The Better2Know Blog

The phones have been red hot at Calibre audio library with members asking for E L James’ erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey. Many of the callers have been ladies over 70 years wanting to keep up with the latest contemporary fiction.

To illustrate how popular this book has been, in the past 6 months we have 300 requests for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. In contrast, we have received an unprecedented 100 requests for Fifty Shades of Grey in just two weeks.

BBC South’s Oxford News will be broadcasting a piece featuring Christine Ronaldson, Head of Literature of Audio Book Production on Friday 17th August at 1850.

Christine says:

“As a library with 8,500 audiobooks covering over 60 categories from fiction to non-fiction, we have to respond to what our members want to read. Our decision to add this popular series reflects this. We believe that people who are visually impaired should have the same access to books as sighted people. Our members can choose not to receive X-rated books, but many others like a story with a bit of spice.”

We think that sex doesn’t get less interesting, desirable or needed as we get older, and Fifty Shades of Grey has proven this.  Most of our patients are not young people discovering sex, but people who have perhaps started a new relationship later in life or enjoying a new found freedom and who want to the responsible thing to get tested, so they can carry on enjoying themselves.

Health Officials in the US are asking doctors to stop using their usual antibiotic for the treatment of gonorrhoea as it so resistant to the drug.

The US says that Suprax (cefixime) is becoming less effective, and that the injectable ceftriaxone is used as a last treatment option in combination with another antibiotic.

Dr Gail Bolan, Director of CDC’s Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention division said “the change in antibiotic treatment guidelines we are taking today is a critical pre-emptive strike to preserve the last effective treatment option… this will not solve the problem of drug-resistant gonorrhoea once and for all, but it may buy us time to allow researchers and drug developers to develop new treatments”.

The best way to reduce the risk of increasing drug-resistant gonorrhoea is to diagnose as quickly as possible and then to fight with at least two types of antibiotics at the same time, as this has been effective against tuberculosis’s, as it makes it harder for the gonorrhoea bacteria to fight back.

Better2Know can test for gonorrhoea at any of its partner clinics with a simple urine test that also looks for Chlamydia.  In addition you can choose to have a swab of your throat (if you have unprotected oral sex) or rectum (if you have anal sex) for these two STIs.

Times have changed.  We see it around us every day with mobile phones with Facebook and twitter.  So it should be no surprise that there have been medical advancements in testing and treatment of HIV.

Diagnosing an STD can become cumbersome and embarrassing for most people. It is in this regard that STD cases increase continuously because of the low percentage of patients subjecting themselves to testing. According to statistics, diagnosed cases of STDs may only be less than ten percent of the total cases all over the world. When people do not know that they are infected, the tendency is that they are able to spread the disease unknowingly. Patients who fear that they are infected want to check the presence of the disease privately because of fear of embarrassment and social stigma.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease that occurs worldwide. The causative microorganism is Chlamydia trachomatis, which is transmitted through intimate sexual contacts. Chlamydia may not be transmitted through kissing, touching, or holding hands.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease, thrice the incidence of gonorrhea with up to 2 million cases a year. Chlamydia is transmitted through sexual intercourse and it is not transmitted through casual contacts. Chlamydia can also be transmitted to the neonate through vaginal delivery where the fetus comes in contact with the infected vaginal passage.

The risk for Chlamydia infection increases in the occurrence of multiple sexual partners. Chlamydia symptoms are sometimes similar to other STDs specifically gonorrhea, which needs definite diagnosis to determine the causative microorganism and come up with the correct treatment.

Symptoms of Chlamydia often include:

• Mucopurulent vaginal discharge
• Clear or white urethral and rectal discharges
• Painful urination
• Rectal pain
• Tenderness in the testicular area in men
• Bleeding after intercourse in women
• Spotting in between periods
• Abdominal pain
• Painful sexual intercourse

Other symptoms may include inflammation of the cervix, fallopian tubes and liver in advanced stage of disease. Chlamydia may progress to salpingitis, urethritis or Pelvic inflammatory Disease (PID). The presence of PID and salpingitis may cause infertility or ectopic pregnancy.

