How Quickly do STIs Spread?

Once upon a time, sex was something that (in theory) happened only between marital partners. Times have changed, but despite the benefits of changing social mores, sexual freedom has its downsides, one of which is the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections. There are a number of myths surrounding sexually transmitted infections, which makes it all the more important that people are aware of the facts about them. This is especially true with regard to the symptoms that often manifest as a result of the exposure to these infections, and the speed with which they can appear after they have been contracted.

How soon after exposure do symptoms of infection begin?

The great majority of sexually transmitted infections do not even cause any symptoms, but if you are experiencing some then it is a good idea to be aware of how soon they are likely to develop after you engage in sexual activity. The time between the beginning of the infection and the moment when symptoms begin is referred to as the incubation period.

Symptoms

Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and genital herpes

A chlamydia infection does not usually result in short term symptoms, although one to three weeks after infection some people do get a discharge from the penis or vagina. However, symptoms can develop months or even years after the infection was originally contracted. Gonorrhoea likewise rarely results in short term symptoms, but still remains infectious. From several days after exposure to around a month later, penis or vaginal discharge can develop. Another infection with the ability to lie dormant without manifesting any symptoms is genital herpes. Symptoms that do occur can range from some mild soreness, to many painful ulcers developing around the penis or vulva a few weeks after infection. These symptoms can also recur.

HIV, AIDS, scabies and genital warts

HIV often results in no symptoms at all for many years, and sometimes symptoms never appear. Flu-like symptoms can materialise a few weeks following exposure, which most people will shrug off as a common virus. These symptoms can include swollen glands, a blotchy red rash and a sore throat. These symptoms may reappear years later, accompanied by loss of weight, diarrhoea, tiredness and sweating, and can ultimately lead to the development of AIDS. A number of different conditions are associated with AIDS, including brain disorders like dementia, skin cancer and various unusual infections. AIDS is now a very rare diagnosis in the UK because of the success of treatment interventions.

Scabies can appear within one or two months of infection and results in intense skin itching – although itching can begin within just a couple of days for those who have suffered the condition on a previous occasion. Genital warts do not always materialise on those who have contracted the virus, but if they do, it happens within three months of infection.

Hepatitis B and pubic lice

Hepatitis B results in symptoms between four to six weeks after infection, including sickness, fever, jaundice, loss of appetite and a general feeling of ill health. The immune system usually kills the virus eventually, though others may still have it for the rest of their life without symptoms. In rare instances however, it can cause symptoms of liver disease.

Pubic lice infection results in intense itching within the pubic region, usually followed by the materialisation of red spots. The itching takes at least five days to begin, but in some cases it can take several weeks after infection to develop.

Are you more at risk of STIs if you already have an infection?

Some sexually transmitted infections put you at a higher risk of contracting HIV if you come into sexual contact with an infected person who is not on treatment.

Risky sexual behaviour, including having unprotected sex and changing sexual partners on a frequent basis, can also cause people to be exposed to a greater number of sexually transmitted infections. People who need STI testing are usually tested for various different sexually transmitted infections in case they have contracted more than one.

Testing

If you feel there is a chance that you have acquired a sexually transmitted infection then you should not wait for symptoms to appear, but immediately ask to be tested.

Trichomonas and Prostate Cancer: Link Questioned by New Study

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis. It affects both women and men and because it can be symptomless, or present with symptoms similar to other STIs, it can be difficult to diagnose.

The good news is that trichomonas is relatively rare in the UK; in a study from the end of last year it was found that only 6,000 cases are reported per annum. The bad news is that this fairly innocuous STI is a risk factor for other serious diseases – although not, as previously thought, prostate cancer.

Back in 2006, a study found that that men infected with the T. vaginalis parasite had a 40% greater chance of developing prostate cancer. In 2012, another researcher claimed to have discovered the "molecular mechanism" causing the association between the two conditions.

For men around the world this was concerning news, trichomonas being a common STI in many countries, and not always easily detected. However, doubt has been cast upon these findings by more recent research, which has challenged the idea that trichomonas could lead to prostate cancer.

