Syphilis on the Rise Among Gay, Bisexual Men: CDC

The number of cases of syphilis in the United States jumped 10 percent from 2012 to 2013, with gay and bisexual men accounting for 75 percent of the increase, U.S health officials reported Tuesday.

Rates of another sexually transmitted disease -- chlamydia -- fell for the first time in 30 years, with more than 1.4 million reported cases in 2013. This represented a 1.5 percent decrease from 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"There are over 20 million cases of sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] every year in the United States, and they continue to pose a risk of lifelong complications for millions of Americans," said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.

According to the report, 17,357 cases of syphilis were reported in 2013 -- a rate of 5.5 per 100,000 people.

There are a variety of reasons that put gay and bisexual men at high risk for syphilis, said Mermin.

"Some are the high number of sexual partners and sexual networks that create a vicious cycle where the prevalence of syphilis is higher. And that leads to higher incidence, which leads to higher prevalence, and that cycle can increase the frequency of infection," he said.

Dr. Jill Rabin, co-chief of the division of ambulatory care in the Women's Health Programs-PCAP Services at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., called the increase in syphilis cases "very alarming."

"Syphilis is like the canary in the coal mine for HIV," the virus that causes AIDS, she said. "People are going to be positive for syphilis before they are diagnosed with HIV. This means that there is a potential increase in HIV cases."

The sores caused by syphilis make it easier to get or give someone HIV. If pregnant, syphilis can cause birth defects, or you could lose your baby. In rare cases, syphilis causes serious health problems and even death, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Syphilis is easy to cure with antibiotics if caught early.

For chlamydia, the infection rate was about 447 per 100,000 people in 2013. Cases remain of chlamydia remain concentrated among young women, according to the report.

If left untreated, chlamydia can result in severe reproductive health complications, including ectopic pregnancy, a life-threatening condition in which the fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus, and infertility.

Infections of a third sexually transmitted disease -- gonorrhea -- remained roughly unchanged from 2012 to 2013, at a rate of 106 per 100,000 people. There were 333,004 reported cases in 2013. Mermin said the rate of drug-resistant gonorrhea has slowed and there is still an effective antibiotic to treat it.

Fred Wyand, a spokesman for the American Sexual Health Association, said the stigma of a sexually transmitted disease shouldn't keep people from being diagnosed and treated.

"Having an STD doesn't mean someone is dirty or broken," he said. "Far from it.

"One of the great barriers to having sexual health conversations is the sense of embarrassment. People need to have frank, open conversations," he added. "It's not about sex, it's about health."

Read the article and find an STD testing center near you.

Smartphone Device Detects HIV, Syphilis

A smartphone accessory that can detect HIV and syphilis has been developed by Columbia University researchers.

The low-cost device can spot markers of the infectious diseases from a finger prick of blood in 15 minutes. It's the first smartphone accessory that replicates all the functions of a laboratory-based blood test, according to the researchers.

The device was tested by health care workers in Rwanda who used it to analyze blood samples from 96 patients. The health care workers were given 30 minutes of training on the device, and 97 percent of the patients had a positive response to the device.

The findings were published Feb. 4 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

"Our work shows that a full laboratory-quality immunoassay can be run on a smartphone accessory," team leader Samuel Sia, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, said in a university news release.

"This kind of capability can transform how health care services are delivered around the world," Sia added.

However, one expert was more cautious about the possibilities of the device.

"This is a new technology that uses smartphones to detect antibodies against HIV and syphilis. Although an encouraging development, there are significant limitations, such as comparison with confirmatory tests in standardized laboratories," said Dr. Ambreen Khalil, an infectious disease specialist at Staten Island University Hospital, in Staten Island, N.Y.

Khalil noted that the device might work well in areas where it is hard to get adequate health care and medical resources are limited.

"It would be interesting to evaluate its performance in other settings as well," Khalil said.

The device -- called a dongle -- is small and light enough to fit into a hand, uses little power and will cost about $34 to make, according to the researchers.

