If You Know, You Know

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection that can affect the penis, throat, anus, eyes, or vagina/front-hole. You can get it and pass it on through giving or receiving oral sex, anal or vaginal/front-hole sex, (including penetration, fingering, fisting, and sharing sex toys) with a person who has chlamydia. Chlamydia doesn’t always have symptoms, which means you can have chlamydia and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include unusual discharge, genital itchiness, redness, burning or pain. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Chlamydia can be tested for by a urine test and swabs of the anus, throat, and vagina/front hole and treated through a simple course of antibiotic tablets. You can reduce transmission of chlamydia by using condoms, dams, or gloves during sex.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection that can affect the penis, throat, anus, eyes, or vagina/front-hole. You can get it or pass it on through giving or receiving oral sex, anal or vaginal/front-hole sex, (including penetration, fingering, fisting, and sharing sex toys) with a person who has gonorrhoea. Gonorrhoea doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have gonorrhoea and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include unusual discharge, genital redness, genital pain or discomfort. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Gonorrhoea can be tested for by having a urine test and swabs of the anus, throat, or vagina/front-hole and treated through a simple course of antibiotic tablets and injection. You can reduce transmission of gonorrhoea by using condoms, dams, or gloves during sex.

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that can affect your penis, throat, anus, or vagina/front-hole. You can get it and pass it on through giving or receiving oral sex, anal or vaginal/front-hole sex (including penetration, fingering, fisting, and sharing sex toys) and skin to skin contact with a person who has syphilis. Syphilis doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have syphilis and not know about it. If there are symptoms, it can depend on the length of time you have the infection. In the first 2-3 months, common symptoms can include small red sores. From 2-6 months, symptoms can include rashes on the hands, feet, and other parts of the body as well as fever, headaches, joint aches, or tiredness. If syphilis is left untreated, common symptoms can include damage to organs such as the brain, eyes, nervous system, heart, or liver. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Syphilis can be tested for through a blood test and treated with penicillin tablets or injections. You can reduce transmission of syphilis by using condoms, dams, or gloves during sex.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that weakens the body’s immune system and can cause AIDS if left untreated. Having HIV is not the same thing as having AIDS. HIV can be passed on through cum, pre-cum, anal mucous, blood, vaginal/front-hole fluids and breast milk, so you can get or pass on HIV through anal or vaginal/front-hole sex and sharing injecting or tattoo needles with a person who has HIV. HIV doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have HIV and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include flu-like symptoms, rash, weight loss, decreased appetite or tiredness. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. HIV can be diagnosed with a blood test, or home testing kits are available. You can reduce transmission of HIV by using condoms, medications PrEP or PEP, or having an undetectable viral load (U=U).

Hepatitis A is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. The virus can live outside the body for hours. You can get it or pass it on through ingesting minute amounts of shit through things like rimming, oral sex after anal sex, touching used sex toys/condoms, fingering/fisting then putting fingers in mouth with a person who has hepatitis A. You can also get hepatitis A from sharing objects that could be contaminated, such as injecting or tattoo needles, food, and drinks. Hepatitis A doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have hepatitis A and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include fever, nausea, abdominal discomfort, or tiredness. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Hepatitis A can be tested for through a blood test, there is no treatment or cure, but the virus will usually go away on its own and there is a vaccine to help prevent it. You can reduce transmission of hepatitis A by getting vaccinated, using condoms, dams, and gloves during sex and by washing your hands after sex.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. You can get it and pass it on through condomless anal or vaginal/front-hole sex, sharing sex toys, toothbrushes, or razors, and using or sharing injecting or tattooing equipment with a person who has hepatitis B. Hepatitis B doesn’t always symptoms, which means you can have hepatitis B and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, liver pain or fever. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Hepatitis B can be tested with a blood test, there is no treatment to cure it, and it will usually go away on its own, but there is a vaccine to help prevent it. Some people develop chronic hepatitis B, which can be treated with antiviral medication. You can reduce tramission of hepatitis B by getting vaccinated, using condoms, dams, and gloves during sex, and not sharing sex toys, injecting equipment, tattoo equipment, toothbrushes, or razors.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. You can get it and pass it on if the blood of a person with hepatitis C gets into the bloodstream of a person who does not have it; this could happen through sharing injecting equipment (including needles, barrels, torniquets, spoons, cotton, waters, etc.), toothbrushes, razors, or tattooing equipment with a person who has hepatitis C. You can also get it and pass it on through condomless sex such as anal or vaginal/front-hole, including fisting or sharing sex toys that injures or damages the internal skin (e.g. particularly rough or prolonged sex) with a person who has hepatitis C. Hepatitis C doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have hepatitis C and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include flu-like symptoms, nausea, and abdominal pain. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Hepatitis C can be tested for by having a blood test and treated with antiviral medication. You can reduce transmission of hepatitis C by avoiding sharing injecting equipment, razors, toothbrushes and tattoo equipment and by using condoms and lube during sex.