A study from last year looked specifically at African American men, amongst whom the prevalence of trichomonas and the risk of developing prostate cancer is higher than average. Ultimately, researchers found no strong evidence to suggest a causal link between trichomonas and prostate cancer in these men.

It’s not clear yet what has caused these contradictory results, but one theory is that the T. vaginalis parasite increases inflammation, and encourages the growth of both benign and cancerous cells. Trichomonas, therefore, may not actively cause the development of prostate cancer, but may contribute to more aggressive forms of it.

In other words, men who are particularly at risk of prostate cancer (whether because of age, lifestyle or family history) may do well to stay cautious about STIs such as trichomonas; however, there’s no need to be overly concerned if you receive a diagnosis. Trichomonas is one of the easier STIs to treat. Typically you take an antibiotic called metronidazole for five to seven days.

What is more concerning is that trichomonas is known to increase the risk of HIV transmission and acquisition in women. The T. vaginalis parasite is thought to increase vaginal shedding in women with HIV, which makes them more infectious.

Going forward, the safest thing to do is to continue to practise safe sex, to familiarise yourself with the symptoms of STIs and to get tested if you think you might be at risk of infection.

Trichomonas, STIs & Safe Sex

The symptoms of trichomonas are similar to chlamydia and gonorrhoea. It is thought that about half of all people infected do not suffer any symptoms, but those who do might experience the following:

• Abnormal discharge from the penis (thin, white) or vagina (thick, thin, or frothy, yellow or green, unpleasant smell)
• Pain when urinating
• Soreness and swelling around the vagina or the head of the penis
• Men may need to urinate more frequently, and women may experience pain during sex

If you are with a partner who is showing any of these symptoms, you should refrain from sex until they have been tested. If you develop these symptoms you should get tested for trichomonas as soon as possible. Click here to visit our clinic and order a home test kit.

Other STI symptoms to watch out for include:

• Blisters, bumps or sores around the genitals or anus
• Itching, tingling or burning around the genitals or anus
• In women, bleeding between periods or after sex
• In women, pain in the abdomen

To avoid contracting these kinds of unpleasant symptoms, you should always use condoms for penetrative sex if you aren’t sure your partner is free from STIs. You should also be aware that oral sex can transmit STIs; to stay safe when you aren’t sure about your partner’s STI status, use condoms or dental dams during oral sex.

Avoid sharing sex toys that haven’t been washed between uses, and be aware that condoms can’t provide full protection against diseases like genital herpes or warts, as these are spread by skin-to-skin contact.

If you’ve had unprotected sex recently, or if you have sex with multiple or casual partners frequently, it is a good idea to get tested.

STI Rates Up in Older People

In the UK, most people tend to associate sexually transmitted infections with irresponsible teenagers and drunken students. But while the statistics certainly support this stereotype to some degree (in this 2016 Public Health England report, 16 to 24-year-olds were found to be most at risk for chlamydia, genital herpes and genital warts), it’s worth bearing in mind that STIs affect every age category. In fact, when it comes to gonorrhoea and syphilis, men over the age of 25 seem to be most at risk.

In perhaps the most surprising news of all, sexually transmitted infections are actually on the rise amongst the oldest age categories. In the last decade, STI diagnoses in people aged between 50 and 70 have risen by a third. To get more specific with the numbers, 2010 saw sexual health clinics recording 11,366 new infections in this age group; by 2014 that number had risen to 15,726.

It’s hard to pin down exactly why we’re currently seeing this trend, but there are a few factors to consider.

Safe Sex Campaigns

The first thing to think about is the fact that safe sex campaigns tend to be targeted towards young people. As a result, the average 18-year-old may well know more about the STI symptoms and where to get tested than the average 62-year-old. In fact, in a study by the Office for National Statistics carried out between 2008 and 2009, it was found that only 19% of men aged 50-69 could correctly answer a series of questions about chlamydia symptoms (as opposed to 37% of men aged 30-34).

