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Sometimes, when you’re getting close with someone, you can end up passing on more than names and numbers. This section looks at the stuff you can catch when you don’t stay On Top, what to look for and – most importantly – how to avoid it in the first place.

1Ok, first-things-first – what’s an STI?
2Should I be bothered about getting one?
3Why’s everyone banging on about Chlamydia?
4What’s a screen?
5How do I get a screen?
6What happens if I have Chlamydia?
7What happens if I don’t have Chlamydia?
8Ok, that’s Chlamydia, are there any others I need worry about?

1Ok, first-things-first – what’s an STI?

STI stands for Sexually Transmitted Infection. Things like Chlamydia, Herpes and Genital Warts – nasty stuff you can catch if you don’t wear a condom… but then you know that already.

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2Should I be bothered about getting one?

What do you think!? Weird gunge and funny smells, spots and sores, warts an’ all, not to mention possible fertility problems if you want to have kids later on. If STIs are left untreated for too long they can turn nasty – don’t take them lightly.

And just to make things difficult, some STIs don’t have any symptoms. So not only is it hard to tell if the person you’re with has one, but you could have one yourself… without even knowing!

Apart from all that, do you think anyone will want to get with you if you’re carrying anything other than a condom?

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3Why’s everyone banging on about Chlamydia?

You’re right, there’s a lot of stuff out there on Chlamydia, but that’s because it’s the most common STI in the UK. In fact, when tested, 1 in 14 people aged 15–24 were found to have it! So, if you’ve got 14 mates, chances are one of them has Chlamydia. And if you have 14 partners… well, you do the maths.

Some other stuff you might want to know:

  • There are often no symptoms.
  • The only way to find out if you have it is by taking a screen.
  • Just one sesh of unprotected sex is enough to get it.
  • It can be easily treated using antibiotics…
  • …but if it’s not, you could end up infertile.
  • You can get it from oral, vaginal and anal sex…
  • …but not from kissing (on the mouth anyway!).

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4What’s a screen?

No, not the big piece of glass in your telly! It’s a quick and simple test you can take to find out if you have Chlamydia or not.

In Sefton, there’s a testing service specially developed for 15-24-year-olds. You can request a free test here or find the nearest GP that offers free tests in the ‘local services’ section.

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5How do I get a screen?

It’s easy:

  • Ask for a kit either from the doctor or the through this website.
  • Pee in the pot that comes with the kit.
  • Fill in your details on a form.
  • Send it off.
  • Wait for a text message with your results.
  • They can also test for Gonorrhea at the same time if you like.

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6What happens if I have Chlamydia?

  1. Don’t panic! Chlamydia is easy to treat with free antibiotics – the Chlamydia Screening Office (CSO) will refer you to a local venue for FREE treatment and further advice. Saying that, you should treat it as early as possible to prevent any complications.
  2. Ask your partner(s) to get a test. They could have caught it off you and they might not know about it. If they don’t get tested, too you could re-catch it which won’t get rid of the problem.
  3. Learn from the experience. Use a condom in future! You can get a range of brand name condoms and lubricants for free from any ISIS clinic or if you’re under 19, anywhere where you see the C-Card Plus logo. Click here for more info.

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7What happens if I don’t have Chlamydia?

Celebrate! But don’t get forget what just happened – make sure you wear a condom every time. And now you know the test isn’t that scary, start having one every six months and every time you sleep with a new partner, just to be on the safe side.

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8Ok, that’s Chlamydia, are there any others I need worry about?

Well, now you mention it…

Gonorrhea

Another common infection that can also cause fertility problems (similar to Chlamydia). Luckily (if that’s the right word) you’re more likely to have a symptom with this one: a greenish discharge with a nasty smell (that’ll teach you!). It’s easily treated with antibiotics, but if you don’t get it seen to straight away, it could lead to even more pain and long-term infertility.

Genital Warts

Again, quite a common one: warts that can occur around the penis, bum or vagina. Hard lumps that can be itchy and uncomfortable – they’re normally treated with creams or sometimes removed through freezing. Saying that, even if you get rid of the warts, the virus can stay in your body and break out again later down the line.

Syphilis

Worryingly, this one’s become much more common lately. It’s detected through blood samples and can be treated with antibiotics. Syphilis develops in three separate stages:

  • A painless ulcer on the genitals or cervix (not always noticeable)
  • An unusual rash and flu-like symptoms
  • The third stage can lead to serious health problems, but fortunately reaching this stage without treatment is very rare in the UK.

Genital Herpes

This usually starts with an itching or tingling sensation around your bum, penis or vagina. This is followed by an outbreak of fluid-filled blisters and maybe headaches, backache and pain when having a wee.

Believe it or not, there’s actually no cure for Herpes, only treatment to make the pain and discomfort calm down. It’s possible for a person to have more outbreaks in the future, even though they’ve been diagnosed and treated.

HIV

As you know, there’s no cure for HIV. People with the virus may have it for up to 10 years before showing any signs or symptoms. It’s passed on through unprotected anal or vaginal sex and in rare cases through oral sex.

It may also be passed on through sharing syringes for drug taking or from mother to baby during breastfeeding. Let’s be clear though, HIV is not passed on by sharing cutlery, toilet seats, swimming pools or shaking hands.

If you think you might be at risk of HIV, make sure you get tested as soon as possible. The treatment for HIV works much better the earlier it is used, so getting tested early can have a real effect on long term quality of life. To find out if you’re at risk, visit HIV Aware.

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For information on screening for other STIs, please visit ISIS or your local GUM Clinic: