The Better2Know Blog

In 2014, Health Protection Scotland revealed that the number of males diagnosed with Gonorrhoea in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde region was twice that of the national average. The figures for STIs like Genital Herpes weren’t much better either. Meanwhile, according to HIV Scotland’s regional statistics, over 1600 people in the same area are currently living with HIV, and 16.5% of those infected are not receiving specialist treatment. Whilst this data makes for concerning reading, an STI test with Better2Know would alleviate any doubts you may have regarding the status of your sexual health. What’s more, we can get you an appointment in Glasgow on the very same day that you book your test with us.

At Better2Know, we understand that getting a sexual health test can be a worrisome time. You want discreet and efficient results, fast – that’s why we offer same or next day results for a comprehensive array of STI tests and screens.

Over 100,000 people in the UK are currently living with HIV. And despite nationwide access to HIV testing and treatment, around 13% of those people are unaware of their positive HIV status. Public Health England, meanwhile, estimates that approximately 160,000 people are living with Hepatitis C in England alone, and in 2015, the World Health Organization revealed that, globally, around 650,000 people die as a result of Chronic Hepatitis B every single year.

At Better2Know, we believe in the normalisation of HIV, Hepatitis and STI testing. Our aim is to remove any associated stigmas and improve the health of our patients in the UK & around the world. The sooner a Hepatitis or HIV infection is successfully diagnosed and treated, the less chance there is of that individual transmitting their infection to someone else – hence the importance of regular testing and early intervention.

Despite the nationwide accessibility of HIV testing and treatment, it is estimated that 13,500 people in the UK remain unaware that they are HIV positive. Better2Know has several testing options for HIV, depending on both your personal preference and how long ago you may have been exposed to the infection. Please see below for a description of the different types of HIV test we offer.

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea has been named as one of London’s poorest performing areas for sexual health. According to Public Health England (PHE), the borough – alongside the larger districts of Lambeth and Southwark – experienced the greatest prevalence of new STIs in 2016.

Chlamydia is England’s most common bacterial STI, accounting for almost half of all STIs diagnosed in 2015. Though Chlamydia is a national issue, there is a significant geographical variation in its distribution, and its prevalence in the North West of England is something of a concern.

Better2Know is the largest provider of private sexual health testing services in the UK. As well as testing for a host of STIs, including HIV, we provide HIV certificates to those who require them for reasons such as travel or industry. Our comprehensive HIV tests and screens are available nationwide. To receive a certificate following your Better2Know test, simply notify our friendly Patient Services team upon booking your appointment.

Concerned about your sexual health? Worried that you may have a sexually transmitted infection or disease? You need answers, fast.

With Better2Know, you can access an appointment at a private clinic in London on the very same day that you book an appointment. With hundreds of clinics in the UK and around the world, Better2Know is a global provider of private STI testing services. All our CE marked tests and screens are regularly reviewed by a panel of specialists, and have been designed to meet your specific requirements.

Here at Better2Know, we understand that getting tested for a sexually transmitted infection can be a somewhat disconcerting experience. That’s why we strive to make your journey with us as simple and stress-free as possible. Each one of our anonymous STI tests can be carried out individually, or as part of a combination of tests, known as a screen. All of our tests and screens have been meticulously put together by a panel of medical specialists, and are designed to meet your personal requirements.

Better2Know is the global leader in private sexual health testing services. We offer tests and screens for a range of sexually transmitted infections, including HPV. There are over 100 strains of HPV, some of which are responsible for Genital Warts, as well as multiple forms of cancer, including Cervical Cancer.

With more and more reported cases of drug-resistant Gonorrhoea, scientists are growing evermore concerned that the infection is becoming impervious to all standards of treatment.

Coinciding with a gradual decline in condom use, oral sex transmission has been singled out as the driving force behind the recent outbreak of ‘super Gonorrhoea’. Owing to low levels of bacteria and a generally poor response to medication, oral STIs are notoriously difficult to treat. The type of bacteria specific to cases of oral Gonorrhoea gains its resistance to antibiotics directly from the billions of other bacteria housed in the throat. Following an initial throat infection, Gonorrhoea can spread to the genitals, potentially resulting in infertility and/or other long-term health problems. As the condition is often symptomless, infection can spread without the person’s knowledge – hence the significance of regular testing.

Better2Know is the world’s leading private provider of sexual health testing services. With stress-free tests and screens specially designed by our panel of medical experts, STI testing in the UK is now easier than ever before. As well as individual testing for a wide range of infections, Better2Know offers a variety of full STI screening options to give you complete peace of mind.

A South African child infected with HIV at birth has spent most of their life without any need for treatment, it has been revealed.

The nine-year-old, who was diagnosed at just a few weeks old, has been in remission for eight-and-a-half years with no signs or symptoms of the virus being active. Though HIV is still detectable in the child’s immune cells, scientists believe that understanding exactly how he/she developed protection could lead to newer drugs, or even an anti-HIV vaccine.