Consider too that a lot of sexual education material can be found online, and the fact that youngsters tend to be more proficient with computers and the internet than their parents and grandparents.

Divorce rates

Another factor in rising STI rates amongst older people is divorce. As shown by another Office for National Statistics study, the average age at which people are getting divorced has risen in the UK in recent years – in 2013, the average age for a man to get divorced was 45. But how does that relate to STI rates?

Well, following a divorce, it’s common for newly single people to begin dating and enjoying casual sex. But after many years of marriage, divorced men and women who may be used to having unprotected sex may find it difficult to readjust and start taking precautions again.

Women in the 50 - 70 age bracket may also be more careless when it comes to sex if they have been through the menopause. When the risk of pregnancy is taken out of the equation, it can be tempting to forgo condoms – despite the threat of STIs.

Overcoming the Stigma

When it comes to sex, older people may also feel more reluctance in talking to their doctor, or getting advice about doing things safely. They may even feel embarrassed walking into a pharmacy to buy condoms, particularly if they have not done so in a long while.

The important thing to remember is that the consequences of unprotected sex can be far worse than the slight embarrassment of getting advice from your GP or pharmacist. This is also the case when it comes to getting tested and treated properly.

If you have engaged in unprotected sex and you aren’t sure that your sexual partner or partners were STI-free, you should get tested. You can do this for free by visiting an NHS clinic, or by ordering a home test kit through a private service like The STI Clinic (click here to learn more about our Full STI Screen).

It’s also important to get an STI test if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• pain or a burning sensation when urinating
• unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
• fleshy growths around the genitals or anus
• sore red blisters around the genitals or anus
• in women, irregular bleeding, heavy periods, pain in the abdomen or pain during sex
• in men, pain or tenderness in the testicles

Be aware that this is not an exhaustive list of STI symptoms, and that many infections are initially symptomless, so if you think you may have been exposed to something, you should get tested regardless.

In the popular imagination, syphilis is a disease that belongs to another time: an age before modern medicine, plumbing and hygiene practices. But according to the latest reports, this "old-fashioned" STI is actually experiencing a comeback.

Earlier this year, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control released new data showing that syphilis diagnoses have been steadily increasing across Europe since 2010. As reported here, the ECDC found that gay and bisexual men contract syphilis most frequently; in fact, 63% of all diagnosed cases of syphilis occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM). Perhaps most surprising, though, is that the largest percentage increases in diagnoses year on year were seen in those aged 45 or over.

This increase in syphilis diagnoses can be seen not only across Europe as a whole, but in the UK as well. This year’s STI study from Public Health England reported a 20% increase in syphilis diagnoses from 2014 to 2015 – and an increase of a startling 76% from 2012.

Potential Causes for the Increase in Syphilis Diagnoses

One of the key causes for the increase in syphilis diagnoses may be that many people consider it to be a largely extinct disease. For this reason, they may not be familiar with the symptoms and how it is spread. This may be particularly the case for older people (i.e. the at-risk over-45 age category). Most sex education is targeted towards young people, meaning that older people may be missing out on key information.

As for men who have sex with men, it is thought that better screening programs have contributed to more diagnoses – which puts a positive spin upon these startling numbers. However, many doctors also believe that more and more men in the MSM group are having condomless sex. This may be attributed to the decline of the AIDS crisis, and the sophisticated developments in modern HIV treatment. Bacterial STIs such as syphilis are also on the rise in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (this is because HIV makes you more susceptible to other sexually transmitted infections).

Lastly, although syphilis usually causes symptoms, it can be entirely symptomless in some people. This means that you may be infected and not be aware of it.

Syphilis: Symptoms & Transmission

Syphilis can be contracted through sexual contact with someone who has been infected. In its early stages, the disease is known as "primary syphilis" and causes a small, painless sore or ulcer to develop, usually on the vagina, penis or anus. Because you usually only get one sore and it isn’t painful, it can be easy to ignore this symptom. Another sign that you might have contracted syphilis is swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin.