"Our dongle presents new capabilities for a broad range of users, from health care providers to consumers," Sia said.

"By increasing detection of syphilis infections, we might be able to reduce deaths by 10-fold. And for large-scale screening, where the dongle's high sensitivity with few false negatives is critical, we might be able to scale up HIV testing at the community level with immediate antiretroviral therapy that could nearly stop HIV transmissions and approach elimination of this devastating disease," he added.

Read the article and find an STD testing center near you.

3 reasons seniors should have HIV and STD testing done

Whether you’re dating at 18 or 78, there’s one thing that should take place: STD testing. STDs and HIV has been on the rise among seniors in recent years; the CDC reports that rates of chlamydia and syphilis among ages 45 to 64 have nearly tripled in the last decade. Gonorrhea is also on the rise. Here are three reasons for STD testing among this population:

1. Lack of sex education. Many people 50 years or older never had a formal sex ed course in high school and may not think this topic is relevant. However, while pregnancy may not be a consequence of sex anymore, STDs and HIV remain prevalent, and many seniors are unaware of the basics of STD and HIV prevention. Condoms provide excellent protection against most STDs, not just pregnancy. These prophylactics may seem alien to many seniors who relied on oral contraceptives and other forms of birth control during years of marriage and without proper condom use, STDs spread.
2. Menopause. After menopause, women no longer need to worry about unwanted pregnancies, which may lead to a disregard of condoms as mentioned in the first point. Furthermore, menopause causes bodily changes that make women more susceptible to HIV and STDs. Thinning of the vaginal walls and vaginal dryness can cause small, microscopic cuts which allow as an entry point for HIV.
3. Viagra and Internet dating. It’s actually two reasons, but combined, these elements increase ability and opportunity for dating among seniors. Combined with the lack of sex ed and no threat of pregnancy, this puts the demographic at risk for STDs and HIV. Seniors shouldn’t be denied dating, sex and companionship (80% of those between 50 and 90 are sexually active), but as we advise the rest of the dating population, safe sex is the best sex.

Testing is fast and easy. Find an STD testing center near you or go online and check out the home test kits (scroll to the bottom). Test in the privacy of your home when it's convenient for you. Everything you need is in the kit including postage.

What is online STD testing?

Online STD testing is a fairly new concept. The actual STD testing process doesn’t take place online; STD testing is available for purchase online and then testing is performed at a lab near you or at home.

Online STD Testing vs. Traditional Testing

Ordering STD tests online from a service like getSTDtested.com offers more convenience and privacy compared to traditional testing routes, and it's quick and easy. A doctor’s office or free clinic require appointments and often long waits. Online STD testing allows you to order a test from your computer, test immediately without an appointment and receive your results in about 3 days. Many of these labs are open on Saturday, so you can test around your busy schedule.

Online STD Testing Options

Testing is available at over 4,000 labs in the continental United States and Alaska. When testing at a lab there is no need to answer intrusive questions about your sex life or undress for an examination. Certified phlebotomists will take a urine and/or blood sample which are then shipped to a processing facility. From their the results come to us, not back to the lab, and you receive them as a password-protected pdf as soon as they arrive 

At-home STD testing is available for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and HIV. You can select STD tests online and have the kit mailed to your home or office. Everything, including postage, is provided. All you do is collect your sample and mail it to the lab for processing.

Online STD Testing is Confidential

Testing is confidential in most cases. STD testing is a personal matter, so your confidentiality is protected at all stages—from ordering to billing to treatment. Lab testing takes place at diagnostic laboratories that do more than STD testing (everything from cholesterol testing to diabetes screening), so no one will know the nature of your business execpt the phlebotomist who collects your specimen. And your personal information is never shared with insurance companies or third parties.

Testing is quick and easy. Find an STD testing center near you.

Survey says: friends with benefits use condoms more

According to one study, people in a “friends with benefits” relationship have safer sex. Those surveyed, primarily young adults in their mid-20s, use condoms during oral and vaginal sex more frequently than those in traditional relationships.

