It can be an incredibly challenging and emotional experience when disclosing an HIV positive status to close family, friends or a partner. Likewise, the challenges continue when telling other acquaintances such as an employer and work colleagues. There is likely to be a great deal of anxiety about how each person will react and, chances are, each person will react differently. Of course, with regards to your partner, disclosure is incredibly important as that person has also been at risk of infection and should be tested as soon as possible.

Once family and friends have been informed, they will have the opportunity to find out more about HIV and will hopefully be able to offer more support once they are better informed. There is still a fear that HIV and AIDS means that a loved one will die but that is not always the case now with the treatments available.

There is still a great deal of stigma surrounding HIV and many people still do not understand the virus or how it can and cannot be transmitted. This further complicates the decision to disclose an HIV positive status to friends and family.

There is no easy way to disclose HIV status and every person will have their own way of doing so. It is important that this step is taken at the person’s own pace. Counsellors at STD clinics or a GP can provide support throughout this process. It may also be useful to gain support from someone who has personal experience.

Yesterday, drug manufacturers were locked in discussions with the US Food and Drug Administration to allow males be vaccinated against HPV in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. The drug manufacturers argued that the HPV vaccine was not only highly beneficial to females, but would be effective and safe for males to use, as well as helping to prevent the disease from spreading.

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease in both the US and the UK and is the single biggest cause of cervical cancer in women. Recent surveys conducted in the US found the HPV, which also causes genital warts, was accountable for 70% of cervical cancer cases.

It is estimated that up to 25% of females aged between 9 and 26 in the US have already received the vaccine, which prevents types 16 and 18 HPV (most common cause of cervical cancer) and 2 types of HPB that cause genital warts.

Medical professionals are welcoming the news, with many of them believing that the vaccine should be given to both sexes. The side effects of giving the vaccine to males are said to be minimal, and will mostly be confined to soreness at the injection site.

Carolyn Moore from Planned Parenthood said that: “There are women who aren’t going to get it so if we can prevent men from spreading it, that would help a lot in preventing cervical cancer”.

Adding that, “Men and boys would receive the direct benefit of preventing genital warts for themselves as well”.

Genital herpes is a common STD which is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two strains – HSV I and HSV II. Both can affect the genitals and anal area and can cause cold sores in the mouth and nose.

Genital herpes is transmitted through cracked skin or in moist areas such as the mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina, rectum and urethra. It is impossible to get herpes from hugging or sharing towels, clothing or cups and plates.

This STD can lie dormant for long periods and during this time it is not infectious. Some people with no symptoms of genital herpes can still shed the virus from their skin or mucous membranes. This is called viral shedding. However, the risk of passing or catching the infection this way is very low.

Many people who have genital herpes do not have any symptoms. If symptoms do appear, it can be weeks, months or years after the date of infection. Symptoms can include flu-like illness such as fever and aching and also stinging and tingling in the genital area. Fluid-filled blisters can appear at the infected sites. These can burst after a day or two which can be very painful.

Treatment is usually prescribed for the first episode of genital herpes to relieve pain and discomfort and to prevent the infection from spreading. However, recurring episodes are usually milder and may clear up faster without the need for medication. If no treatment is given, a flare up of genital herpes will clear up by itself. Cold sore medication will not treat genital herpes.

It is important to use a condom to prevent the virus being spread between sexual partners.

New figures released by local health bosses in England have shown that the Chlamydia screening program has failed to reach its target of testing 17% of 15–24 year olds. Chlamydia is now the UK’s most common sexually transmitted disease (STD), with over 120,000 new cases diagnosed last year.

The government’s target for Chlamydia screening is 17%, but in some areas as little as 5% of young people were tested; this is far below the 35% many health experts predict is needed to prevent the disease from spreading.

This is the second year in a row that local health trusts have failed to meet the 17% target, and it is now estimated that up to one in ten 15-24 year olds has the disease, double that of a decade ago.

Simon Blake from the sexual health charity Brook said that the new screening figures were unsatisfactory, stating that: “We’re really worried about Chlamydia, if you only test 14% of young people, even if they are treated, the chances are there will be re-infection throughout the population. So we have to get 35% tested to get it under control.”

Anyone who has any symptoms of Chlamydia or feels that they may have contracted the disease is urged to take a STD test straight away.

A new study released yesterday has shown that the infection rate of HIV in South Africa has levelled off at 10.9% for individuals aged two and over. The study also seems to suggest that the rate of new HIV cases in children and teenagers is falling.

The study, which was conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council warned that although the figure were looking promising, the overall outlook remained dire, as South Africa has the biggest HIV-positive population in the world, at 5.5 million.

Women are still most affected by the HIV virus in South Africa, with 33% of 20 – 34 year olds carrying the infection.

Olive Shisana, who led the study, which tested over 20,000 people, said that the results were, “promising findings of a changing pattern of HIV infection among children and youth”.

Adding that, “The good news is that the change in HIV prevalence in children is most likely attributable to the successful implementation of several HIV-prevention interventions”.

The study showed that HIV prevalence had fallen in children aged between 2 and 14 from 5.6% in 2002 to 2.5% last year, and that there was also a fall in new HIV cases amongst 15 – 19 year olds.

The use of condoms has also dramatically increased, with 87% of men between 15 and 24 saying that they used a condom during their last sexual encounter, up from 57% in 2002. The percentage of women using condoms for the same age group also rose from 46% in 2002 to 73% in 2008.

