The most effective way to avoid transmitting syphilis or any STD is to practice abstinence or be in a monogamous relationship where both partners are known to be free of any STDs or STIs (sexually transmitted infections).

Other recommendations include avoiding excessive use of alcohol or drugs as our inhibitions are clouded when under the influence of these substances, which may lead to promiscuity or risky sexual behaviours.

It is of the utmost importance that sexual partners are open with each other and disclose any STDs that they have been exposed to so that preventative measures can be agreed upon.

The use of condoms can greatly reduce the risk of contracting syphilis. In many cases the sores (chancres) that appear once one is infected are in the genital area. Latex condoms will protect one from contracting the infection should this be the case. However, if the sores are on other areas of the body that are not covered, a condom will not offer you protection or prevent you from spreading the infection to others.

The spreading of STDs cannot be prevented by cleansing the genital area by douching or urinating after sex. Should you experience any abnormal discharge, soreness, or rashes in the genital region you should abstain from having sexual intercourse and visit your doctor or a nearby STD clinic strait away.

Once you have been treated for syphilis it is necessary to refrain from having sexual relations until you are certain that the symptoms of syphilis have completely subsided. Being considerate of your sexual partners, you should notify them immediately if you have syphilis so that they can be tested and receive adequate treatment if need be. This will also help to stop the spreading of the condition to others.

When you are worried that your may have contracted an STD, it is important that you get an STD test quickly. Waiting for your results can be stressful for both you and your sexual partner and that is why many people are now choosing private STD testing clinics, as opposed to their local GP.

STD test results can take up to two weeks to come back from an NHS doctor, but at a private testing clinic, results are usually given to you the same day or within 48 hours of being tested. People also use private STD clinics because they are 100% confidential; your NHS doctor will put the results onto your medical record, where it can be seen by third parties.

Private STD clinics are also 100% anonymous, no medical records are taken and none of the information is shared with third parties. You can also give a false name and receive your test results either in person or over the phone.

Sexually active people who have more than one partner are advised to have regular STD tests, as many of the symptoms are subtle or easily mistaken; many people do not know that they have an STD until other problems surface.

Gay men are being warned about the risk of contracting HIV as figures show a higher rate of new diagnoses. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) nearly 40% of the 7,370 cases of HIV in 2008 were in gay men; double the number of a decade ago.

Recent studies into sexual behaviour have suggested that there are still high numbers of gay men that engage in unprotected sex, but new diagnoses of HIV within the gay community has fallen slightly over the past few years.

HIV expert at the HPA, Dr Barry Evans said: “Gay men continue to be the group in the UK most at risk of acquiring HIV”.

Adding that, “Safe sex is the best way to protect against HIV infection.”

The figures show that overall new diagnoses had fallen from 7,660 in 2007, and that cases affecting gay men was also down from 3,050 to 2,830, but the HPA was still concerned about the number of late diagnoses, with around 20% of gay men’s diagnoses coming beyond the point when treatment should of started; this greatly increases the chance of death within the first year.

A recent study by disease experts has found that one in four TB deaths are HIV related, nearly double that as previously thought. The World Health Organization says that the co-infection is still a major challenge and that HIV and TB services should join together to treat the conditions in tandem.

Tuberculosis kills more people with HIV than any other disease, but only 1% of people with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus were screened for Tuberculosis in 2008. It is estimated that in 2007 there was 1.37 million new cases of TB in HIV sufferers worldwide and over 450,000 deaths.

Director of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan said: “These findings point to an urgent need to find, prevent and treat TB in people living with HIV and to test for HIV in all patients with TB”.

And added that: “Countries can only do that through stronger collaborative programmes and stronger health systems that address both diseases.”

According to the Health Protection Agency, UK cases of TB have increase 2% since 2007 rising to 8,679 cases in 2008. London still has the most new diagnoses of TB with 3,415 reported cases in 2008, about 39% of the total for the whole of the UK.

A recent study conducted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has indicated that one in four teenage girls in the US has an STD (sexually Transmitted Disease). The study, which analysed data from 838 girls between the ages of 14 and 19, also found a higher percentage of STD rates in black girls.

The research found that nearly 50% of the African-American girls studied had at least one sexually transmitted disease, while white and Mexican-American girls with STD’s was around 20%.

Human Papilloma Virus (which causes cervical cancer) was the most common STD, followed by Chlamydia, trichomoniasis and herpes. The CDC has stated that the study is the first of its kind, examining the prevalence of STD’s amongst teenage girls.

A spokesperson from the CDC, Devin Fenton said that the issue was serious and that: “Screening, vaccination and other prevention strategies for sexually active women are among our highest public health priorities”.

The CNC also recommended that there should be an annual Chlamydia screening test for sexually active women under the age of 25, and Human Papilloma Virus vaccines for girls aged 11 and 12.

Gonorrhoea is an extremely infectious sexually transmitted disease. It is caused by a bacteria know as Neisseria Gonorrhoea. It affects the mucous membranes of the genitals which become swollen with no other initial complications. In men and women, symptoms vary. In males, gonorrhoea initiates as an infection of the urethra. In females, it usually attacks the cervix. Should this disease be left untreated, severe medical conditions may arise.