But don’t assume this makes friends-with-benefits sex safer, or riskier, than sex among those in committed relationships. Friends with benefits are much less likely to be monogamous (36% vs. 96%), have had more sex partners and didn’t use condoms during all encounters. Additionally, these survey participants were less sexually satisfied and had less communication about sex. 

Casual FWB relationships are common (there was even a recent movie with the same title); half of college students have engaged in this type of relationship. With the prevalence of these relationships, experts call for specific sex education surrounding these relationships.

So what can you do to keep a friends-with-benefits relationship healthy? Engage in open communication, continue using condoms, practicing safe sex and have regular STD testing performed.

Read the article and find an STD testing center near you.

STD FAQ: Does male STD testing require swabbing?

A large number of men fear STD testing for one reason: the dreaded swab. Sure, there’s nothing appealing about having a cotton swab insert into the penis, but there’s also nothing appealing about chlamydia. STD testing is a must for men, and fortunately, new technologies have made swabbing a thing of the past. (Hepatitis, herpes and HIV testing require a small blood sample.)

Painless urine-based STD tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea eliminate the need to swab. (Men should have a chlamydia test and gonorrhea test as part of their routine STD testing.) For men, getSTDtested.com only uses urine tests at their local labs (phew!). There’s no pain and no need to undress with this process. STD testing has never been easier!

However, many locations (especially low-cost clinics) still rely on swabbing as a test method. Do your research before testing, so there are no unpleasant surprises at the lab or doctor’s office. 

It's quick and easy. Find an STD testing center near you.

6 more common condom mistakes

Several months ago we published “6 Common Condom Mistakes.” We’re following up on that article with six more common condom mistakes. Condoms are a solid form of insurance (still, don't ignore STD testing as part of your safe sex rituals), but be sure to use them correctly, otherwise the benefits become null and void. Researchers at Indiana University found these additional rubber wrongdoings:

1. Early removal. A handful of survey respondents—13.6 to 44.7%—reported removing the condom before the deed was done, which defeats the whole goal.
2. Failure to check for damage. A handful of ladies and gentlemen said they didn’t check the condom for damage or a passed expiration date. We understand that lighting may be dim or you’re anxious to get the action started, but take two seconds to examine the wrapper for tears and imperfections when unrolling the condom.
3. Reusing the condom. 1.4 to 3.3% said they reused a condom during the same encounter. For real.
4. Poor storage. Storing condoms in wallets, extreme temperature or direct sunlight can weaken the latex. Your pocket is even a dangerous spot—sharp objects and body heat are potential hazards.
5. Incorrect withdrawal. Pull out when finished; don’t linger after ejaculation like 31% of men and 27% of women surveyed.
6. Opening package with a sharp object. This can cause the condom to get torn or punctured, rendering it useless. Be careful when opening!

Bonus mistake: Not wearing one at all! 

We mentioned this error in a previous blog post, but this mistake should be emphasized. Unprotected sex puts you at risk for STDs and HIV, as well as unintended pregnancies. Condoms are cheap, easy to use and offer lifesaving benefits—so, why not use one?! Just be sure to use it correctly! 

Find an STD testing facility near you.

Yale's New Card Game Empowers Young Women to Avoid HIV Risks

Yale School of Medicine's play2Prevent video game lab has developed a card game that helps young black women make the right choices when it comes to reducing the risk of HIV infection.

"One Night Stan" is a humorous, role-playing card game where players navigate the sometimes difficult world of dating. As the players learn more about potential sex partners,they are challenged to make responsible choices -- things like insisting on condom use, and saying no to sex in risky situations.

Kim Hieftje, deputy director of the play2Prevent lab, said these topics are often hard for people to discuss face-to-face. "So, if you make a game about these difficult topics to talk about, then the conversation kind of just opens," Hieftje said.