How to Diagnose Chlamydia

Chlamydia tests are done to diagnose the presence of infection, which include home Chlamydia testing or laboratory testing. Samples of the discharges from the cervix, vagina, urethra and rectum are subjected to cultures to determine the causative microorganism. More advanced Chlamydia test includes blood tests for monoclonal antibodies and DNA probe test. Home Chlamydia test is also available for testing Chlamydia discretely. Home Chlamydia tests involve the collection of urine and sending it back to the laboratory. In the presence of Chlamydia, other sexually transmitted diseases are also easier to acquire, so testing for other STDs is often necessary.

Treatment for Chlamydia usually involves the administration of doxycycline for 7 days. After which, a follow-up test and culture is necessary to ascertain the eradication of the Chlamydia microorganism. People who had sexual contact with the infected individual within 30 days before the diagnosis should also be identified and treated promptly.

The UK is currently immunising all girls against HPV (the virus which can cause cervical cancer and genital warts), and has recently changed the vaccine to Gardasil.

Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma. Mycoplsama is a bacterium, which does not have a cell membrane and can infect both males and females after an unprotected sexual contact. Mycoplasma genitalium is the leading cause of non-gonococcal urethritis in men and women. Mycoplasma also leads to bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory diseases, urethritis and cervicitis in women.

Mycoplasma Symptoms

Symptoms of mycoplasma include pruritus or itching in the genitals, painful urination, painful intercourse and burning sensation on the genitals and urethra. In men, mycoplasma may result in urethral discharge that may be non-foul smelling. Advanced cases may also affect the joints leading to arthritis. Mycoplasma symptoms usually resemble other sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea. In some patients, it can be asymptomatic.

Mycoplasma testing

Mycoplasma testing involves the testing of the urine for the said bacteria. The patient is instructed to collect midstream urine 3 hours after waking up. Mycoplamsa testing may be a part of a full STD screen or as a single diagnosis. Vaginal swabs or urethral swabs may also be done as mycoplasma test in cases of appearance of discharges.

Mycoplasma Treatment

The treatment for mycoplasma requires the administration of specific antibiotics for several days. It is important to comply and complete the whole course of antibiotic treatment to prevent drug resistance and recurrence of the infection. Also, some doctors require re-testing after the antibiotic therapy to ascertain that the infection is totally eradicated.

Mycoplasma genitalium may also lead to possible complications when not managed promptly. Complications include pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometritis or the inflammation of the endometrium, preterm labor in pregnant women, and infertility, when the fallopian tubes are already affected.

Prevention of mycoplasma is important to prevent these complications. Preventive measures include use of barrier protection like condoms during sexual contact, being monogamous, and knowing completely your sexual partner.

People infected with mycoplasma genitalium should also inform their sexual partners about the diagnosis in order to conduct mycoplasma testing to those people.

Sexually transmitted diseases are highly preventable when people become more responsible during sex.

If you’re worried about Mycoplasma or any other STD please contact Better2Know on the number above to book an appointment for a confidential test at one of our many STD clinics throughout the UK.

Genital warts are an infection of the reproductive tract from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection is one of the leading sexually transmitted diseases in the world, which affects up to 20% of adult in the United States alone. Genital warts are highly asymptomatic, so people infected usually don’t feel any manifestations that will prompt for medical check-up. Genital warts have also been associated with the occurrence of certain types of cancers such as cervical, vulvar, and penile cancer.

What is Hepatitis C?

Hepatitis is a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. The infection of the liver causes inflammation and eventually scarring when treatments are not instituted early.

Hepatitis C is spread primarily through blood contact with an infected individual or by blood products during transfusions. About 170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. Up to 80% of individuals recovers from the infection and gets cured. The remaining 20% leads to cirrhosis and may require liver transplant. In fact, most cases of liver transplant in the world occur because of hepatitis C infection. Other forms of hepatitis may have vaccines against it, however, not in the case of hepatitis C, which does not have vaccines yet at the present.