Primary syphilis usually passes within a few weeks. However, when left untreated it can develop into secondary syphilis. The symptoms of this stage include:

• A blotchy red rash
• Skin growths on the vulva or anus
• White patches inside the mouth
• Flu-like symptoms
• Swollen glands
• Hair loss

In the first two years after contracting syphilis, it is possible to pass on the infection to other people. This usually happens during sex when coming into contact with an infected sore – for this reason, it’s important to practise safe sex (by using condoms and dental dams) when having sex with someone who may be infected.

The problem is that, after its initial stages, syphilis can progress in the body without causing symptoms. If left to develop untreated, it can lead to tertiary syphilis, which is often associated with neurological diseases such as meningitis, dementia, stroke and blindness. At this point, the damage caused by the disease is difficult to reverse.

Testing For & Treating Syphilis

The good news to take away from the ECDC’s scary report is that, because syphilis is a bacterial infection, it can usually be treated with antibiotics.

It’s also very easy to get tested for syphilis. You can get tested for free at an NHS centre such as a GUM clinic. You can also obtain a home test kit from The STI Clinic. Click here to learn more.

Pain or a burning sensation when you urinate often indicates a sexually transmitted infection. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and the herpes virus can all cause pain when urinating (also known as dysuria). However, there are a number of other things that can cause this specific symptom.

Urinary Tract Infections

One common cause of dysuria is a urinary tract infection. This is where bacteria enters the urethra, the tube that passes urine and, in men, seminal fluid out of the body. This can happen during sex or when wiping your bottom after a bowel movement. It is more common in women than in men because women have a shorter urethra that is closer to the anus.

If the infection affects the urethra or bladder it can cause pain when urinating, cloudy or bloody urine, abdominal pain, and the need to urinate frequently. This type of UTI can clear up on its own within a few days, though you can also get a prescription for antibiotics to help the healing along.

The infection is more serious if it affects the kidneys or the tubes connecting the kidneys to the bladder. Symptoms of this include those listed above, as well as pain in the sides and back, a fever, and feeling sick. These symptoms require more urgent medical care, and shouldn’t be left untreated.

Urethral Syndrome

Urethral syndrome is where the urethra becomes inflamed, but not as a result of a bacterial or viral infection. It causes pain in the abdomen and frequent, painful urination.

Urethral syndrome is thought to be caused by a number of different things, including injury to or irritation of the urethra. The urethra can become irritated by:

• Using scented products around the urethral opening (e.g. soap, perfume or fragranced sanitary towels)
• Using spermicidal lubricant during sex
• Drinking too much caffeine
• Chemotherapy or radiation treatment

Injury to the urethra, meanwhile, can happen as a result of:

• Sexual intercourse/activity
• Riding a bike
• In women, using tampons
• In women, using a diaphragm or cap as contraception

In some cases, urethral syndrome is caused by constriction in the urethra, which can happen as a result of inflammation, injury or scarring. If this is the cause of your symptoms, then surgery to widen the urethra may be the best course of action.

Adenoviruses

An adenovirus can cause bladder infection and inflammation, leading to dysuria. These viruses can be spread through close personal contact, but they are not classed as sexually transmitted.

Lesser-known STIs

If you are suffering from painful urination but a doctor has ruled out the major STIs, it's still possible that your symptoms have been caused by a sexually transmitted infection. STIs such as mycoplasma aren’t as common or as well-known as chlamydia or gonorrhoea, but they can still cause dysuria. You can order a home test kit for mycoplasma at The STI Clinic.

Protecting Yourself in the Future

If you are frequently experiencing pain when urinating, you should take some steps to protect yourself. This involves:

• Using condoms during sex to avoid sexually transmitted infections
• Not sharing sex toys unless they have been washed or covered in a new condom
• Not using scented bath products around your genitals
• Wiping from your urethra back to your anus after a bowel movement, to avoid the spread of bacteria
• Urinating after sexual intercourse to help expel bacteria from the urethra
• Avoiding wearing tights or jeans that are too close-fitting
• Avoiding underwear that isn’t made from cotton

It’s also important to get regular STI tests if you think you might be at risk (e.g. if you don’t use condoms or you have multiple sexual partners). STIs can normally be treated easily if they are diagnosed early on. You can get a full urine screening test at The STI Clinic, by ordering one of our home test kits. Click here to find out more.

