STIs – End the Syndemic TN

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Syphilis Fast Facts

What is syphilis?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), meaning you can get it by having sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) with someone who has untreated syphilis

Who can get syphilis?

Syphilis can affect anyone who has unprotected sex, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

How do I know if I have syphilis?

The only way to know for sure if you have syphilis is to get a simple blood test.

If you are sexually active, you should be tested for syphilis.

Health departments can confidentially test you and your partner(s) any time for syphilis, at little or no cost!

What are signs and symptoms of syphilis?

There are four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary and each stage has different signs and symptoms. Symptoms can change as time goes on, and some people may not notice any symptoms at all. So, that is why it is best to regularly get tested for STIs, including syphilis, if you have unprotected sex.

Some common signs and symptoms of syphilis include:

Small sores on your genitals, bottom, or mouth,
Rash on your chest, back, palms, or feet
Flu-like symptoms
And more

Can syphilis be treated?

Yes! Syphilis is treatable and curable with antibiotics.

Getting treatment right away can prevent irreversible damage to your heart and brain including deafness, blindness, and other serious health problems. Since it is possible to get re-exposed and get syphilis again, it is important that all your partners are tested and treated as well.

How can I notify my partners they may have been exposed and may need treatment for syphilis anonymously?

Your local health department can help notify your partner(s) anonymously so they can get tested and treated.

Locate your nearest local health department here.

Where can I get syphilis testing and treatment?

Your local health department can confidentially test you and your partner(s) at little or no cost. The health department can also help you notify partner(s) that might benefit from getting tested and treated too!

You can locate your nearest health department here.

Is syphilis preventable?

Yes! There are many effective tools to prevent syphilis that can be combined for even more protection including:

Using condoms the right way when you have sex
Limiting or reducing your number of sexual partners
Reducing your number of sexual encounters
Abstaining from sex
Getting regularly tested for HIV and STIs

What is the link between syphilis and HIV?

Having untreated syphilis may make it easier for HIV to enter your body. Getting tested and treated for STIs is HIV prevention. Other HIV prevention tools include PrEP, PEP, condoms, and U=U. Head over to the HIV page on this website here to learn more about preventing HIV.

Click Below to Download our Syphilis Palm Card to Learn More!

Congenital Syphilis Fast Facts

What is congenital syphilis (CS)?

Congenital syphilis (CS) occurs when a person with untreated syphilis passes syphilis bacteria to their baby through the placenta during pregnancy or delivery.

Who can get congenital syphilis (CS)?

Any baby born to a person with untreated syphilis can get CS.

How does congenital syphilis (CS) spread?

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), meaning you can get it by having sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) with someone who has untreated syphilis.

If you acquire syphilis and do not get treated before pregnancy or during pregnancy at least 30 days before delivery, you can pass syphilis on to your baby and that is called congenital syphilis.

How common is congenital syphilis (CS)?

The number of babies with CS has more than tripled in recent years across the U.S. despite CS being preventable with early testing and treatment during pregnancy.

How can congenital syphilis (CS) affect my baby?

CS can have serious impacts on the health of your baby. The impacts on a baby’s health depends on how long you had syphilis and if/when you got treatment for syphilis.

CS can cause:

Miscarriage (losing the baby during pregnancy)
Stillbirth (a baby born dead)
Prematurity (a baby born early)
Low birth weight
Death shortly after birth

Babies born with CS can have:

Deformed bones
Severe anemia (low blood count)
Enlarged liver and spleen
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
Brain and nerve problems, like deafness and blindness
Meningitis
Skin rashes

Do all babies born with congenital syphilis(CS) have symptoms?

Not all babies born with CS have symptoms at birth, but if the baby is not treated they could develop serious health problems.

Typically health problems will develop in the first few weeks after birth, but they can also happen years later.

I am thinking about becoming pregnant, how I protect my baby from congenital syphilis (CS)?

If you are thinking about becoming pregnant it is important that you and your partner(s) get tested for syphilis and treated (if applicable).

Treating syphilis before pregnancy will prevent congenital syphilis. As your baby cannot get CS if you don’t have syphilis. Once you are tested and treated (if applicable), it is important to take steps to protect yourself from syphilis while you are trying to get pregnant. Head over to the syphilis tab to learn more about syphilis prevention methods.

I am pregnant, how I protect my baby from congenital syphilis (CS)?

If you are pregnant you should be tested during the first and third trimester of your pregnancy.

In order to prevent a baby from being born with CS, the pregnant person must receive treatment at least 30 days before delivery. If you are sexually active during your pregnancy it is important that your partner(s) are tested and treated for syphilis and that you use prevention like condoms to protect yourself and your baby from syphilis and CS.

How will my healthcare provider know if my baby has congenital syphilis (CS)?

Your healthcare provider will consider several factors including: the results of your syphilis blood test and whether you received and completed treatment if you were diagnosed with syphilis.

They may also want to test your baby’s blood, do a physical exam, and other tests to see if your baby has CS.

Can congenital syphilis (CS) be treated?

Yes! There is treatment for babies with CS and it is best to treat them right away to prevention serious health problems.

Treatment varies based on your baby’s medical evaluation and needs. To ensure the health of your baby, it is important that you attend follow-up appointments to ensure the treatment worked.

Click Below to Download our Congenital Syphilis Palm Card to Learn More!

Gonorrhea Fast Facts

What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), meaning you can get it by having sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) with someone who has untreated gonorrhea.

Who can get gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea can affect anyone who has unprotected sex, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Gonorrhea is very common, especially among young people ages 15-24 years and can cause infection in the genitals, rectum, and throat.

How do I know if I have gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea often has no symptoms, but it can still cause serious health problems, even without symptoms.