Transmission of Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C can be spread via the following mechanisms:

• Sexual intercourse
• Sharing if needles
• Having tattoo or piercing
• Sharing of razors and toothbrushes with infected individuals
• Placental transmission from the mother to the baby
• Blood transfusions of infected blood
• Needle-stick injuries from an infected needle

Hepatitis C Symptoms

The symptoms of hepatitis C is synonymous to the symptoms of all viral hepatitis infection, which include:

• Jaundice
• Lethargy, irritability, fatigue, weakness
• Myalgia and arthralgia
• Anorexia
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Right upper quadrant abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms
• Pruritus
• Dark urine
• Clay colored stools
• Bleeding tendencies
• Anemia
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Asterixis or the rapid flexion and extension of the fingers

Hep C usually results in liver cirrhosis when managements are not instituted early. In order for early management, early detection is essential from the moment signs and symptoms appear.

Hepatitis C testing

Hepatitis tests involve blood tests including HCV antibody enzyme immunoassay, RNA polymerase chain reaction test or recombinant immunoblot assay. The tests for hep C are more reliable when checked one to two weeks after the exposure because antibodies usually form during these stages of the disease.

The drugs pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin are used to treat hepatitis C.

Please contact Better2Know on the number listed above if you’re worried about Hepatitis C or to book your confidential appointment at one of our STD clinics throughout the UK and Ireland.

Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the dreaded STDs because it causes severe autoimmune deficiency and major complications. People with HIV usually keep the disease for themselves and are afraid of getting medical check-ups because of fear of embarrassment and social stigma.

What is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is an inflammation of the liver, which involves the infection from a hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids or blood in the case of:

• Sexual intercourse with an infected person
• Blood transfusion from an infected blood
• Contact with large amounts of saliva
• Sharing of contaminated needles in substance abuse individuals
• Needle stick injuries
• Contact with an infected needle from getting a tattoo, piercing or acupuncture
• Breastfeeding from an infected mother

Risk factors for Hepatitis B

Certain people are more at risk for acquiring hepatitis B. These include health care workers, people receiving multiple blood transfusions and dialysis, homosexual individuals who are sexually active, morticians, drug abusers using the parenteral route and those getting frequent tattoos or body piercings.

Hepatitis B symptoms

The hepatitis B symptoms are attributed to the damage on the liver, which include:

• Jaundice
• Lethargy, irritability, fatigue, weakness
• Myalgia and arthralgia
• Anorexia
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Right upper quadrant abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Flu-like symptoms
• Pruritus
• Dark urine
• Clay colored stools
• Bleeding tendencies
• Anemia
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Asterixis or the rapid flexion and extension of the fingers

The hepatitis B symptoms usually present during the late stage of the disease. Hep B infection may also lead to complications such as brain damage as a result of unable to metabolize and excrete toxins from the body, leading to hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatitis testing is important to determine the presence of hep B infection. Testing for hepatitis B involves the collection of blood samples and subjecting it to assays to determine presence of hepatitis B antigen and antibodies. The results of the tests are usually available 2 to 3 working days.

The treatment for Hepatitis B involves the administration of antiviral medications to reduce the symptoms and duration of the infection.  However, in some cases of acute hepatitis B, treatments are not instituted because adults can eliminate the disease by themselves because viral infections are usually self-limiting.

If you’re worried about Hepatitis B please contact Better2Know on the number above, to book your confidential appointment for a Hepatitis B Test today.

The diagnosis of HIV has increased dramatically from the time it was discovered in the 80s. Despite the increase in incidence, this is still far lesser than the actual number of people with HIV. This is for the reason that a lot of people fear to go for HIV testing even if they have a high risk of developing it. In fact, only 1% of the population in areas of HIV epidemic is tested. These leave other people with HIV still able to spread the disease because of not knowing that they are infected.

