Reproductive Health Daily

We get questions about herpes ALL the time - it’s a common STI and the first sight of it can understandably cause stress for people. So, how is it transmitted? Like most STIs! Unprotected sex. But, there are some important things to know about the transmission of this STI:

Transmission

—Transmission from an infected male to his female partner is more likely than from an infected female to her male partner.

—While the herpes virus can be found in and released from the sores that the viruses cause, they also are released between outbreaks from skin that does not appear to have a sore.

—People can transmit HSV-2, genital herpes, without knowing it and while having no symptoms.

—Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection.

—HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips.

—HSV-1 infection of the genitals can be caused by oral-genital or genital-genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection.

—Genital HSV-1 outbreaks recur less regularly than genital HSV-2 outbreaks.

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Ok, let’s address transmission - there are some unique elements to gonorrhea that we need to be aware of!!

—Gonorrhea is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus.

—Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired.

—Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery.

—People who have had gonorrhea and received treatment may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.

—Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. In the United States, the highest reported rates of infection are among sexually active teenagers and young adults.

The second point is one we’d like to highlight - ejaculation does not need to happen for gonorrhea to be transmitted, so that’s why it’s super important to pull on those condoms as soon as you think you might be getting busy!!

More on symptoms a bit later. Questions? Follow us on Twitter and check us out on Facebook!

We’ve addressed symptoms, associated risks, and transmission of the most popular sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. So, what’s the bext way to stay safe and how do we get treated if we test positive?

Prevention

• Condoms! If used correctly, condoms can block the transmission of chlamydia, preventing all the more serious long-term consequences.
• To help prevent the serious consequences of chlamydia, screening at least annually for chlamydia is recommended for all sexually active women age 25 years and younger.
• An annual screening test also is recommended for older women with risk factors for chlamydia (a new sex partner or multiple sex partners).
• All pregnant women should have a screening test for chlamydia.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• There are lab tests to diagnose chlamydia. Some can be performed on urine, other tests require that a specimen be collected from a site such as the penis or cervix.
• Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
• All sex partners should be evaluated, tested, and treated.
• Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual intercourse for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners.
• Having multiple infections increases a woman’s risk of more serious reproductive health complications, including infertility.
• Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were treated.

Remember - prevention is always the best medicine!