The Better2Know Blog

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.

Birmingham has one of the highest rates of STIs in the population of all the cities in the UK.  Nearly 1 in 100 people who came forward for testing have an STI according to Public Health England.  However, does this mean that Brummies are more likely to come forward for testing if they are concerned about their health?

We have clinics all over London where you can get a herpes test.  Your Better2Know herpes test will tell you whether you have type 1 (usually oral herpes), type 2 (usually genital herpes), neither, or both.  We can help you to find our whether you have symptoms at the time of the test or not.

The short answer to the question of this post is: probably.  Although not definitively proven to the level that most doctors would like, there is certainly a lot of evidence to suggest that Zika can be passed on sexually.  Particularly from men to women.

New HIV Infections in MSM (Men who have sex with men) have fallen by almost a third since 2015, according to research published by Public Health England.  Around half of all the new HIV infections in the UK each year are in MSM, so this means a reduction of one-sixth in new infections overall.  It it thought that the main reason for this could be people buying PrEP on line.

Better2Know has a range of testing options and locations in Manchester for your Chlamydia and other STI tests.  No matter what your circumstances, we can help you to get tested quickly and confidentially.

2017’s Cervical Cancer Prevention Week is from 22 to 28 January.  This week raises awareness of cervical cancer, and the importance of prevention through regular testing.  A Pap Smear takes a sample of cells from the cervix.  They are examined to see if they contain and cancerous or pre-cancerous cells.  Depending on your age, women are asked to attend every 3 or 5 years for a smear test.  To raise awareness join the Better2Know team in #SmearforSmear.

Happy National STI Test Day! Although this may be one day that the greetings card makers have yet to make cards for, today is National STI Test Day.  It is two weeks after New Year, which is the recommended incubation or window period for a number STIs.  

Over the Christmas period, we have been busier than ever this year.  Our instant STI tests have been really popular with people who “need to know” before Christmas or the New Year.  We have instant tests results for: HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, and Syphilis.

If you are reading this blog, chances are that you have had fun over the festive period, and are now thinking about getting tested. You are not alone. Most of our patients in January are doing the right thing in looking after their sexual health and getting tested.

We wish all our patients, clinic partners, blog readers, staff and everyone else we work in the UK a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Jenny Dalrymple, Glasgow Caledonian University

One consequence of our ageing population is that people are now sexually active later in life. Combined with a high rate of older adults divorcing and changing partners, this has created a conducive environment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among those in middle age and beyond.

A recent YouGov survey released by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society found that over half (51%) of British adults are diagnosing themselves when they feel unwell or are experiencing symptoms of illness. The internet is where most people (about 78%) go to find information about their condition whilst around 10% will use a health app on their phone, tablet or desk-top. Of even greater concern is the finding that over 40% of people have taken medication prescribed for someone else in an effort to treat their symptoms.

Today, 1 December 2016, is World AIDS Day.  We are supporting the Terrence Higgins Trust for the last two weeks, donating to them for every HIV test booked through us.  There are other ways to support World AIDS Day.

This seemingly simple question was recently debated at IDWeek 2016 held in New Orleans. Compelling evidence was presented on both sides of the argument along with significant statistical data supporting the argument that condoms are not necessary. For example, a study conducted in Uganda of 400 serodiscordant couples (one being HIV positive and the other negative) found no cases of HIV transmission when viral load was below 1500 copies/ml. Further, a Canadian meta-analysis of six cohort studies of over 7000 serodiscordant couples again found no new HIV cases when the HIV positive partner had a confirmed undetectable viral load. So, with such compelling evidence why not just stop wearing condoms?

Today is mid-way through  National and European HIV Testing Week 2016.  It has been a busy week this year.  We have helped lots of people to get tested for HIV all over the UK, Ireland and Spain.  We have also been donating to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test that we have sold on its own or as part of a screen.

World AIDS Day has been held on December 1st every year since 1988. The day was first conceived by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a way of raising awareness of HIV and AIDS and of recognising and remembering the millions of people around the world who have died from this infection. In the period from 1981 to 2012, over 36 million people have died from this disease and a further 35 million or more people are currently living with HIV around the world.

There has been renewed interest this week in drug-resistant gonorrhoea.  Jeremy Vine has been discussing the emergence of the super bug (click here for the podcast) which we have been discussing for years.  There are marked differences across the UK where people are diagnosed with gonorrhoea.  The average number of diagnosed cases of gonorrhoea across England is 70.7 per 100,000 people.  In London, this increases to three times the national average.

The number of newly diagnosed adults with HIV in the North West which includes Manchester and Liverpool shows some variation within the region.  The region is lower than the average across the UK, where there are 12.1 new cases per 100,000 of the population.  Across the North West it is 6.8.  The lowest area is Cumbria (0.7).  The highest area is Manchester (20.2 new cases per 100,000 of the population every year).