Gay sti
New STI figures show continued increases among gay men
Latest figures published today (5 July 2016) from Widespread Health England (PHE) show there were 434,456 sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported in England in 2015; 54,275 of which were among gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, a 10% increase since 2014. Chlamydia was the most commonly diagnosed STI, accounting for 46% of diagnoses (200,288 cases), followed by genital warts (68,310 cases).
The 2015 statistics represent a small decrease (3%) when compared to 2014. This is primarily due to falls in diagnoses for chlamydia (4%) and genital warts (7%).
However, in the same period there were large increases in diagnoses of gonorrhoea (11%) and syphilis (20%), continuing the rising trends in these infections of the past 5 years. These rises have occurred mostly in male lover, bisexual or other men who possess sex with men.
The impact of STIs remains greatest in young people under the age of 25 years, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. The huge fall in genital warts seen this year in childish women is an expected positive influence of the national HPV vaccination programme.
Sexual health - Dr Gwen
What you need to know about STIs
A healthy sex animation is something many of us same-sex attracted guys enjoy, and while this is something we should be proud of, it can occasionally put us at risk of STIs. Testing positive for an STI should be nothing to be alarmed about, however there are ways you can reduce your chance – by testing regularly and using condoms. So what does STI mean?
STI stands for sexually transmitted infection. STIs can sometimes be transmitted when guys fuck or occupy in oral sex, through any exchange of fluids (semen, saliva and blood) or skin to skin contact.
There are many types of STIs and they can be viral, bacterial or parasitic in nature. Many do not illustrate symptoms, which is why regular testing is critical to avoid long-term effects on your health.
What are some prevalent STIs?
Most guys will probably know many of the more common or viral STIs. These include:
Bacterial STIs include:
STI Symptoms in Gay Men
Most common STIs present symptoms that initiate as irritations and pain around the arse, penis or balls (Chlamydia and Gonorrhea). Others fancy Hepatitis A, B and C arrive as flu-like symptoms and fatigue. STIs which do exhibit symptoms in men can vary on a case by case
Danish study finds that STI rates in gay men increase before they commence PrEP, not after
A Danish study which was able to chart the annual incidence of the three bacterial STIs, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis, in people attending sexual health clinics both before and after they started PrEP has found that they had more than twice as many (115% more) STI diagnoses while on PrEP than they had some time before starting it.
However it also set up that much of this increase in diagnoses was due to increased testing. While the average STI testing rate in people some time before starting PrEP was in the region of 50 tests per 100 person years (i.e. a test every two years), it was three to four tests per year in people on PrEP, with tests peaking each three months due to PrEP checkups.
When this was taken into account, the diagnosis rate of any of the bacterial STIs in people on PrEP was only 35% higher than it was before PrEP, and in the case of syphilis there was no significant increase.
Glossary
chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection, caused by bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. Women can get chlamydia in the cervix, rectum, or throat. Men
Sexual health for gay and bisexual men
Having unprotected penetrative sex is the most likely way to pass on a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Using a condom helps protect against HIV and lowers the risk of getting many other STIs.
If you’re a man having sex with men (MSM), without condoms and with someone new, you should acquire an STI and HIV examine every 3 months, otherwise, it should be at least once a year. This can be done at a sexual health clinic (SHC) or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic. This is crucial, as some STIs do not cause any symptoms.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that's spread by a virus in poo.
Hepatitis A is uncommon in the UK but you can gain it through sex, including oral-anal sex ("rimming") and giving oral sex after anal sex. MSM with multiple partners are particularly at risk. You can also get it through contaminated nourishment and drink.
Symptoms of hepatitis A can appear up to 8 weeks after sex and include tiredness and feeling sick (nausea).
Hepatitis A is not usually life-threatening and most people make a entire recovery within a couple of months.
MSM can avoid getting hepatitis A by:
- washing hands after se