STIs/STI Treatment

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections with almost 3 million new cases in the United States every year. It is a bacterial infection carried in semen and vaginal fluids and is passed through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Symptoms and Screening:

Most people with chlamydia have no symptoms and might have no idea they’re infected. If symptoms do appear, they may present as abnormal vaginal or penile discharge, swelling, or a burning sensation when urinating. It can also infect the throat or rectum. Screening is typically done by testing a urine sample or a vaginal self-swab, or by a self-swab of the throat or rectum. Using condoms with all sexual contact can help reduce the risk of acquiring chlamydia.

Treatment:

Chlamydia can be easily cured through antibiotic treatment, but if left untreated, the infection can lead to serious health problems like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and infertility.

If you are having symptoms of infection or if you were notified that one of your partners tested positive, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Here’s what to expect during your visit to Bridgercare.

Genital warts are a common symptom caused by certain types of HPV. They’re skin-colored or white bumps that appear on the skin of the genitals and anus, and while they can be annoying, they’re not dangerous and are treatable.

Signs & Symptoms:

They can be a single bump, or cluster together and have a “cauliflower-like” appearance. While some strains of HPV can cause cancer, the strains that result in genital warts are not the same strains as cancer-causing HPV. You can’t get them from touching warts on other parts of your or a partner’s body, like warts on the hands or feet. About 360,000 people get genital warts every year, spreading through skin-to-skin contact. Sometimes they appear weeks to years after exposure, and sometimes you can be carrying the virus and never show symptoms while still being able to pass the virus on to someone else.

Treating Genital Warts:

Sometimes the body fights off the virus on its own and they don’t require treatment, but several treatment options are available if you decide that’s what is best for you. They can be diagnosed through an exam by your provider. While they can be treated, they can’t be cured—even if the warts are gone, there’s no way to know if you’re still carrying the virus, so they may reoccur and they may not. Getting the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) helps prevent HPV strains that cause genital warts.

If you think you may have genital warts, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Gonorrhea is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can be spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Symptoms and Screening:

Most people with gonorrhea have no symptoms and might have no idea they’re infected. If symptoms do occur, they may appear as a burning sensation while urinating, unusual discharge from the penis or vagina that may be yellow or green in color, or vaginal bleeding between periods. The bacteria can also infect the rectum or throat. Screening is typically done by testing a urine sample or a vaginal self-swab, or by a self-swab the throat or rectum.

Treatment and Prevention:

Using condoms with all sexual contact can help reduce the risk of acquiring gonorrhea. Gonorrhea can usually be easily treated and cured with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can cause serious health issues such as the formation of scar tissue that blocks fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, or long-term pelvic pain.

If you are having symptoms of infection or if you were notified that one of your partners tested positive, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Here’s what to expect during your visit to Bridgercare.

What is HIV and how is it different than AIDS?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that can cause AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). HIV is a virus that breaks down certain cells in your immune system, which is your body’s defense against infections and other viruses. HIV is not the same as AIDS; someone can have HIV, but not have AIDS.

HIV damages the immune system making it harder for the body to fight off illness and infection. AIDS is a disease that is caused by the damage that HIV does to cells of the immune system and eventually leads to death.

HIV Symptoms:

People who are infected with HIV may not show any symptoms for years, so they may not know that they’re infected.

HIV Treatment:

Without any treatment, HIV leads to AIDS in about ten years. However, there are very effective treatments available that can slow the damage done by the virus and significantly reduce the risk of transmission to partners. HIV-positive individuals can live long and healthy lives with the treatments that are now available. For people who are at higher risk of acquiring HIV (like men who have sex with men or those who have an HIV-positive partner), there is a medication that can help lower your chances of getting HIV by over 90%. You can ask your provider about PrEP or Truvada.

Hepatitis means that there is inflammation of the liver and is usually caused by one of several kinds of viruses, the most common being Hepatitis A, B, and C. People infected with viral hepatitis often experience very mild symptoms for a few months, but Hepatitis B and C can progress to a chronic illness. Many people aren’t aware they’re infected and can live for decades without any symptoms. However, if left untreated, the infection can eventually lead to liver damage and cancer, cirrhosis, and other health issues.

Hepatitis B:

Hepatitis B is spread through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. Most people who are infected do not have symptoms and are unaware they are infected. You can have a short-term infection of Hepatitis B, or it can progress to a chronic infection. People who are at higher risk for Hepatitis B include those who have a sexual partner with Hepatitis B, inject drugs or share needles, men who have sex with men, and healthcare workers. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is through vaccination. This vaccine series is recommended in all infants. At Bridgercare, we can do a blood draw to see if you are immune to the Hepatitis B virus, as well as test for a current infection.

