The Better2Know Blog

Genital herpes is caused by Herpes Type II, and can cause painful genital sores in many adults and can be much more severe if you have a suppressed immune systems. If a person with genital herpes touches their sores or the fluids from the sores, they may be able to transfer their herpes infection to another part of their or someone else’s body. This can be particularly problematic if it is a sensitive location such as the eyes. Transmission of herpes can be avoided by not touching the sores or fluids. If you do touch them, then immediately and thoroughly wash your hands as this will reduce the chances of a transmission.

Cases bought by one partner against former lovers are continuing to come to court both in the UK and the US.  The person who receives herpes from their lover is often claiming damages or in some cases in the UK looking for a prison sentence for knowingly transmitting this incurable STI.

Better2Know has been blogging about Gonorrhoea becoming resistant to antibiotics regularly.  In this new research in Medical News Today, there is further evidence that this STI is becoming untreatable.

Pubic lice (or crabs) – similar to head lice, except living in the pubic hair of men and women – are not as common as they used to be.  They are small insects that breed rapidly to cause itching and in some cases infection.  They are passed on by contact – literally walking from pubic hair to the next  when two pubic regions rub together, so it can be a sexually transmitted infestation, not a classic STD or STI!  Infection rates used to be as high as 10%, but the pubic louse has a new enemy: bikini waxing.

If you do not think chlamydia testing and infertility applies to you, then we suggest you read this real life story in the Daily Telegraph. It reports on one 31 year old’s battle with infertility following unprotected sex in her teenage years, in which she caught chlamydia, did not get tested and subsequently became infertile.

The Number 10 Policy unit has made suggestions including lowering the age of consent to 14 and allowing public nudity as changes to personal freedoms, but these have been dismissed by Prime Minister David Cameron as not yet suitable for the UK, and this has been agreed by Nick Clegg, whose spokesperson said that it had had no political input into it.

A recent piece of research has been conducted to help better understand the thoughts and feelings of ethnic minority men who have sex with men in regards to visiting NHS GUM Clinics for STD testing. The research surveyed a large sample of Ethnic Minority men from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black African and Caribbean, Chinese and other Asian backgrounds and found that they were more likely to be highly anxious and worried about attending a public NHS GUM clinic than a similar sample of white British men. The surveyed group of Ethnic Minorities said that they were worried about someone overhearing their conversations with the GUM clinic reception staff, that they were unhappy sitting in a public waiting area and that they were also worried that others from their community would find out that they were having sex with other men.

You do not have to tell anyone your HIV status.  If you have recently had a positive HIV test, we would suggest telling: your GP, future partners and your close friends and family.  Anyone who will support you and help you.

There are lots of organisations and people urging you to have an HIV test to find out your HIV status (and we are no exception – after all, it is Better2Know), the suggestion being that you will either be HIV negative or HIV positive once you know, but there is a new status of HIV neutral that we came across on the twitter-sphere, and thought we would like to know more about it.

We have noticed an increase in the number of people asking for Herpes tests at Better2Know over the last few months, so we did a little digging to find out why.

Better2Know has three different HIV tests, and this blog post is to help you work out which is the best one for you:

Test 1: Laboratory test from 28 days after any incident you are worried about

This test is for anyone who is worried about HIV and wants the most accurate test available.  The test is done in our CPA accredited laboratory with the results available the same day that the sample is received in the lab.  You need to wait at least 28 days from any incident you are worried about.  The test looks for HIV 1 and HIV 2 antibodies as well as the p24 antigen which is an early indicator of HIV infection is why this test can be used from just 28 days (the traditional 90 day HIV tests do not look for this antigen).  This test is called a fourth generation HIV test.

This is the HIV test in our platinum and full screens.

Test 2: Rapid HIV Test from 26 days after any incident you are worried about

This test gives results while you wait.  It only needs a finger prick, so it suitable for anyone who is scared of needles, who doesn’t want to wait for the laboratory tests, or who needs their HIV results in a hurry.  Some countries and jobs need you to have an HIV test before issuing a visa or letting you start work, and this can mean that you want the fastest possible results.  Not all our clinics do rapid HIV testing, so please ring us to check. This test is also a fourth generation test and looks for the HIV 1 and HIV 2 antibodies as well as the p24 antigen.

Test 3: Early Detection from 10 days after any incident you are concerned about

This test is takes a sample of blood and then uses a technique called PCR (polymerised chain reaction) to increase any viruses found in the blood so that it can be detected.  This test looks for the actual virus itself rather than the markers of the virus (antibodies and antigens).  It is a very accurate test, and takes just three days from when the sample is received in the laboratory.

This is the HIV test in our Early Detection Screen and Early Platinum Screen.

If you are worried about HIV, please phone us to book your HIV test and answer any questions you might have.  Better2Know tests for HIV in all of its nationwide STD clinics.

I am sorry you have never had sex then.

We get calls from people, and when we ask them which tests they want to book for, they say “oh I don’t think I need HIV”.  Well to be honest, if you are phoning to book an STD test there is a very high chance you have had sex, and probably without a condom, and so there is a possibility you could have HIV and that if you do not know you could pass the virus on and infect other people.  Almost half of new infections in the UK come from people who do not know that they have the HIV virus.

Here are the top 10 places for having a Better2Know STD test in the UK in 2012:

We would like to wish all our blog readers and patients a very Happy New Year 2013.

