Chlamydia

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Canada. When left untreated, it can lead to painful health problems and infertility.

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After a period of decline, the rates of reported cases of chlamydia infection have risen steadily since 1997. The increasing rate of this bacterial infection is attributed, in part, to improved lab tests and screening, as well as people not consistently using safer sex methods. Chlamydia disproportionately affects sexually active youth and young adults, especially women ages 15-24 in Canada.

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Chlamydia is transmitted through vaginal, anal and oral sex and can be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. It is known as the "silent disease" because it is estimated that more than 50 percent of infected males and 70 percent of infected females have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition.

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The only reliable way to know if you have chlamydia is to be tested. It is diagnosed through a urine sample or by swabbing the infected area and is treated with antibiotics.

Please click on links below for more information.

- Symtoms
- Health Risks
- Minimizing your risk

Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause painful sores on the genital area. There is no vaccine or cure, but antiviral medication can help ease the pain associated with the sores and control recurrent episodes.

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Genital herpes can be transmitted during unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, even if the infected person has no visible sores or any other symptoms of infection. It can also be passed from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth.

Practicing safer sex can help reduce the risk of getting or transmitting the infection.

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For more information please click on the links below:

- Symtoms
- Health Risks
- Minimizing your risk

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause infertility. This bacterial infection is on the rise in Canada and becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

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Gonorrhea (commonly known as "the clap") is transmitted through oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected person. It can also be spread from mother to child during birth.

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After 20 years of decline in Canada, the rates of reported cases of gonorrhea have risen more than 53 percent over the past ten years. The recent rise in gonorrhea can be partly attributed to improved lab tests and screening, as well as people not consistently using safer sex methods. Gonorrhea disproportionately affects sexually active youth and young adults under 24 years of age, especially men.

Please click on the links below for more information:

- Symtoms
- Health Risks
- Minimizing your risk

HIV / AIDS

HIV (or Human Immunodeficiency Virus) weakens your immune system, your body’s built-in defence against disease and illness. Anyone can be infected with HIV. You can have HIV without knowing it. You may not look or feel sick for years, but you can still pass the virus on to other people.

Without HIV treatment, your immune system can become too weak to fight off serious illnesses. HIV can also damage other parts of your body. Eventually, you can become sick with life-threatening infections. This is the most serious stage of HIV infection, called AIDS (or Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome).

There is no vaccine to prevent HIV. There is no cure for HIV… but there is treatment. There is no cure for HIV, but with proper care and treatment, most people with HIV can avoid getting AIDS and can stay healthy for a long time. Anti-HIV drugs have to be taken every day. They cannot get rid of HIV but they can keep it under control.

For more information, please visit www.comeoutplayguide.com/hiv 

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Canada and worldwide. Many types of HPV have been identified, with some leading to cancer and others to skin lesions such as anogenital warts.

In Canada, two vaccines are available to help prevent some types of HPV, including the ones that cause 70% of cervical cancers and 70-90% of anogenital warts.

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The various types of HPV can lead to different health outcomes. Some types can infect areas such as the hands and feet, while other types target the anogenital area and are transmitted during vaginal, oral, or anal sex, or during intimate skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected. It is possible to be infected by more than one type of HPV at a time.

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It is estimated that as many as 75% of sexually active men and women will have at least one anogenital HPV infection in their lifetime, but most people with healthy immune systems will eventually clear the infection from their bodies. Of those infected, only a small proportion will go on to develop cancer.

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There is no cure for HPV infections, but many of the symptoms are treatable. Practicing safer sex reduces your chances of getting an HPV infection or another STI. There is no precise way to determine in which people HPV infections will persist and lead to cancer, but for women, routine Pap (Papanicolaou) testing is an important screening tool for cervical cancer and allows early stage treatment with complete cure. There is no equivalent of Pap testing in males. Penile cancer is rare and occurs in less than 1% of all male cancers. Anogenital warts are more frequent.

For more information, please click on the links below:

- Symtoms
- Health Risks
- Minimizing your risk

Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV)

Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is on the rise in Canada. If left untreated, LGV can lead to serious health problems.

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Until recently, LGV was a rare infection in Canada. Prior to 2004, it was most often seen in tropical areas of Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean. Recently, cases have been reported in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and other European countries. In Canada, approximately 30 cases per year have been reported in the past couple of years. Most cases involved men having unprotected sex with men.

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LGV is caused by variations of the bacteria that cause chlamydia, a common STI. However, the infections caused by LGV are much more invasive, cause different symptoms, and have different results if left untreated.

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LGV is transmitted during unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex. LGV can be prevented by using condoms or other barrier methods during sex. It can be detected by a taking a swab from the infected area. A blood test may also be needed, as well as additional tests, since other STIs are often contracted at the same time.

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LGV can be treated and cured by antibiotics. If the infected person has had sex within 60 days of having symptoms or being diagnosed, their partners should also be notified, tested, and treated.

For more information please click on the links below:

- Symtoms
- Health risks
- Minimizing your risk

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection that is on the rise in Canada. Syphilis is transmitted through oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected person. A pregnant woman with syphilis can pass it on to her unborn child, sometimes causing birth defects or death. Although less common, it can also be transmitted through sharing needles or through broken skin.

Syphilis cases were rare in Canada, but rates have been on the rise since 2001, when outbreaks began occurring in urban centres across the country. The number of cases continues to grow, suggesting that people are not consistently using safer sex methods. Syphilis disproportionately affects men in Canada, particularly those over 30.

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Syphilis is diagnosed through a simple blood test and is easily treated with penicillin or other antibiotics. Left untreated, syphilis moves through four stages:

• primary

• secondary

• latent

• tertiary
   

Syphilis is usually infectious for less than a year, during the primary and secondary stages, and early in the latent stage. If the infection continues to go untreated, syphilis may progress to the tertiary stage. Not everyone infected with syphilis will develop symptoms. That is why it is important to know if you are at risk and how to take preventative action.

For more information please click on the links below:

- Symtoms
- Health risks
- Minimizing the risk