HIV is transmitted through sexual contact and exchange of body fluids of an infected person. HIV testing is performed by getting a sample of the venous blood. HIV tests involve the checking of HIV antigens and antibodies in the blood. Another test done is the CD4 T cells determination, which reveals a low CD4 T cells count as a result of immunosuppression.

Before, HIV tests could be slow and give results for a matter of days. In the advent of technology, there have been instant HIV testing techniques that are more convenient and cost-effective. However, more intensive diagnostic procedures such as the ELISA test and Western Blot test should still be performed in cases of a positive instant HIV testing to determine the extent of the disease and size of antigens.

Instant HIV tests include:

•Home Access Express HIV-1 Test

This is an FDA approved home HIV testing that involves the collection of blood sample through finger stick and sending the specimen through mail. The results are given via phone.

•OraQuick

This is an HIV test that involves the collection of blood, oral fluid or plasma and testing for antibodies using a stick-like device. The results are available after 20 minutes.

•Orasure

This involves the use of mucosal samples from the gums and cheek and checking for antibodies using ELISA and western blot.

•INSTI HIV Rapid Antibody Test

This test is used in clinical laboratories that can provide HIV test results as fast as 60 seconds. It involves the use of the patient’s blood, plasma or serum.

If you’re worried about HIV please contact Better2Know on the number given at the top of the page to book your confidential appointment for an HIV Test today.

A report published by drfox.co.uk shows that seven out of ten women regularly risk their health by having unprotected sex, with the average woman having unprotected sex eleven times with four different partners.  The reasons being given were they forgot in the heat of the moment (33%) and they trusted their partner not to have an infection (20%).  Surprisingly 18% said they were too drunk with 8% saying they didn’t like condoms.

New evidence shows that in addition to being a leading cause of Cervical Cancer in women, HPV (Human Papilloma virus) is also a leading cause or oral cancer and likely to lead to a major bone density loss.

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the causative agent in the development of AIDS. HIV is usually asymptomatic with AIDS as the more debilitating form that causes life-threatening diseases.

The mortality rate from HIV is also high. Up to 90% of patient dies within 4 years of AIDS diagnosis. The most commonly affected individuals are those aged 20 to 49 years old. The risk for HIV increases with homosexual activity, heterosexual activity involving multiple sexual partners, repetitive anal intercourse, presence of genital lesions and unprotected sexual contact.

HIV infection can be transmitted through sexual contact, exposure to blood or blood products infected with HIV or placental transmission from an infected mother to the fetus. HIV may also be transmitted through sharing of needles with infected people, accidental needle stick and breastfeeding of babies by infected mothers. HIV infection is never transmitted through casual contact only. It should involve exposure to the infected person’s body fluids.

HIV testing is done to determine HIV infection. HIV tests involve four methods depending on the length or interval of exposure from the day of HIV test.

Instant HIV testing

This involves an antibody test for people who had an exposure at least 3 months from the testing. Instant HIV testing can be in the form of HIV DNA test or HIV DUO test. This method is available from various HIV clinics.

HIV RNA PCR test

This involves blood tests for exposure that occurred more than 10 days from the day of the testing.

HIV DUO test

This test can be done to detect HIV infection from exposures that occurred more than 28 days from the day of testing.

HIV Antibody Test

This involves tests for people who had an exposure at least 3 months from the testing.

HIV tests involve the testing for HIV antibodies such as IgG or IgM. HIV antigens are also detected to determine the extent and severity of the disease. Additional blood tests may include the determination of the CD4 T Cell count, which is usually decreased in Human Immunodeficiency Virus or AIDS infection.

If you’re worried about HIV please contact Better2Know on the number above to book your confidential appointment for an HIV Test today.

Hepatitis is a growing problem, and the numbers of people with undiagnosed hepatitis is growing. If you are worried that you might be one of them, then this may be a good choice of screen for you. Better2Know launched its hepatitis screen in April 2012, and it is popular with our patients who have a specific worry.