Hepatitis C:

Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood. The most common way Hepatitis C is spread is through injection drug use and sharing needles, syringes, or other supplies for injecting drugs. Before 1992, it was also spread through blood transfusions and organ donations, but now all blood is tested for the virus. It is recommended that people born between 1945 and 1965 be tested for Hepatitis C. Hepatitis C can also be spread from an infected mother to child during birth, and through needlestick injuries in healthcare workers. Less commonly, it can be spread through sharing personal items with someone infected with the virus and is unlikely to be spread through sexual contact.

Most people who are newly infected don’t show any symptoms, and it’s possible for a new infection can resolve on its own. More commonly, it can progress to a serious, chronic infection. There are multiple treatments available that can cure Hepatitis C. There is no vaccine to prevent Hepatitis C. You can be tested at Bridgercare with a rapid test that involves a drop of blood collected from a fingerstick and requires 20 minutes to show results. Depending on the results, you may have your blood drawn as well. The rapid test is accurate 12 weeks after potential exposure to the virus.

If you are having symptoms of infection or if you were notified that one of your partners tested positive, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Herpes is a common viral infection that can cause sores on your mouth and/or genitals. More than half of Americans have a form of herpes, either HSV-1, which usually affects the mouth (cold sores), or HSV-2, which typically causes symptoms on the genitals. However, HSV-1 can affect the genitals (often through oral sex), and HSV-2 can affect the mouth. It’s spread by skin-to-skin contact with infected areas.

Signs & Symptoms:

Sometimes no symptoms appear or aren’t noticed, so while people may not know they are infected, they may be spreading the virus asymptomatically. Herpes can cause painful, itchy blisters that come and go, and although it can be painful and annoying at times, it’s usually not dangerous.

Testing for Herpes:

The best way to test for herpes is a gentle swab of a lesion itself, ideally when it first appears. A blood sample may be taken to test for the virus if no symptoms are present, but it’s not typically recommended and it can take up to 12 weeks or more for a blood test to be accurate after an exposure.

Treatment for Herpes:

Medications are available to lessen the severity and length of outbreaks and help prevent them in the future, and people with herpes can lead perfectly healthy lives using these measures. Using condoms with sex can help lower the chance of spreading herpes, but because herpes can affect areas not covered by condoms, it’s important to be aware of symptoms leading to an outbreak.

If you are having symptoms of infection or if you were notified that one of your partners tested positive, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment. Bridgercare offers sliding scale fees and appointments are available Monday through Friday.

Molluscum contagiosum is a virus that causes a skin infection that is common in both children and adults. It’s spread by skin-to-skin contact like during sex, or through contact with an object with the virus on it, like a towel or washcloth.

Signs & Symptoms:

The virus causes small, round, skin-colored growths anywhere on the skin except for the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, and they usually don’t itch.

Testing for Molluscum:

Molluscum is diagnosed during an exam with your provider, and no tests are required. It usually goes away on its own without treatment, but if treatment is recommended, options include freezing or scraping off the Molluscum or applying medication to them. Sexual contact should be avoided until the bumps are healed, and items like towels, washcloths, razors, and personal equipment shouldn’t be shared to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

If you are having symptoms of infection or if you were notified that one of your partners tested positive, we recommend being seen as soon as possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Syphilis is a highly contagious bacterial infection that’s spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It can also be passed through prolonged kissing or close bodily contact, but it cannot be spread by toilet seats, doorknobs, swimming pools, hugging, or sharing utensils.

Signs & Symptoms:

Syphilis presents in several stages, initially causing sores on the genitals or mouth about 10-90 days after being exposed. Because the sores are painless, people often don’t notice them and might not know they have the infection, but it can easily be spread at this time. The secondary stage can begin within six weeks to six months after exposure and may last one to three months. During this time, people may experience a rash on their palms and soles of their feet, and might also find warts in the groin, white patches in their mouth, and experience other symptoms. During the latent phase, the infection lies dormant and doesn’t cause symptoms. If the infection isn’t treated, it can eventually cause severe problems with the heart, brain, and nerves.

Testing for Syphilis:

You can be tested for syphilis through a blood sample, which requires a blood draw. Syphilis can be easily treated with antibiotics at any stage, but some effects may be irreversible at later stages. Using condoms with all sexual contact can help reduce the risk of acquiring syphilis. Here’s what to expect during your visit to Bridgercare.