The only way to know if you have gonorrhea is to get tested.

Where can I get tested for gonorrhea?

Health departments can confidentially test you and your partner(s) for gonorrhea at little or no cost! You can locate the nearest health department here.

How do they test for gonorrhea?

Most of the time a healthcare provider will use a urine sample to test for gonorrhea.

Because a person can get gonorrhea in their genitals, rectum, and throat it is important to test all the sites of your body used for sex. This is often called three-site testing. With three-site testing swabs are used to collect samples and test for gonorrhea in each of these sites.

How is gonorrhea spread?

Gonorrhea is spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex without the use of STI prevention tools like condoms or DoxyPEP with someone who has untreated gonorrhea.

A pregnant person with gonorrhea can also pass gonorrhea to their baby during childbirth.

How can I protect myself from getting gonorrhea?

The only way to completely avoid getting gonorrhea is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

If you are sexually active, there are many things you can do to protect yourself from gonorrhea. You can use any one or combination of the following:

Use condoms consistently and properly every time you have sex. You can learn more about how to use condoms here. To locate free condoms click here.
Be in a long-term and mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and treated (if applicable ) for STIs.
Reduce your number of your sexual partners
Reduce instances of having sex without the use STI prevention tools like condoms or DoxyPEP
Get tested regularly if you are sexually active

If I am pregnant and have gonorrhea how can I protect my baby?

Because gonorrhea can be passed to a baby during childbirth it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about being evaluated, tested, and treated.

Treating gonorrhea as soon as possible during a pregnancy will make health complications for your baby less likely.

Is there a cure for gonorrhea?

Yes! Treatment can cure gonorrhea.

It is very important that you take all of the medicine a healthcare provider gives you to cure gonorrhea even if your symptoms have subsided. If your symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment it is important to return to your health care provider as you may have a drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea and different treatment may be needed.

When can I have sex again after my gonorrhea treatment?

It is best to wait seven days after finishing gonorrhea treatment before having sex.

If your partner(s) are also taking treatment for gonorrhea it is important to wait seven days after everyone has completed treatment and all symptoms are gone before having sex.

What are symptoms of gonorrhea?

Many people have no symptoms at all, but untreated gonorrhea can still cause serious health issues even if you have no symptoms. That is why testing is so important.

Depending where on the body someone has acquired gonorrhea, symptoms can vary but may include the following:

Painful or burning sensation when peeing
Increased vaginal discharge
Vaginal bleeding between periods
White, yellow, or green discharge from the penis
Painful or swollen testicles (less common symptom)
Anal discharge, itching, soreness, or bleeding
Painful bowel movements

What happens if I don’t get treated for gonorrhea?

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.

Untreated gonorrhea can also make a person more vulnerable to HIV, a lifelong condition that require ongoing treatment.

Click Below to Learn About Doxy PEP Preventing Gonorrhea

Chlamydia Fast Facts

Who can get chlamydia?

Chlamydia can affect anyone who has unprotected sex, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

Chlamydia is very common.

How do I know if I have chlamydia?

Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but can still cause serious health problems, even without symptoms.

The only way to know if you have chlamydia is to get tested.

Where can I get tested for chlamydia?

Health departments can confidentially test you and your partner(s) for chlamydia at little or no cost. You can locate the nearest health department here.

How do they test for chlamydia?

Most of the time a healthcare provider will use a urine sample to test for chlamydia.

Because a person can get chlamydia in their genitals, rectum, and throat it is important to test all the sites of your body used for sex. This is often called three-site testing. In three-site testing swabs are used to collect samples and test for chlamydia in each of those sites.

How is chlamydia spread?

Chlamydia is spread by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex without the use of STI prevention tools like condoms or DoxyPEP with someone who has untreated chlamydia.

A pregnant person can also pass chlamydia to their baby during childbirth.

How can I protect myself from getting chlamydia?

The only way to completely avoid getting chlamydia is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

If you are sexually active, there are many things you can do to protect yourself from chlamydia. You can use any one or combination of the following:

Use condoms consistently and properly every time you have sex. You can learn more about how to use condoms here. To locate free condoms click here.
Be in a long-term and mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and treated (if applicable ) for STIs.
Reduce your number of your sexual partners
Reduce instances of having sex without the use STI prevention tools like condoms or DoxyPEP
Get tested regularly if you are sexually active

If I am pregnant and have chlamydia how can I protect my baby?

Because chlamydia can be passed during childbirth it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about being evaluated, tested, and treated.

Treating chlamydia as soon as possible during a pregnancy will make health complications for your baby less likely.

Is there a cure for chlamydia?

Yes! Treatment can cure chlamydia . It is important to take all of the medicine your health care provider gives you to treat your chlamydia even if you symptoms have subsided.

When can I have sex again after my chlamydia treatment?

You should wait until you and your partner(s) complete treatment. If you are given a single dose medicine, you should wait seven days after taking the medication to have sex. If you are given medicine to take for seven days, wait until you finish all your doses before having sex.

What are symptoms of chlamydia?

Chlamydia often has no symptoms, but it can cause serious health problems, even without symptoms.

If symptoms occur, they may not appear until several weeks after having sex with a partner who has chlamydia. Depending on where on the body someone has acquired chlamydia symptoms can vary but may include the following:

Abnormal vaginal discharge
A burning sensation when peeing
Discharge from the penis
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles (less common symptom)
Anal discharge, bleeding, or pain

What happens if I don’t get treated for chlamydia?

Untreated chlamydia can cause serious and permanent health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Untreated chlamydia can also make a person more vulnerable to HIV, a lifelong condition that requires ongoing treatment.