Stay Safe I Sex & Drugs I STIs

Females

Males

There are often no symptoms - up to 75% of females with chlamydia do not have symptoms. The other 25% experience a burning feeling when urinating, unusual vaginal discharge or pain in the lower belly.

There are often no symptoms - up to 50% of males with chlamydia show no symptoms. Those that do may get a whiteish-yellow discharge from the penis or a burning sensation when urinating.

You have oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom.

If untreated it can lead to infertility in both females and males.

Usually a single dose of antibiotics from your doctor or a health worker.

Females

Males

There are often no symptoms, but some may have lower belly pain or an unusual vaginal discharge, but there are often no obvious symptoms. Most males and females with gonorrhoea of the throat or rectum have no symptoms, but some may get a sore throat or discharge from the rectum.

Most males will get a yellow discharge from the penis and pain when urinating within one week of getting infected.

You have oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom.

If untreated it can lead to infertility in both females and males.

Gonorrhoea can be cleared with a single dose of antibiotics from your doctor or health worker.

While symptoms may not appear for some time, herpes can cause painful, tingling, or itching blisters or ulcers. Other symptoms include aching muscles and fever.

HSV Type 1

HSV Type 2

Usually causes cold sores around the mouth which can be transferred to the genitals through oral sex.

Causes blisters around the genitals and anus which can be transferred to the mouth through oral sex.

You have vaginal or anal sex. If someone has a herpes sore (a cold sore) on their mouth it can be transmitted to their partner’s genitals through oral sex. It is spread by skin-to-skin contact with the infected area. If a condom doesn’t cover the area, it can be passed on.

While you can never get rid of the virus, the first attack is usually the worst, then the outbreaks should happen less often and be less painful as time goes on.

There is no cure for herpes but there are medications to cut down the pain and help the blisters heal faster. Some medications can help control the virus so that a person gets less sores, less often. Talk to your doctor or health worker.

Males & Females

Genital warts are usually painless and start as small swellings on the penis, vulva, vagina or anus sometimes developing into cauliflower like lumps, although some can be flat and hard to see. Some will not notice any symptoms. Even though lots of people have it, the immune system usually keeps it under control, but some strains of the virus (not the same ones that cause genital warts) can lead to cancer of the penis, vagina, cervix, anus and mouth. It's important for a female to have a pap smear every two years once she has started having sex to check for any signs of cell change that might lead to cervical cancer.

You have vaginal or anal sex. Sometimes it can be passed on from the fingers to the genitals, even when there are no visible symptoms.

If warts are untreated they can multiply so it’s best to have them treated.

The doctor can remove the warts, but the virus will still be there.

You have vaginal, oral or anal sex without a condom.

The rash might go away, but the infection is still in the body and a person may have no signs or symptoms for years before the third stage develops.

Syphilis can be treated with special antibiotics prescribed by your doctor and cured if treated in the early stages