It’s not always easy to avoid getting an infection, or incurring injury to the urethra, particularly if you are a woman. However, if you stick to the rules above and visit a doctor when symptoms don’t go away on their own, you should be able to avoid any serious health complications.

Our latest TV advert explains how our service works and shows how easy it is to get tested with our postal testing kits. We offer a confidential and accurate alternative for all those people who don’t have the time to wait around at a GUM clinic or GP practice. If you haven’t done so already, you can watch our latest advert here. There is an easier way at TheSTIClinic.com

The STI Clinic supports STIQ Day, which falls on 14th January. STIQ Day was set up a few years ago to encourage people to get tested for sexually transmitted infections so that they know their status and get treatment if they test positive for anything. STIs like Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea will respond to antibiotics (although gonorrhoea is gaining some resistance), so the sooner you know, the sooner you can be treated and be in the clear.

We are offering everyone a 5% discount today on any test. Just enter STIQ in the promotional code field and the discount will calculate.

Even if you do not get tested through us, do yourself a favour and get tested somewhere. Not all STIs have symptoms so you could be infected and not even know it.

As a means of allaying the general beliefs of what is conventional and what is unacceptable, Age UK has made public the part that sex and sexual health play in the lives of older people. Speaking candidly about their attitudes to sex and ageing in an Age UK online survey, many of the 2000+ participants aged over 65 years told of their wish to stay sexually active yet did not know where to go for advice on such matters.

The survey brings to light that sex is considered important to older people, with about one quarter of participants reporting that age had not affected their sex lives and two thirds (62%) revealing that they currently enjoyed a fulfilling sex life. Indeed, age has no boundaries to sexual relationships, with 18% of over 65-year-olds wanting to be more sexually active, 12% indicating that they would like to try new things with their partners, and 8% eager to start a new sexual relationship.

Regardless of wanting an active sex life, communication with partners and healthcare workers about such matters is an issue for older people. Over a quarter (28%) of the survey’s participants reported that they did not talk to their partner about sex, and women in particular found it difficult to reveal their emotions. This was partly due to embarrassment, and a sense of awkwardness around approaching the subject.

The survey also indicated that over 65-year-olds found difficultly in opening up to healthcare workers, with over two thirds (69%) never pursuing advice on sexual health. Moreover, three quarters (76%) of older people do not currently look for sexual health advice and only 14% have looked for such advice in the last 20 years. This is a concern when faced with the increasing number of sexually transmitted infections among people aged over 45 years. Such lack of communication may indeed impact on sexual well-being, considering that about half (46%) of over 65-year-olds (increasing to 54% of women in this age group) believe that they don’t require advice on sexual health. Despite this, when advice was needed, 17% of participants approached a nurse or doctor for information.

Age UK provides older people, along with their family, friends and carers, information and advice about talking about sex and safely remaining sexually active. Calls to Age UK Advice are free on 0800 169 65 65.

Have you ever joked about in the playground when you were a child, touching someone and getting a disease like a game of tag but not really sure what the diseases were or looked like? We have found something that could give you that education. There is an interesting little cake shop that can perhaps enlighten you by putting you face to face with all sorts of diseases but without the danger of catching them! “Eat Your Heart Out” is back for Halloween from the Evil Little Cake Shop and Miss Cakehead at The Pathology Museum part of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. They will be open from 26^th-28^th October 1100-1900, educating people on what an STD is and looks like alongside other conditions such as kidney disease and skin cancer. What have really caught our attention are the herpes chocolate slabs, STD cupcakes and chlamydia cookies to mention just a few items on the menu. However if you are interested in something for that special occasion, they have a tiered wedding cake called “riddled” featuring the cell structures of STD’s….what more is there to say than who wants to go? We do, so we may see you there!