Incidences of Gonorrhoea, also known as “the clap”, have declined consistently since the 1980’s. This is attributed to campaigns to educate the public about the risks and complications of becoming infected by STDs. Nonetheless, there are up to one million cases in the UK each year. It is difficult to gauge the actual number of cases because of the privacy afforded to patients that may lead to under-reporting.

Gonorrhoea affects people of all creeds, ages, and social status. However, statistics show that individuals of different age groups are at higher risk than others. Teenagers and young adults (ages 15-29) make up over eighty percent of all reported cases each year. People that engage in sexual intercourse with multiple partners and practice “unsafe sex” are at the highest risk of contracting the disease.

As with most STDs, Gonorrhoea is transmitted through an array of sexual activities. Men and women alike can contract the disease through oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse. The disease has a very high rate of transmittal from one person to the next. After just one encounter with an infected male a women will contract the disease up to ninety percent of the time.

Being HIV positive and pregnant does not automatically mean that your child will develop the virus. If a pregnant woman does not have any treatment for the condition, then the unborn baby has between 20 and 45% chance of being infected with the virus. The virus can be transmitted during the pregnancy through the placenta, during the birth via contact with bodily fluids and can also be passed on through breast milk.

However, in the UK nine out of ten women with the HIV virus are diagnosed before or during pregnancy. Most women are treated with anti-retroviral drugs during their pregnancy and take preventative measures during and after the birth; this can reduce their child’s risk of catching the virus to under 2%.

Having a caesarean section also reduces the risk to the baby, but if the HIV is well managed, a natural birth may not increase the risk either.

Testing a child for HIV is difficult, because every new born baby whose mother is HIV positive has antibodies to the virus in their blood. These antibodies will disappear over time if the child does not have the HIV virus. This can take up to 18 months, so you will not be able to tell for sure if they have contracted the virus until they are nearly two years old.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases, otherwise known as STDs, are a group of diseases that are transmitted through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse is defined as anal, vaginal, or oral intercourse. STDs can be bacterial or viral; some can be life threatening, can cause infertility, or severely uncomfortable symptoms, while other STDs may be dormant and show no signs or cause any health related complications until years later.

The medical community reports that sexually transmitted diseases are widespread and affect thousands upon thousands of people throughout the UK and worldwide. Over the last decade the largest increase in incidents of STDs has been in our teenage population.

Educating our society about sexually transmitted diseases, their affects, and prevention measures are the keys to helping our society control the spreading of these conditions. There are many types of STDs that affect one’s health and quality of life in various ways. Some of these diseases do not have a cure and the infected person will be a carrier of the disease for the rest of their lives. A couple of examples of incurable STDs are genital herpes and HIV.

If you are worried about HIV Better2know offer HIV Testing in London and many other locations throughout the UK.

Prevention is highly emphasised as the only way to control the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases. Practicing safe sex, knowing your partner’s health history, and abstinence are the best ways to avoid transmitting a viral or bacterial STD. Throughout this site you will learn about the different types of STDs, signs and symptoms you should be aware of, and the various treatment options that are available today.

When first becoming infected with the virus it is possible that you will feel ill with a minor fever, aches, and pains - much like having a common cold or flu. Clusters of little, but painful, blisters will materialize in the genital and/or anal region. The tendency is for the blisters to show up in crops over a one to two week period. They then turn into smaller sores.

In males, the glands of the groin area may become swollen and you may feel as though there are lumps in the upper part of your legs. Females often experience unusual discharge from the vagina. Both men and women may experience discomfort when urinating. The blisters and sores endure for up to fourteen days and slowly but surely mend without leaving any scars.

In some cases symptoms are much milder. You may only have an area around your genitals that feels irritated and raw or only one or two blisters erupt. For those that are fortunate symptoms may only last a few days. In addition, you can become infected and never experience any symptoms for months or even years later.

Also, it is not uncommon for a person to never develop any symptoms whatsoever following infection. In fact, this is the case for approximately four out of five people. It may be for some of these individuals, the outbreaks they experience are so mild that they are not even aware that they have contracted genital herpes. It is important to remember that infected individuals, whether they have had a breakout or not, can pass the infection on during sexual intercourse.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system and leaves the infected person with a greater risk of contracting a serious infection or disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there are 33 million sufferers of HIV worldwide, and also estimates that the virus has claimed upward of 25 million lives since the pandemic began in the early 1980’s.

HIV infects CD4 blood cells, which are responsible for fighting infections and once infected, the CD4 cells are destroyed leaving the body open to infections and diseases. In an attempt to stop the virus, the body will try to produce more CD4 cells, which will eventually be destroyed, leading to the immune system stopping.

The HIV virus is particularly prevalent in sub-Sanaran Africa and although not as widespread in the UK, it is still estimated that there are 73,000 people with the infection, with 30% of people not knowing that they have the virus.

The most common way in which the HIV virus is spread is through sexual intercourse and exchanging bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal fluids and blood. This is not the only way of contracting the virus, which can also be spread by sharing intravenous syringes and can be passed onto an unborn baby if the mother is HIV positive; however it is now possible to prevent HIV from being passed from mother to child.

The HIV virus most commonly affect gay men who have had unprotected sex, but it is now estimated that up to one in ten cases of HIV are transmitted during heterosexual sex.

Anyone who feels that they or their partners may be at risk of HIV, must go for a HIV test immediately, using a private HIV testing clinic will ensure that you get your results back within 2-3 days; it can take up to 2 weeks to get your HIV results back from your local GP.