WHAT ARE SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (STIS)?
BACTERIA e.g. chlamydia or gonorrhoea
VIRUSES e.g. warts, herpes or HIV
PARASITES e.g.scabies and crabs
Using a condom during sex can reduce the risk of contracting most of the STIs.
Many STIs do not have obvious symptoms, or it can take some time for the symptoms to show.
Most STIs are easily treated.
If left untreated, STIs can lead to serious health problems.
If an STI is untreated you can pass it on to anyone you are having sex with.
The Florey unit offers a free and confidential service. If you are worried you might have caught an STI, it would be a good idea to come and visit us. The ideal time to book an appointment is two weeks after any incident that is causing you concern.
After you have booked with reception, you will see the doctor. S/he will ask you a number of questions.
These questions may seem embarrassing, but it is important, both for you and from the doctor's viewpoint, that you answer them as honestly as possible. It is also important to remember that whilst the doctor uses particular terms to describe sexual activity, you can use the terms that you feel comfortable with.
Once you have been asked these questions the doctor will examine you to look for signs of infection. Once this has been done, a nurse or doctor will take swabs.
Swabs are taken from the urethra and vagina in females and the urethra in males. The rectum and throat will also be tested if there is a risk of infection there. A blood sample will be taken to test for syphilis. If you request a HIV test this can be done on the same sample.
After all your tests have been done you will be asked to provide a urine sample. Men will need to hold their urine for at least two hours before the tests, because passing urine too near to having the tests can destroy evidence of an infection.
The health advisers won't tell you what to do, but they will help you work thorough the choices you can make. Like the rest of the clinic service, anything said to the health advisers is in confidence.
You do not need to have been seen in clinic to contact the health advisers, they operate a helpline on 0118 987 7216. You can also arrange to see a health adviser in person by ringing the same number.
You will be given some initial results on the day of your visit. However, you will need to phone the unit after 10 days to get the results of your culture tests from the laboratory.
Certain STIs will need to be tested for after 3 months, for example HIV and syphilis. These can be tested for by having a blood test. This can be arranged by contacting the Health Advisers on 0118 987 7216, or by attending the Drop-in HIV testing service.
Even after 3 months it is wise to keep a look out for any abnormalities, particularly warts, as they may take a long time to develop.
We will tell you if we think your partner(s) should be checked. It is very unlikely that their GP would be able to carry out the necessary tests, so they do need to attend a GUM clinic if this is advised.
If you are concerned for a regular partner when you have had sex outside the relationship, there is no easy answer to the question of what you should do. It certainly makes sense to avoid sexual contact with them, at least until you have been told that the results of all your tests are clear.
Letting your partner know of the risk gives them the opportunity to protect their own health, by taking action on symptoms which they might otherwise ignore and by having a check-up themselves. It can be difficult to tell your partner that you have had contact with someone else. However, it may be even worse if your partner finds out by getting symptoms themselves and then realises that you continued to have sex with them, despite knowing that you were putting them at risk of infection.
Condoms greatly reduce the chance of passing on infections, but if you do not usually use them in your regular relationship you will need to explain why you have suddenly started to do so and you will also need to decide for how long to continue using them.