Alarmingly, according to the Terrence Higgins Trust, we in London are more at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) than anyone else in Europe but we cannot verify this statement as the figures pertaining to individual cities all over Europe just don’t exist. However, it is certain, according to the HPA (Health Protection Agency), that we are at least far more at risk in London than we are anywhere else in the UK.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC has reported that the UK is situated very near the top regarding the rates of Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Syphilis in relation to other European countries but we don’t know for sure. With sexual health awareness week falling on the 17^th of this month it is important to be aware of just how at risk we are. If you are experiencing symptoms in the genital area, get tested right away. A short course of antibiotics will cure most STIs.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has released the latest figures pertaining to cases of sexually transmitted infections in England and the results suggest that much more needs to be done in the way of awareness campaigning all over the country. According to the HPA, cases of gonorrhoea have risen by 25% and this is by far the most worrying increase considering the infection is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatment. Eventually, we may not be able to treat this infection. The number of STIs overall rose by 2% over the last year. Cases of syphilis rose by 10% and cases of genital herpes by 5%. Chlamydia infections were down on the previous year but this is thought to be because fewer people are presenting for screening.

Since testing methods have become more advanced, cases have been more easily identified as a result and this is part of the reason why the number of STIs is continually on the increase. However, the problem remains that people are still having unprotected sex despite all we know about the danger of HIV and the risks of other types of sexually transmitted infections.

Chlamydia is again one of the most common STIs in England. If left untreated, women with Chlamydia can go on to develop pelvic inflammatory disease and could become infertile. The fact that Chlamydia is often symptomless, makes testing all the more important. A decrease of 4% in the number of chlamydia infections reported among young adults indicated, according to the HPA, that not enough young people were being screened for the infection.

61% of the new cases of STIs were reported among men who have sex with men and 57% were reported among young adults who were between the ages of 15 and 24. More of an effort needs to be made to make information more accessible to young people and the message regarding the use of condoms as the only method available to prevent against STIs should be loud and clear.

Stateside, things couldn’t be more confused regarding prostitution and safe sex. Prostitutes themselves are up in arms over the fact that police can arrest a sex worker once they can find reasonable evidence in the form of condom possession.  Prostitutes have taken to not carrying condoms and are therefore more at risk of contracting and spreading sexually transmitted infections and most worryingly, contributing to the spread of HIV. Is there any reason why arresting a sex worker on the basis of condom possession is a good idea?

Two organisations, the PROS Network and the Sex Workers Project gathered in New York State to highlight before lawmaker’s, the importance of passing a new bill in order to put a stop to this practice. There are apparently known cases of prostitutes who do not carry condoms now because they are afraid of being caught and arrested. This is surely not the way to crack down on street walking when rates of STIs and HIV are on the increase. These sex workers fear they will be arrested if they carry condoms and at risk of infection if they don’t. They are unhappy with either outcome so they feel that they might as well make money, take the health risk and avoid being put behind bars.

This is clearly not a satisfactory situation. Nobody wants prostitutes hanging around their neighbourhood but pretending that they can be coerced into giving up their line of work is foolhardy. Prostitution is not called the oldest profession for nothing – it has been around for ever and will always be there. Pretending that you can stamp out prostitution in this way is ludicrous and a public health hazard. Lawmakers need to use some common sense and pass a law that ensures public health is safeguarded.

One of the most worthy apps created yet has got to be Chec-Mate, an app designed to help you verify that a new partner has been tested and therefore certifiably free of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is currently available for the iPhone and will be accessible to Android users shortly. The main idea behind the app is to get new partners talking about their sexual health early on into their relationship or before a relationship even begins in an effort to control increasing levels of STI rates.

It will be used to share the most recent test results with prospective partners and also in order to find local sexual health clinics. The company behind the app stresses that once a person’s results are live, they cannot guarantee that they have not subsequently contracted an infection. They emphasise that the role of the app is an opportunity to get people to take more responsibility for their sexual health but admit that the results displayed should not be taken as gospel since they are subject to change after time. What the creators seek to do is get rid of the taboo surrounding sexual history and get people talking about it freely and openly.