The game is designed for black women, ages 18 to 24, a group that doesn't engage in more risky behavior than other groups. But according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this demographic acquires HIV and sexually-transmitted infections at a higher rate than almost all other demographic groups.

The content and situations presented in the card game were developed with the help of focus groups consisting of young black women from New Haven and Bridgeport.

Play2Prevent is encouraged by a pilot study they conducted with 21 women who played "One Night Stan." "They saw themselves playing this not as an intervention, but as a fun card game, which is what we were trying to do," said Hieftje. "Out of the 21 women, eleven were sexually active, and five of them talked to their partners about getting tested for HIV and STIs, and four of them actually got tested."

Yale's play2Prevent lab plans to eventually distribute the game to community groups and in dorm rooms, and ultimately create a multi-player video game version of "One Night Stan" with more dateable characters and situations.

Read the article and find a testing location near you.

Increased number of syphilis cases raises questions

The state of Oregon has seen a significant rise in syphilis cases in recent years.

In 2011, there were 167 recorded cases of syphilis, and that number more than doubled by 2013 and 2014, when the number of cases were 405 and 404, respectively.

According to the Public Health Division of the Oregon Health Authority, more than half of Oregon's new syphilis cases in 2012 involved men with HIV, and that over the last decade, the large majority of cases involve men who have sex with men.

In the first quarter of 2015, there were 239 early cases of syphilis, according to 

information provided by Josh Ferrer, the STD/HIV Prevention Technical Consultant of the Oregon Health Authority. If the first quarter trend continues for the rest of the year, that will amount to 956 cases of syphilis, almost six times as many as in 2011.

All of these figures represent new cases each year, and not repeat cases.

Karen Landers, Marion County Health Officer, said the increasing prevalence of online settings and other places where people can meet anonymously may play a role.

In addition, Sean Schafer, a physician with the HIV/STD and tuberculosis section of the Oregon Public Health Division, said there is actually a trend of decreased condom usage in the past decade. He said this can be attributed to advances in the ability to control the spread of HIV/AIDS, which leads people to believe that they will be safe without a condom.

Schafer also reiterated the notion of online sites and phone apps allowing people to connect and seek out sexual relationships, often anonymously.

Syphilis presents itself in stages, with the early stages involving sores or lesions on the body, eventually turning into a rash, and then few or no symptoms at all, but the disease is still present, which can be confirmed when a blood test is conducted.

Syphilis is curable with one or multiple injections of basic penicillin, but if it is not addressed fairly early on, there may be lasting effects, such as damage to the heart and brain, and an increased risk to develop dementia and even blindness.

Although syphilis is fairly easily curable if addressed early on, contracting and curing the disease does not make one immune for life. It can be contracted multiple times.

Landers recommends abstinence as the number one strategy for preventing any sexually transmitted disease. She also emphasized that involving oneself in a monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested is the second most viable approach, and for those with more active sexual lifestyles or those who choose to have more than one partner, the best course of action is to always use a condom and to only be involved with people that have been tested for STDs.

State of Oregon syphilis cases by year

2010: 108

2011: 170

2012: 311

2013: 405

2014: 404

2015 (1st quarter): 239

Marion County syphilis cases by year

2010: 5

2011: 4

2012: 6

2013: 23

2014: 31

2015: not yet available

Read the article and find an STD testing center near you.

Suddenly symptomless

Is it possible to have an STI without any symptoms? Or do most people notice? Are there major differences between women and men?

— Anonymous, from Tumblr

Sarah: Yep, my friend Mackenzie over at the Health Department confirmed for me that most are totally symptom free. STI’s are smart like that, so don’t assume you’re clean because you don’t have symptoms (and you’re welcome for that peace of mind). In fact, partners can transfer infections to a whole mess o’ partners without knowing it until someone along the line has symptoms. The good thing is testing is quick and will only take a little time out of your day. And the treatments for the most common STIs are painless. There’s no reason not to know your status, so get tested regularly!