Better2Know has Instant STI testing available throughout the UK. We offer rapid results for six of the most common sexually transmitted infections and diseases, including HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. With results available just 20 minutes after giving a sample, Better2Know provides STI test results while you wait in the clinic. Our Instant testing can be carried out individually or as part of a combination of tests, known as a screen. Our most popular Instant screens include:

A standard Meningitis B vaccine may hold the key to halting the spread of a drug-resistant, Gonorrhoea ‘superbug’. The World Health Organization recently warned that vaccinations were the “only sustainable way to achieve control” of this dangerous STI. So far, all experimental vaccinations have failed but, remarkably, a pre-existing, licenced vaccine is now providing fresh optimism.

Vitamin D regulates the levels of calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc that the human body absorbs from food. Most of our Vitamin D is generated by our own bodies through exposure to sunlight, though it also exists in some foods, including milk, egg yolks and fatty fish.

The Zika Virus and Better2Know

Better2Know offers Zika testing at hundreds of locations across the UK. We are global leaders in private sexual health testing services. All our confidential tests and screens have been specially designed by a panel of medical experts, and are built to suit your needs. With Better2Know, you will receive your results quickly and efficiently, without having to use your real name. There’s more information on Zika, and the other STI tests we offer, available on our website.
 

Better2Know’s Instant STI Testing is available across London, providing rapid results for six of the most common sexually transmitted infections: HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Better2Know’s world renowned STD testing service is available throughout London. Global leaders in private sexual health testing, Better2Know can arrange an STD test with a qualified clinician on the very same day that you book your appointment.

Better2Know is the world’s leading provider of private STI testing services, with hundreds of clinics around the globe. Experts in sexual health, all Better2Know’s tests and screens are reviewed by a panel of medical specialists and have been designed to meet your personal requirements.

A global leader in private sexual health testing services, Better2Know provides comprehensive testing for a number of STIs at private facilities across the UK. With a wide range of stress-free tests and screens, specially put together by our panel of medical experts, STI testing in the UK is now easier than ever. With Better2Know, you can book an appointment at a time and location that suits you. We have availability at private sexual health and genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, as well as private hospitals and doctor’s surgeries.

Young people on the latest HIV medication now have almost the same life expectancy as that of the general population, according to a report by the University of Bristol.

The study, published in The Lancet, found that 20-year-olds who started antiretroviral therapy in 2010 are projected to live up to a decade longer than those who first used it 20 years ago. Researchers looked at nearly 90,000 HIV patients from Europe and North America, basing their life expectancy predictions on death rates during the first three years after patients began their treatment.
While the study authors put the success down to ‘newer drugs with fewer side effects’, charities say there are still too many people unaware that they have HIV.

Genital Warts: What are they?

Genital warts are growths on the skin caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV for short, the most common viral STI in the UK. There are over 100 strains of this highly infectious virus which can, in some cases, be transmitted while practicing safe sex. Certain types of HPV do have the capacity to cause cervical cancer in women, highlighting the importance of receiving regular PAP Smear testing. For MSM, a regular anal swab test is equally as important. The virus can also be responsible for other types of cancer in both sexes as well as genital warts.

Better2Know is the Middle East’s largest provider of private and confidential sexual health testing. With stress-free screens specially put together by our medical experts, testing for STIs in the UAE has never been easier.

The Statistics

According to a report by Public Health England, over 88,000 people in the UK were living with diagnosed HIV in 2015. These figures do not include the thousands of people whose status remains undiagnosed.  It is estimated that as many as one in four people living with HIV in this country are unaware of their infection.

Early detection is crucial in combatting HIV, highlighting the importance of being tested regularly. There are a number of options when it comes to HIV testing with Better2Know – a couple of which can be carried out from the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Manchester and the Zika Virus

After Zika was declared an ‘international emergency’ by the World Health Organisation, scientists at the University of Manchester were awarded £178,000 to develop a vaccine against the virus.
As Zika is not native to the UK, its emergence on these shores is strongly linked with travel to areas of high risk and according to the latest Government figures,  there have been 295 travel-associated cases reported in the UK, seven of which have been diagnosed in pregnant women.

Around 100 people every year are diagnosed as HIV positive in Glasgow. The statistics by  HIV Scotland show that around 40% of new infections are in MSM (Men who have sex with Men), and 30% are as a result of heterosexual transmission, and 30% in injecting drug users.  There are over 1600 people in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area who are HIV positive.

Public Health Wales has published its Quarterly Report into trends of STIs in Wales (the report covers the quarter to Septemeber 2016).  The report found that:

• Chlamydia has increased by 20%
• First outbreaks of Herpes incrased by 20%
• Syphilis cases increased by 61%
• New diagnosis of HIV fell slightly (2 fewer cases)

Instant HIV Test results are now available in Aberdeen with Better2Know.  We use a fourth generation HIV test – which means it is really accurate just 26 days after any incident that you are concerned about.  It tests for both the p24 antigen and HIV 1 and HIV 2 antibodies.  If you are in Aberdeen and worried about your HIV status, then Better2Know can help you.

Having a Chlamydia Test in London is fast and easy with Better2Know.  Results can be ready in just 20 minutes with our instant Chlamydia Tests.  Chlamydia is more prevalent in London than the rest of England, so it is important for Londoners to get tested regularly.  Chlamydia often has no symptoms, so the only way to know whether you have it is to get tested.