Nice idea but we cannot see this one catching on. Having said that, we do support it so here is where you can get hold of this app.

Correlations have been made for a long time between the effects of the increasingly popular erectile dysfunction medications and the simultaneously increasing number of cases of sexually transmitted infections. Now we have the figures to prove it. With data taken from a recent report by the Health Protection Agency, it seems likely that this hypothesised correlation is a valid one.

The spread of sexually transmitted infections among those between the ages of 50 and 90 years is growing rapidly and is being described as a small epidemic.  The number of new cases of HIV among those over the age of 50 years had doubled over a period of ten years in 2009.

This is indicative of people not taking the necessary precautions when it comes to the use of condoms and sex. It is thought that the responsibility to get tested is as much down to the patient as it is the GP in that GPs are simply not recognising the symptoms of sexually transmitted infection in the older generations these days and are assuming symptoms are associated with something else. The truth of it is that men and women are having sex well into their nineties today with the help of Viagra and other such medications and curbing the rise of infection rates is something we all have to consider including those in the medical community.

The Alcohol and Sexual Health Working Party is speaking out against the way the NHS is dealing with sexually transmitted infections and young people - they suggest that the NHS is missing an opportunity to tackle the problem of STIs considering the existence of statistics highlighting strong links connecting the abuse of alcohol and sexually transmitted infections in those aged between 15 and 24 years.

Almost half of all sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed among young people in this age bracket and according to a 2009 British probability survey, those who consume a lot of alcohol are more inclined to have unprotected sexual activity and with many partners compared with those who drink moderately.

The Alcohol and Sexual Health Working Party’s reports suggest that over 1.5 million 15 to 24 year olds attend sexual health clinics annually and among this number, a shocking 1 in 5 young people consume what is considered to be a dangerous amount of alcohol.

The working party thus ask that all clinicians dealing with young people be trained to ask about the individual’s drinking behaviour and also that during any visit to the doctor, questions regarding diet, drinking and smoking are asked alongside questions regarding the patient’s initial complaint. A report commissioned by the Health Secretary will be published this month and will set guidelines for future consultations..

According to the Daily Mirror, alcohol is directly associated with unsafe sex. The results of 12 studies were analysed and it was revealed that each time the level of blood alcohol increased by 0.1mg/ml, the likelihood that unprotected sex would occur would increase by approximately 3%.

Participants were divided up and depending on the group they were allocated, had to drink certain amounts of alcohol or a placebo. They were then asked about whether they would have unprotected sex. The study hardly provides with any new platform from which to raise awareness and considering the study was based on intention and not real life situations, the results and conclusions are of little weight.

A spokesperson for the Terrence Higgins Trust states that we already know that alcohol allows us to make bad decisions and take risks and advises that if people suspect that they will get tipsy and make an unwise decision over the Christmas break, that they carry condoms with them in case. This is much better advice than the advice of NHS earlier this month which involved stocking up on the morning after pill before it becomes too difficult to obtain over the festive period!

Just like in the animal kingdom, it looks like human beings are also able to sniff out healthy partners. The recent research giving credence to this theory is published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Certain sexually transmitted diseases appear to be accompanied by an odour, which seems to have been detected by women in a small clinical trial.

34 men participated in the Russian study at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics. 16 men were healthy and 13 of them were infected with gonorrhoea. 5 men had been diagnosed with the infection but had since taken treatment to get rid of it. All of the men wore cotton pads under their armpits beneath a tight t-shirt and worked up a sweat over the course of an hour. The women later smelled the pads, assessing how attractive or not the odours were. Women disliked over one third of the odours however over half of the samples from infected men were described as ‘putrid’ by the women.

It has been known for a long time that female mice and rats are not attracted to the scent of others that are infected with disease. The research according to the study’s author concludes that the unpleasant body odours of men who are infected can reduce the likelihood of a dangerous partnering. We would caution that this study was based on a small number of participants so we do not believe that any scientific conclusion can be drawn from this without further investigation.