Debby: Yes, most STIs have no noticeable symptoms - especially for women, but true for men too (HPV and chlamydia, for example, rarely have noticeable symptoms for either sex. Learn more about STIs and cdc.gov and make it a priority to get tested for STIs regularly.

Read it here and then find a testing location near you.

Are Guys Really Getting Tested For STDS?

You’re really, really trying to be a sexually responsible person. You always use a condom, and you always ask potential new bed buddies if they’ve been tested for STDs recently. But when the answer always seems to be, “Why, yes, I just got tested,” you start to wonder: Is it just a coincidence, or is he a liar whose pants are on fire (maybe due to gonorrhea)?

Read the article and find a testing location near you.

Signs and Symptoms of Common STDs in Men

Many men are quick to assume that if they had a sexually transmitted disease (STD), they would know it. While most STDs do cause symptoms, many are easily mistaken for other conditions. In some cases there are no symptoms at all. Understanding the risks and knowing the signs and symptoms of common STDs in men is crucial for any man who is sexually active.

Many people can be infected with an STD without experiencing any visible symptoms. This means that practicing safe sex is crucial if you want to prevent STD infection.

The only way to completely prevent an STD is abstinence from any type of sexual contact or contact with open sores and bodily fluids of an infected person. But there are other ways to prevent STDs too. Condoms during intercourse and dental dams or barriers during oral sex are proven effective when used correctly. Refraining from sex with multiple partners and instead opting for a monogamous sexual relationship can also help to prevent STDs.

Read the article and learn more about STD testing near you.

STD Quiz: Test Your Sexual Health IQ

Take the quiz and find a testing center near you.

STD symptoms: Common STDs and their symptoms

If you have sex — oral, anal or vaginal intercourse and genital touching — you can get an STD, also called a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Straight or gay, married or single, you're vulnerable to STIs and STI symptoms. Thinking or hoping your partner doesn't have an STI is no protection — you need to know for sure. And although condoms are highly effective for reducing transmission of some STDs, no method is foolproof.

STI symptoms aren't always obvious. If you think you have STI symptoms or have been exposed to an STI, see a doctor. Some STIs are easy to treat and cure; others require more-complicated treatment to manage them.

It's essential to be evaluated, and — if diagnosed with an STI — get treated. It's also essential to inform your partner or partners so that they can be evaluated and treated.

If untreated, STIs can increase your risk of acquiring another STI such as HIV. This happens because an STI can stimulate an immune response in the genital area or cause sores, either of which might raise the risk of HIV transmission. Some untreated STIs can also lead to infertility.

STIs often asymptomatic

STIs often have no signs or symptoms (asymptomatic). Even with no symptoms, however, you can pass the infection to your sex partners. So it's important to use protection, such as a condom, during sex. And visit your doctor regularly for STI screening, so you can identify and treat an infection before you can pass it on.

Some of the following diseases, such as hepatitis, can be transmitted without sexual contact, by coming into contact with an infected person's blood. Others, such as gonorrhea, can only be transmitted through sexual contact.

Read the article and learn about common and possible STD symptoms and how serious they can be, then find a testing center near you.

STD Testing and Awareness Needed

STDs don’t always show symptoms. Most often, STDs in both men and women are asymptomatic. The best way to catch these infections, before damage is done or they are passed on to others, is through routine STD testing. Even when symptoms are present they are often vague and mistaken for other conditions. Here are a few of those easily dismissed STD symptoms:

Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain is a common, but vague, symptom that can indicate a variety of conditions. But in women, it can be a serious sign of STDs, particularly chlamydia. Pain is often located in the lower abdomen and can indicate that the infection has spread to other parts of the reproductive system. If experiencing abdominal pain, it’s important to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea to avoid complications.

Jock itch

Jock itch can be a common problem for many men. However, genital herpes outbreaks can be so mild that they're often mistaken for jock itch. This STD can be tricky to diagnose since symptoms are often mild (not everyone experiences those painful, textbook blisters) or nonexistent. In fact, up to 90% of those with genital herpes don’t know they are infected.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding

Sometimes abnormal vaginal bleeding is attributed to spotting from birth control pills or rough sex. Other times, it can be a symptom of an STD. Women experiencing this symptom should be tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia to rule out these infections.

