Sexually Transmitted Infections ·
As well as providing HIV testing, GUM staff will regularly offer to test you for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that you can catch. This is more common now because, as people living with HIV are living longer and having a more active sex lives, there are more opportunities for them to catch other STIs.
Some diseases are more prevalent in amongst gay/bi men than others. Your clinic will know which ones to be on the look out for, but it will help greatly if you chat with your medical staff about what you have been getting up to in your sex life, so that they will know what to look out for.
Gonorrhea
- Symptoms: Pain when pissing or shitting. There may be a small white or yellow discharge from end of cock.
- How you catch it: Unprotected anal sex, oral sex.
- The test: A series of separate swabs are taken from the end of the penis, the bum and from inside the mouth. Swabs can be tickly and uncomfortable but seldom painful. A bacterial Infection in the mouth, throat, bum or penis.
- Treatment: involves taking some antibiotic drugs.
Chlamydia
- Symptoms: Similar to gonorrhoea, but they may be milder or you may have none at all and the disease will only be picked up on an STI screen. If you have a discharge it may be clear.
- How you catch it: Unprotected anal sex, oral sex.
- Testing and treatment: Similar to gonorrhoea.
LGV (Lymphogranuloma venereum)
- LGV, the newest STI in Scotland, is caused by a nastier version of the Chlamydia bacterium.
- Symptoms: Rectal pain, discharge and bloody stools. Also typically general malaise, and painful and swollen lymph glands in the groin.
- Testing: Similar to chlamydia plus a blood test to check the specific variety of chlamydia. LGV is often mistaken for other gut problems such as Crohns disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Sexual Activity: Unprotected anal sex, fisting, possibly oral sex.
- Treatment: Course of antibiotics.
Syphilis
- Symptoms: Not everyone has obvious symptoms in the early stages of infection. There may be an ulcer on the cock, around the ass or on the lips, or a distinctive browny-red non-itchy body rash. Some people get nervous symptoms like blurred vision, dizziness and loss of concentration. Syphilis can cause severe health problems in later life if left untreated.
- Testing: Involves a simple blood test that can detect whether you have been infected with Syphilis.
- Sexual Activity: Oral sex, genital and anal contact. Not necessarily by penetrative sex. The majority of cases of Syphilis seen in gay/bi guys at the moment are oral Syphilis.
- Treatment: A course of antibiotic drugs or antibiotic injecitons. People with HIV may need a longer course of treament.
Your doctor may also do tests and prescribe treatments for other STIs such as herpes, NSU, scabies and so on.
Hepatitis A, B or C
- Symptoms: Hepatitis C and sometimes hepatitis B may initially cause no symptoms at all. When they do there is yellowing of skin and eyes, fever, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and stomach pains. Sometimes there is dark urine and/or pale faeces. Over a much longer time period hepatitis B and C can cause permanent liver damage.
- Testing: Involves a simple blood test that can detect antibodies to Hepatitis A, B or C. You will also have a liver function test to see how the hepatitis viruses have affected your liver; in fact a raised liver function tests is often the first sign of hepatitis C.
- How you catch them:: Hepatitis A: licking arse (rimming), scat (contact with shit). Hepatitis B: Unprotected anal or oral sex or needle sharing, similar to HIV. Hepatitis C: Sharing needles or coke straws, unsterilised tattoo equipment, fisting, other unprotected sex, especially rough sex.
- Treatments: None for hepatitis A and acute hepatitis B apart from rest and fluids. Vaccines are available to prevent both diseases and gay men who haven’t had hepatitis A or B or whose immunity has faded are especially recommended to get these vaccines. For chronic hepatitis B there are antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, including some of the HIV drugs. Hepatitis C can be difficult to treat, and involves taking injections and drugs for up to a year, but new drugs to treat it are coming in the next few years.
HPV (human papilloma virus), genital and anal warts
- Symptoms: Causes warts (not always obvious) on the cock or around or inside the bum. If left unchecked/untested, there is a risk of anal cancer.
- Testing: A doctor will put a finger up inside your arse to check for any lumps or abrasions, A swab test is taken with a small lab style brush to check for any early signs of anal cancer.
- How you catch it: HPV is highly contagious and almost any sexual activity can spread warts, though condoms do protect.
- Treatment: Warts can be removed chemically, surgically or with the cream Aldara (imiquimod). A vaccine for the most common varieties of HPV has been developed but is not yet licensed for use in men.
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