The hepatitis screen needs a blood sample and the results are available the same day as the sample is received in the laboratory.  It is available in any of our STD clinics across the UK.

The screen tests for:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C

The hepatitis screen can be done 28 days after any incident you are concerned about.

If you have any questions please call the Better2Know booking team on the number above who are waiting for your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Chlamydia infection is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis. It is transmitted through sexual contact among individuals who have had multiple sexual partners. Chlamydia is a very contagious sexually transmitted disease which accounts for most of the STDs that have been reported. In fact, the occurrence of Chlamydia is three times the incidence of gonorrhea.

Symptoms of Chlamydia are often similar to the symptoms of Gonorrhea, so a definite diagnosis should be made to come up with the right treatment. Some individuals are asymptomatic and may experience manifestations later in the disease when complications arise.

Chlamydia symptoms in women

Half of women with Chlamydia are often asymptomatic. Female Chlamydia symptoms include:

• Mucopurulent discharge from the vagina and urethra
• Clear to white discharges coming out of the rectal area
• Painful urination or dysuria
• Rectal pain
• Edema on the cervix
• Post-coital bleeding
• Bleeding between periods or mid-cycle spotting
• Painful sexual intercourse of dyspareunia
• Abdominal Pain

More advanced disease may lead to salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes) and liver inflammation.

Complications of Chlamydia in Women

Chlamydia often leads to infertility in women as a result of inflammation in the fallopian tubes which results in constriction of the fallopian tubes. The egg cells are unable to travel through the tubes to meet sperm cells for fertilization. If this is not the case, the egg cell may be fertilized, yet, not able to travel to the uterus for implantation causing ectopic pregnancy.

Chlamydia infection may also be detrimental among pregnant women. The bacteria can lead to infection and cause amnionitis that may affect the growing fetus. However, it is never transmitted through placental perfusion, but may affect the neonate during vaginal delivery leading to eye infections. In cases of Chlamydia infections during pregnancy, an elective cesarean section is usually planned and employed to prevent contact of the neonate with the Chlamydia bacterial infection.

Treatment for Chlamydia usually involves the administration of the antibiotic doxycycline for 7 days or longer depending on the severity of the disease.

If you’re worried that you may have Chlamydia please contact Better2Know on the number above and book a quick and confidential appointment for a Chlamydia Test to put your mind at rest.

Syphilis is a systemic sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. The organism enters the body through abraded skin or intact mucous membrane exclusively by direct sexual contact. The transmission happens when there is contact with the syphilitic lesion. After the entry in the reproductive tract, the organism spread through the body by the lymphatic system and blood circulation.

When the spirochete reaches the organs in the body, it usually causes severe complications such as aneurysms.

Syphilis is the third most common STD, but its prevalence has been reduced due to the advent of antibiotics.

The risk factors for syphilis include being an adolescent, young adult, homosexual male or having multiple sexual partners.

Syphilis has four stages. The presence of syphilis symptoms differ at each stage. These include:

1. Primary stage – This stage involves the appearance of chancre and enlargement of the lymph nodes. Chancres are oval ulcers that appear on the genitals, anus or mouth. These sores disappear after 4 to 6 weeks.

2. Secondary Stage – This stage occurs 2 weeks to 8 months after the disappearance of the chancre. This stage involves the appearance of Condylomata lata, a highly contagious, broad based flat papules that develop in the labia, anus or corners of the mouth.

3. Latent Stage – This stage occurs 2 or more years after the appearance of primary lesions. In this stage, there are no symptoms and transmission is not possible through sexual contact. Some patients remain in this stage.

4. Late Stage – This stage of infection involves affectation of the other organs such as joint inflammation, bone disorders, aneurysms, heart valve involvement and CNS disorders. This stage, however, is not infectious.

