infection with human papillomavirus and herpes simplexClick here to read full article ›

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Risk Exposure With an Anonymous STD Test

Anonymity is a Misnomer

It might say “anonymous” STD test, but when they know who you are, it’s not really anonymous STD testing…. Click here to read full article ›

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Where Do I Get an STD Test?

STD Testing from your Doctor

Your doctor can order STD tests for you, review STD test results with you and treat you for any STDs you have. However, the test results become part of your permanent medical record and the doctor must report your name and date of birth to the state health department if you test positive for an STD…. Click here to read full article ›

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What Are Crabs?

Crabs cause intense itching

Crabs cause intense itching

Crabs are small insects called lice. Unlike head lice that live in the hair on your head, crabs are pubic lice and live in your pubic hair. They attach themselves to the hair and to the skin in the public area.

How Common Are Crabs?

Pubic lice are extremely common. In fact, millions of people get  crabs every year.

How Can You Get Crabs?

When you have sex with someone who has crabs, it’s very easy to get  them. In rare cases, you can get crabs from dirty sheets, clothes, furniture or even a toilet seat that someone with crabs recently used. If you and a partner both have crabs and only one of you is treated, it’s very easy for the other to get crabs, even after treatment.

What Are the Symptoms of Crabs?

You might not experience symptoms for several days after having contracted crabs. However, after about five days, you’ll have intense itching in your genital area and your ass. You may experience a mild fever and be slightly irritated. Crabs lay eggs and multiply rapidly, and as the number of crabs increases, so will the intensity of the itching.

How Do I Know If I Have Crabs?

You’ll probably notice white egg sacs, called nits, and you might even see the insects in your public area. Take a magnifying glass and look for tiny, pale gray crabs and small clumps of white insect eggs near the roots of your hair. They might start spreading to other areas, including your underarm hair, eyelashes and eyebrows.

Can Crabs Be Treated?

Yes. There are even over-the-counter medicines available at the drug store that you can buy without a prescription. NIX and Rid are two popular brands of body lice treatment.

The medicine comes in a liquid form that you apply to your entire body. After about 15 minutes, you slowly add water, create a lather and shampoo your body with the medicine. Then you wash and shower thoroughly. You might need to comb your pubic hair with a small comb to remove any eggs that remain and could potentially hatch to reinfect you. You should also thoroughly was all your bedding, wash or dry clean all your clothes that might have been exposed and vacuum your home. Everyone who was exposed should be treated at the same time to avoid passing crabs back and forth.

While it’s unusual that you would need something stronger than the over-the-counter medicine, your doctor can prescribe something for you.

Know Your Status!

If you have crabs, it’s conceivable that you have been exposed to other sexually-transmitted diseases. Follow our guide to get a truly anonymous STD test and know your status!

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Early Detection = Easy Treatment For Many STDs

STD Treatment

Here’s another reason to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases  and to know your status. Early Treatment = Easy Treatment Here’s the good news. If you have a sexually transmitted disease such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis or Trichominosis and youClick here to read full article ›

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