It is really important if you have an STI to tell your current and former partners, to encourage them to get tested, and to avoid passing the infection around to others. But speaking up about a STI, especially to an ex, can be difficult.

A controversial website hit headlines in early December, claiming to offer students money to cover their University tuition fee, in exchange for sex.

Two thirds of over-65s polled think it’s important to have a romantic companion*

New research lifts the lid on ‘sexting’ attitudes and practices amongst teenagers.

HIV home testing kits were approved in the US in July 2012. The over-the-counter test involves the participant taking a swab from their upper and lower gums, and this provides quick results for HIV in 20 to 40 minutes in your own home. These are different from home sample collection kits where you provide a sample of blood or urine at home and then send this to a laboratory for analysis.

If unsafe sex in the city wasn’t enough detail about what happens at a GUM clinic, here is a blog about one of our friend’s experiences:

A new test for oral cancers caused by HPV has been revealed.  The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) has found an RNAscope test that can be done in most hospitals that looks for HPC in oropharyngeal cancers.

Cervical Screening is advised every three years for women aged 25 to 49, and then every five years until the age of 65.  This is usually provided at your GP’s surgery and is commonly known as a smear test, but if you are worried and want faster results, private providers like Better2Know can get you your results in just five days from when the sample is received in the laboratory.

We know that you will have questions about your STD test.  We like hearing from you, here are the answers to some frequent ones:

Q. Can my partner and I get tested together?

A. Yes you can, we can arrange a joint consultation for you and your partner.

Q. I need to be discreet, how can I get a test?

A. We do not need your real name for your booking, but it is a good idea to have something for the doctor to call you, everyone will know that Michael Mouses is not your real name when you are called!  All our clinics are private, so that you can have any reason you like for being there: sports injury, mole consultation, upset tummy. You can also pay us by cash into any Barclay’s Bank (see our terms and conditions) if you do not want to pay by card.  We do not show up on your statement as Better2Know –  call us to find what we do show up as, we do not want to write it here in case someone is searching the Internet for it!

Q. Will my doctor find out?

A. Not from us.  It is up to you if you want to tell them.

Q. Do I have to declare this on my life insurance?

A. No.

Q. I can’t get to a clinic, can you come to me?

A. If you live inside the M25 then for an extra charge a nurse can come to your home or office.  They will not obviously be a Better2Know nurse, so you can just say you are having a blood test for anything you like.  Our Wimpole Street has a more flexible facility, where they only need an approximate time for your appointment, you won’t see a doctor there, but you can see one when you get your results if you like.

If you have any more questions about STD testing, please get in touch.

Better2Know has donated to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test booked through us in the last two weeks from 26 November to 9 December 2012.  We hope you will be raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in whatever way suits you best.

For the first ten days of  December, we have been blogging about ten interesting HIV facts, and here is the last one:

Fact 10: Every minute, 11 people are infected with HIV across the world; women are eight times more likely than men to contract HIV through sexual intercourse.

Better2Know can test for HIV at any of its private STD Testing clinics across the UK.  Tests start from just ten days after any potential exposure.

Better2Know will be donating to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test booked through us during the two weeks from 26 November to 9 December 2012.  We hope you will be raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in whatever way suits you best.

For the first ten days of  December, we will be blogging about ten interesting HIV facts:

Fact 9: The HIV virus itself is a large one in the virus world, and it also has a unique structure that makes it easy to attack the bodies immune system and difficult to kill. HIV is a mutant supervirus, as it has a very fast replication system that helps it mutate faster. This makes it easier for the virus to become immune to antiretrovirals, which are they drugs used to keep the condition under control.

Better2Know can test for HIV at any of its private STD Testing clinics across the UK.  Tests start from just ten days after any potential exposure.

Better2Know will be donating to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test booked through us during the two weeks from 26 November to 9 December 2012.  We hope you will be raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in whatever way suits you best.

For the first ten days of  December, we will be blogging about ten interesting HIV facts:

Fact 8: When it comes to finding the cure to HIV, cats are leading the way. Cats suffer from FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), for which there is already an effective vaccine.  This medicine could help develop the Human vaccine.  We think that the researcher on this project has a bit of soft spot for cats….

Better2Know can test for HIV at any of its private STD Testing clinics across the UK.  Tests start from just ten days after any potential exposure.

Better2Know will be donating to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test booked through us during the two weeks from 26 November to 9 December 2012.  We hope you will be raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in whatever way suits you best.

For the first ten days of  December, we will be blogging about ten interesting HIV facts:

Fact 7: Over the last few years, some people have been found to be immune to HIV and have been able to fight off the virus. This immunity has been traced to a human immune cell called the CD8+T. These cells attack and inject poison into any HIV-infected cells they find. Now that scientists are aware of this, they hope to understand how this process works and create a usable HIV vaccine.

Better2Know can test for HIV at any of its private STD Testing clinics across the UK.  Tests start from just ten days after any potential exposure.

Better2Know will be donating to the Terrence Higgins Trust for every HIV test booked through us during the two weeks from 26 November to 9 December 2012.  We hope you will be raising awareness of HIV/ AIDS in whatever way suits you best.

For the first ten days of  December, we will be blogging about ten interesting HIV facts:

Fact 6: 95% of the world’s HIV positive people live in the world’s poorest countries, so there may be a correlation between poverty, lack of education, developing countries and the contraction of the disease.

Better2Know can test for HIV at any of its private STD Testing clinics across the UK.  Tests start from just ten days after any potential exposure.