Pregnant women are just as susceptible to STDs as anyone else who is sexually active. However, the consequences of contracting an STD or carrying an asymptomatic STD while pregnant are considerably more dangerous both for the woman and for her unborn child. Women, particularly when they are pregnant, need to be aware of the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and learn how to protect themselves against them.

STDs can be life threatening in pregnancy. They can cause cancers, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and other complications. A further complication is that many of the STDs can be present without any symptoms. It is possible that premature labour, premature water breaking and post natal uterine infections can be caused by the presence of one or more STDs in a pregnant woman.

Of course, one of the major risks is that the infection is passed onto the baby. This can occur in the womb via the placenta which can have serious consequences on the developing foetus. STDs such as Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and hepatitis B can be passed from the mother to the baby during the birthing process. HIV can be transmitted while giving birth but also through breastfeeding. It is possible for a baby to be born without symptoms, only to find the effects appear months or even years later. Symptoms can include conjunctivitis which can lead to blindness, low birth weight, pneumonia, blood infections, hepatitis, meningitis, liver disease/failure.

Treatment of STDs in pregnant women is usually through antibiotics.

There are four stages of HIV:

1. Primary infection stage
2. Clinically asymptomatic stage
3. Symptomatic HIV infection
4. Progression from HIV to AIDS.

The primary infection stage only lasts for a number of weeks and the person may also suffer from flu-like symptoms. About one fifth of people would suffer enough to see a doctor but HIV is rarely diagnosed on this alone. At this point the immune system is starting to react to the virus by manufacturing HIV antibodies and cytotoxic lymphocytes, a process known as seroconversion. An HIV test carried out before this process is complete may be negative or inconclusive.

On average the clinically asymptomatic stage lasts for ten years. Aside from swollen glands, a person is largely symptomless at this stage. HIV antibodies can now be found in the blood and therefore an HIV test will give a positive result. HIV is still active within the lymph nodes at this time. The viral load test measures the small amount of HIV which gets away from the lymph nodes. This is very important in the treatment of HIV.

The immune system becomes seriously damaged by HIV over the years. The lymph nodes and tissues are damaged or destroyed and the body cannot continue to replace the lost T-helper cells as the HIV becomes stronger and more varied. Symptoms develop as the immune system fails. The symptoms worsen as the immune system starts to slow down. This is the time when infections known as “opportunistic” infections and cancers can occur.

When the immune system becomes increasingly damaged and the illnesses are increasing in frequency and severity, an AIDS diagnosis is given.

There are many different types of tests available to detect Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The most likely is a physical examination. The nurse will check your genitalia, or other body parts which may have been infected, for signs of infection.

For genital warts, the signs of infection are visible warts on the cervix, vulva or vaginal wall. This can also be diagnosed through biopsy. Treatments include cryotherapy (freezing), electrocautery (heating), creams or liquids.

A urine test or a swab sample from the urethra should diagnose Chlamydia, of which there are often no visible symptoms. Treatment is by antibiotics which should clear the infection if the course is completed.

Similarly, detection of gonorrhea is via a cell sample from cervix, urethra, rectum or throat. Treatment is also a full course of antibiotics.

The diagnosis of syphilis will be made using a urine sample, blood sample, cell sample of infected area or physical examination. Antibiotics, in tablet or injection form, are used to treat it.

Trichomoniasis is diagnosed through a physical examination when a cell sample is taken or it can be detected through a routine smear test. Treatment is via antibiotics.

HIV testing is done through a sample of blood being examined for HIV antibodies. If these antibodies are detected then the result is HIV positive. A second test should be carried out in order to confirm this result. There is no cure for HIV but drug treatments will be prescribed including antiretroviral drugs which prolong life and inhibit AIDS development.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection and is usually spread during sexual contact, but can also be passed on through intravenous drug use and from an infected pregnant mother to her child. There are three stages in Syphilis, which are: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary and symptoms can be hard to recognise.

Primary Syphilis is the first stage and symptoms can appear between 10 days and three months, but this varies depending on the individual. The most common symptom of Syphilis is the appearance of a painless sore, which usually develops on the genitals or rectum, but can also appear on the tongue or lips; these are called chancre. The chancre will usually disappear in a few weeks, and if left untreated, the infection will move onto the secondary stage.

Secondary Syphilis has a range of symptoms that are non-specific and can often be hard to recognise, ranging from, a non-itchy rash covering certain parts of your body such as your hands and feet, tiredness, headaches and swollen lymph glands. These symptoms can disappear in a matter of weeks or can come and go over the course of months.

Tertiary Syphilis will often lay dormant for long periods of time, from years to even decades after the initial stages and can have serious symptoms depending on the part of the body the infection spreads to. Tertiary Syphilis can be extremely dangerous and cause, strokes, paralysis, blindness, deafness and even heart disease.

Since the end of the Second World War, the rate of Syphilis fell due to new antibiotics, but over the past decade the number of diagnosed case has increased: there were nearly 2700 new cases of Syphilis in the UK during 2008.

Scientists in London have been given a £2 million grant to develop a self-monitoring device for HIV sufferers. The device itself will be similar to the blood-testing devices used by diabetics and will monitor HIV levels, alerting the user about impending flare ups or if they need to see a doctor.

NHS consultant Dr Ann-Maria Goretti said that it will be particularly useful if: “patients neglect to take their treatments or need prompting to see their GP, the device will provide a simple way of letting them know”.

And added that: “It will really empower HIV patients to keep a close eye on their health and their treatments.”

As well as monitoring sufferer’s condition and reducing regular visits to the doctor, this new device can be a benefit to developing countries, where there is a genuine need for fast and affordable ways to monitor HIV patients.