Painful sex

Painful or uncomfortable sex happens. Sometimes it can be from a lack of lubrication but it can also signal the presence of chlamydia and gonorrhea, especially in women. Men may experience discomfort after ejaculation.

When it comes to STD symptoms, don't wait for them to show up. By that point, complications may be present. If there's a chance of exposure, even if you use condoms, have STD testing performed to be on the safe side.

Swipe right for STDs: Doctors say hookup apps increase infection rates

Utah has a problem, and nobody wants to talk about it.
Thanks, in part, to a growing use of “hookup” apps, doctors say they have seen rates of sexually transmitted diseases skyrocket over the past couple years.

Apps like Tinder, Down and Grindr could be partly responsible for gonorrhea rates in Utah being up in women more than 700 percent, they use as an example.

The numbers don’t lie, and gonorrhea rates jumped nearly 400 percent from 2011-2014. Men have seen a 300 percent increase, while rates among women have surged an incredible 714 percent.

Joel Hartsell of the Utah State Health Department is working with his team to figure out why. They’re using new questionnaires for people who test positive for STDs, for example, but that is only a piece of the puzzle.

Utah schools teach abstinence only, and that education, translates to what adults know when it comes to sex. Beltran doesn’t have a tough time talking STDs because it’s her job, but for others, the topic is tough to tackle. She believes a conversation needs to be started.

The reality of STDs is a tough sell. Everyone thinks it won’t happen to them, what Beltran wants people to know is that the risk is in the city, in suburban neighborhoods and rural Utah. It’s single people, married people and everyone in between.

In a state that doesn’t like to talk about sex, there seems to be a whole lot of it going on without much forethought of protection. Hudson believes that could be due to a choice saying, “If you put on a condom and go to that length, you are admitting you were actively cheating on your spouse or your partner. If you don’t put on the condom, it can be a mistake or lived in a bit of denial.”

Hartsell doesn’t dance around the issue adding, “These people who are stepping out are putting their spouses at risk.” If a man for example brings home chlamydia to his wife, she won’t necessarily see symptoms. Left untreated it can cause infertility.

That’s why Beltran has the ugly job of notifying unsuspecting spouses and partners of positive STD tests. That she says is the most challenging part of her job. “I have had to make calls to spouses of people exposed to HIV,” she says.

The state is now rushing to stop this alarming trend by bumping up its annual conference scheduled for the fall and meeting with doctors from across the state in mid-May to brainstorm solutions.

Read the complete article and learn more about confidential testing with Get STD Tested.

Not All STDs Are Curable

Unfortunately, not all STDs can be cured. Bacterial STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis can be cured through antibiotics. Now, while some symptoms of STDS come and go, it doesn’t mean you’re cured without medical treatment. However, viral STDs like herpes, hepatitis B, HIV, HPV, and genital warts are incurable but can be managed with appropriate treatment.

Read the article and learn more about confidential testing with Get STD Tested.

STDs Can be Transmitted Through Oral Sex

STDs can be transmitted through sexual activity, and that includes oral sex. Unprotected oral sex, by giving and receiving, can put partners at an especially high risk for gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, and hepatitis B. This can happen even if you have just one sexual partner. Wearing a condom or dental dam to cover the anus or female genitals during oral sex acts as a barrier to help prevent STDs from passing from one person to another, according to the American Sexual Health Association.

Read the article and learn more about confidential testing with Get STD Tested.

INFOGRAPHIC: Understanding common STD symptoms

Check out our latest infographic, "Understanding Common STD Symptoms." As mentioned in the infographic, many STDs are asymptomatic. If there's a chance you've been exposed, don't wait for STD symptoms to appear. Have STD testing performed just to be safe! If you're worried about symptoms, check out our handy infographic for details.