Sexually
Transmitted Infections (STI's)
STI’s are still here.
From the early 1980s until recently, rates of
HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) among gay and
bisexual men declined and then held steady. The scale of
behavior change among gay and bisexual men during this time
was unprecedented. But even these lower rates of HIV and STI
transmission achieved in the late 1980s remained several times
higher than that of the general population.
Boulder County and State-wide STI infection rates
| |
TOTAL FOR COLORADO MALES |
| |
CHLAMYDIA |
GONORRHEA |
SYPHILIS |
|
1997 |
1785 |
1080 |
95 |
|
1998 |
2262 |
1101 |
85 |
|
1999 |
2636 |
1248 |
65 |
|
2000 |
2962 |
1565 |
55 |
|
2001 |
3323 |
1602 |
99 |
|
2002 |
3612 |
1868 |
149 |
|
2003 |
3219 |
1333 |
98 |
| |
TOTAL FOR BOULDER COUNTY MALES |
| |
CHLAMYDIA |
GONORRHEA |
SYPHILIS |
|
1997 |
65 |
14 |
3 |
|
1998 |
59 |
24 |
4 |
|
1999 |
78 |
23 |
0 |
|
2000 |
102 |
24 |
2 |
|
2001 |
90 |
28 |
1 |
|
2002 |
118 |
32 |
1 |
|
2003 |
116 |
22 |
7 |
*Data provided by Cindy Loftin at Colorado
Department of Health and Environment
Recently, cases of gonorrhea among men in
Boulder County more than doubled from 1997 through 2002, and
Chlamydia cases increased by more than 50 percent during that
time frame as well. Though these numbers are for the entire
male population, not just gay/bisexual men, the information is
still ample concern for local gay and bisexual men.
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What's the harm?
Compared to HIV, other STI’s may seem
relatively harmless, but they take a heavy toll. Approximately
15 million STI’s occur annually in the U.S. at a cost of over
$10 billion.
Health consequences of STI’s in men range from
mild acute illness, like burning and itching of the urethra
(the opening of the penis), to serious long-term complications
such as anal and liver cancer and, in the case of syphilis,
stroke and blindness. Some STI’s, like gonorrhea, Chlamydia,
and syphilis, are easily curable with antibiotics; if treated
promptly, they rarely have long-term consequences.
Other STI’s, like hepatitis B, can lead to
weeks or months of painful and debilitating illness. Both
genital herpes and genital human papillomavirus (HPV--the
virus that causes genital warts and is associated with penile
and anal cancer in men) cause lifelong infections.
Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV
Almost all STI’s greatly increase the chances of catching HIV
and of spreading it to others.
Consider this: If you are HIV-positive and
have an outbreak of open sores from herpes or syphilis, or if
you have inflammation due to gonorrhea or Chlamydia, those
sores and inflamed tissues contain highly concentrated amounts
of the virus.
If you're HIV positive, infections like
gonorrhea and Chlamydia in your penis can make you shed 8-10
times more HIV in your semen.
If you are HIV negative but have herpes,
gonorrhea or Chlamydia, disease-fighting cells of your immune
system are attracted to the STI-infected tissues. Such
"activated" immune cells are especially susceptible to HIV if
your partner is carrying the virus, making you much more
likely to catch HIV through unprotected sex.
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Page STI testing and treatment
It's very important that you find a
health care provider with
whom you feel comfortable enough to talk explicitly about your
sex life - someone who incorporates your status as a sexually
active gay or bisexual man into your overall health picture.
STI testing for gay and bisexual men should
take into account actual exposures. A urine test or penile
swab will not detect all infections. If you have oral sex you
may need a throat swab and if you have receptive anal
intercourse you may need an anal swab to accurately test for
infection. Indeed, the rectum is the most common site for
testing when symptoms aren't present, because rectal
infections are especially likely to be asymptomatic. Some
research suggests that anal pap smears may be helpful in
detecting pre-cancerous lesions of the anus, but anal paps are
not yet routinely provided by most clinics.
If you have sex with more than one partner, or if your main
partner might be having sex with others, it's a good idea to
get tested regularly. The exact frequency depends on your
particular risks, but for most gay or bisexual men it is a
good idea to be tested every 3-6 months. This is especially
important since most STI’s don't show symptoms.
If you think you may have an STI, see your
health care provider and get tested right away.
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