Syphilis Test

Syphilis testing is important to prevent progress of the disease due to prompt treatment. Syphilis tests involve the collection of blood samples for laboratory testing such as the treponemal and non-treponemal syphilis tests including VDRL tests.

When the diagnosis is ascertained, treatment for syphilis usually includes the administration of antibiotics, specifically penicillins. Early stages of syphilis may only require a single dose of intramuscular penicillin. Late stages may require more frequent administration.

If you’re worried about Syphilis please contact Better2Know on the number above to book your confidential appointment for a Syphilis test today.

In advance of World Hepatitis Day this Saturday 28 July, The Hepatitis C Trust warns that high numbers of people remain unaware of the risks associated with the virus, which if left untreated can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer and even death.

Better2Know is now offering the latest in rapid HIV testing at many of its locations.  This HIV test gives results in just 20 minutes with over 99% accuracy just 26 days post your potential exposure. (The number of days is a minimum – so you can take the test at any time starting at day 26).  This test looks for HIV I and II antibodies as well as the p24 antigen.

This HIV test is available in:

London

Belfast

Cardiff

Cheltenham

Chichester

Edinburgh

Guildford

Liverpool

Manchester

Milton Keynes

Newcastle

Oxford

Portsmouth

Sheffield

Swansea

If you have any questions or want to book, please call us on the number above.

Herpes infection is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes virus. Herpes has two types: Herpes simplex type 1 and herpes simplex type 2. Herpes simplex type 1 is otherwise known as oral herpes while herpes simplex type 2 is genital herpes.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the United States, has approved the use of a drug called Truvada to prevent HIV.

Home STD testing is now available to diagnose STD’s without going to STD clinics. This is sometimes a more conventional way for STD testing because it saves time and also avoids stigma for the patient that goes for the diagnosis of STD. Patients are usually reluctant to go for tests because they fear being judged by other people. Home STD testing is the solution for the problems of patients who want to be tested for STD and is reliable, cost efficient and confidential.

STD’s vary and can include:

• HIV/AIDS
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Chlamydia
• Herpes (Herpes simplex Virus type 2)
• Genital warts or Human Papilloma Virus infection
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Ureaplasma
• Mycoplasma
• Candidiasis
• Trichomoniasis
• Non-specific Urethritis

The advantage of the Home STD test is the patient can choose whether to test the presence of most, if not all, of the STD’s or can choose what STD to check, depending on the possible exposure of the individual. Symptoms of STD’s are usually vague and often resemble each other, which makes the Full STD screening advantageous.

STD clinics offer home STD test kits that can be applied online. The home STD test kits are usually mailed to recipients where they collect urine samples and resend it back to STD clinics for testing. In this way, patients don’t have to be present for testing. Results are also reliable and quick and are sent to the recipient again. Results may also be checked online.

Home STD test kits compose of a specimen bottle for urine. These are mailed through posts from the online store or clinic. After which, the container is mailed back using prepaid postage. Results are available after 3 days or more depending on the STD to be checked.

By using the home STD kits, the privacy of the individual is protected. Private STD clinics also allow the use of false or anonymous names to protect the client. In addition, STD clinics also do not share the information to third parties, thereby ensuring confidentiality and maintaining privacy of the client.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia Trachomatis. It infects the reproductive tract and may lead to possible inflammations of the abdominal organs. Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease with an incidence of 2 million cases per year. Chlamydia is transmitted through intimate sexual intercourse.

A report by the National AIDS Trust has found that police advice on dealing with their own risk of HIV and that of people in custody is outdated and inaccurate.

A study based in four different settings in London found that by testing people (regardless of their risk profile) for HIV.  The HINTS study was conducted between August 2009 and September 2010, in an A and E dept, inpatients dept, a skin conditions clinic, and a large GP practice.

As reported in our blog on 18 May 2012 the FDA in the US has now approved an over the counter HIV test which can provide a result at home in 20 to 40 minutes.  The test uses saliva which does have a higher rate of false positives, but recommends that all positive tests are followed up with a blood test.