The Better2Know Blog

Two people in Australia are the latest to be diagnosed with so-called ‘Super Gonorrhoea’. The two separate cases were reported last month, one in Queensland and the other in Western Australia. One of the individuals is believed to have contracted the infection during a trip to South East Asia.

The diagnoses have come to light following the news we brought you last week, regarding a UK citizen with the ‘world’s worst case of Gonorrhoea’. The British man’s condition has so far proved ‘resistant to dual first-line therapy’ following an unsuccessful course of antibiotics. He also caught the infection in South East Asia, which the Daily Mail described as a ‘hotbed for sex tourism and antibiotic resistance’ to Gonorrhoea.

Public Health England (PHE) have published a report on the world’s first strain of Gonorrhoea that has proved ‘resistant to the recommended dual first-line therapy’. The case concerns a heterosexual man who had a sexual encounter whilst travelling in South East Asia. He attended a sexual health appointment in the UK earlier this year, where he was prescribed a combination of antibiotics. His test-of-cure revealed that this had failed to fully clear the infection, and the STI remained in his throat.

Speaking to the BBC, Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STIs at PHE, said: “This is the first time a case has displayed such high-level resistance to both of these drugs and to most other commonly used antibiotics.”

Better2Know is the UK’s largest provider of private STI testing services. Our wide range of screens and tests are designed, and regularly reviewed, by a panel of medical specialists to ensure you receive accurate and efficient testing. Many sexually transmitted diseases show little or no symptoms in the early stages of infection, so it is important to be examined regularly. Better2Know’s Platinum and Early Platinum Screens comprise an extensive number of tests to give you a clear picture of your overall sexual health.

There were over 10,000 new cases of STDs diagnosed in Northern Ireland during the year 2016. These figures include cases of HIV, with more than 1,000 people in Northern Ireland currently living with the virus. The BBC recently revealed that ‘as many as one in five people with HIV in Northern Ireland are unaware that they have the infection.’ According to Jacquie Richardson, the chief executive of HIV awareness charity, Positive Life, ‘poor sexual health is a significant burden on the wellbeing of people living in Northern Ireland’.

Better2Know is the UK’s largest provider of private STI testing services. We have sexual health clinics across the country, including Northern Ireland. Better2Know encourages regular testing to detect any infections that if left untreated, can create further health problems. It also reduces the chance of transferring an STI to current or future partners. So, whether you have met someone new or had a one-off encounter, booking your screen or test today is essential to protecting your personal health.

Sexual health services are at breaking point throughout the UK, and no more so than in the city of London. As a result of clinic closures across the capital, the Dean Street Express GUM clinic in Soho is turning away around 1,200 patients every single day. Early detection and intervention are crucial in combatting sexually transmitted infections and at Better2Know, the UK’s largest provider of private STI and HIV testing services, we can get you a confidential appointment in London on the very same day that you make your booking.

In 2016, Public Health England reported almost 700 cases of new STI diagnoses in the town of Ipswich. In addition, Healthy Suffolk recently revealed that Ipswich has the county’s highest rate for sexually transmitted infections, as well as being above the national average. Their report expresses the need for an assessment of Suffolk’s sexual health services, with the county consistently failing to meet their targets for Chlamydia detection.

Better2Know is the UK’s largest provider of private STI testing services, providing a wide range of comprehensive testing options in towns and cities across the country, including Ipswich. Our screens and tests are designed and regularly reviewed by medical specialists, ensuring peace of mind when it comes to your sexual health. Better2Know’s highly trained advisors will assist you in choosing the test or screen that is right for you, and they can arrange same day or next day appointments five days a week in Ipswich.

Mycoplasma is a bacterial infection that can affect both men and women. The Mycoplasma bacterium can be found in healthy genital tracts but can also be transmitted through unprotected sexual contact including vaginal, penile or anal intercourse. Often associated as a common cause of urethritis in men and cervicitis in women, Mycoplasma can also lead to complications like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), as well as increasing the risk of getting other, more harmful STIs, such as HIV, if left untreated.

Almost 10,000 cases of sexually transmitted infections were diagnosed in Birmingham during the year 2016. In addition, a report by Public Health England showed that the city’s STI rates are worse than the national average, with more than 4,700 cases of Chlamydia alone. These concerning statistics led the Birmingham Mail to label the city as a ‘hotspot’ for sexual infections, highlighting the importance of regular STI testing.

Better2Know is the UK’s largest provider of private sexual health testing services. Our CPA accredited laboratories ensure accurate and fast results, and we offer a wide range of comprehensive screens that include testing for infections such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV and Syphilis. These screens and tests are designed and regularly reviewed by medical specialists. We aim to give you peace of mind when it comes to knowing about your sexual health. Patient confidentiality within the STI testing service can be a concern for many patients and is something the medical community must manage delicately.

Better2Know provides confidential Gonorrhoea testing at private clinics throughout the UK, including the region of South Wales. We have STI clinics in Cardiff, Carmarthen, Hensol, Newport and Swansea. Our range of comprehensive STI tests and screens are regularly reviewed by a panel of sexual health experts. Patient samples are processed by CPA accredited laboratories ensuring both accuracy and efficiency.