Genital Warts are caused by particular strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). You can get it and pass it on through sex and skin-to-skin contact with someone who has HPV. HPV doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have HPV and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include growths/bumps around the genitals, or itching, pain or bleeding. Genital warts can be tested for by a health professional viewing them or with a cervical screen test (CST). Genital warts can be removed by freezing or burning them off, laser treatments, or applying topical creams. You can reduce transmission of genital warts by getting vaccinated against HPV, and by using condoms, dams and gloves during sex.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that will usually go away on its own; however, some strains of HPV can cause genital warts (see above) or cancers that can affect the cervix, throat, anus, rectum, cock, vagina, front-hole or vulva. You can get or pass on HPV through oral, anal, and vaginal/front-hole sex. HPV doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have HPV and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include growths/bumps around the genitals (genital warts – see above), or itching, pain or bleeding. Genital warts can be diagnosed by a doctor viewing them and they can be removed. HPV is also tested for through cervical screening tests (CSTs). There is a vaccine available to help prevent getting HPV. You can reduce transmission of HPV by getting vaccinated.

Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) includes two similar viruses, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which is known for causing cold sores, typically causing blistering sores around the mouth but can also be found around the penis, testicles, anus and vulva/front-hole. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is commonly known for causing genital herpes, typically causing blistering sores around the penis, testicles, anus, and vulva/front hole. You can get and pass on both HSV-1 and HSV-2 through kissing, oral, anal, and vaginal/front-hole sex with a person who has HSV. Having a sore makes spreading the virus more likely, but it can also be passed on without any active sores. HSV can be tested for by swabbing sore or through a blood test; there is no cure for HSV, and the virus will always be in your body, but taking antiviral medication can reduce outbreaks and help prevent passing the virus on to others. You can reduce transmission of HSV by using condoms or dams during sex.

MPOX is a viral infection that can cause skin sores on your penis, testicles, anus, face, hands, and body. The virus is carried in bodily fluids and skin sores, so it can be passed on through skin-to-skin contact, saliva, and sharing items such as clothes, towels and bedding with a person who has mpox. Symptoms can take up to a month to appear, and some people can have mpox and not know about it. Some common symptoms headache, fever, muscle aches, low energy, swollen lymph nodes, rash, often with lesions that look like blisters, pimples or sores, or proctitis (sore anus). You can pass it on even without symptoms. You can be tested for mpox by having lesions swabbed, through a skin biopsy or an anal swab. Treatment for minor cases (which usually lasts 2-4 weeks) is pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. In more severe cases, an antiviral medication might be used. There is a vaccine available to help prevent getting mpox and can be used as prevention after exposure in some cases. You can reduce transmission of mpox by getting vaccinated. Condoms can also help to prevent anal transmission.

Shigella is a type of bacteria that infects the bowels. You can get it or pass it on through ingesting minute amounts of shit, through things like rimming, oral sex after anal sex, touching used sex toys/condoms, fingering/fisting then putting fingers in mouth with a person who has shigella. Shigella doesn’t always cause symptoms, which means you can have shigella and not know about it. If there are symptoms, common symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, fever, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. You can still pass it on even without symptoms. Shigella can be tested by having an anal swap or stool (poo) sample; it can clear up on its own but may require antibiotic medication. You can reduce transmission of shigella by using condoms, dams, and gloves during sex and washing your hands after sex and after handling things like used condoms/toys.

Crabs or pubic lice are tiny mites that live in body hair such as pubic hair, facial hair and chest hair. You can get or pass on crabs through close skin contact or sharing items such as clothing, bedding or towels with a person who has crabs. Common symptoms include itchiness where the mites are, however, this can take weeks to appear. A health professional can diagnose crabs by looking at the area, and treatment creams or shampoos can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription.