Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two different STBBIs that are often present at the same time. They are very common and are tested for using a urine test if there are no symptoms. When symptoms occur, swabs can be taken. The infected areas may include the genitals, throat or anus.

Transmission

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are sexually transmitted through:

• Simple genital contact (without penetration);
• Anal, vaginal or frontal penetration;
• Oral sex (blow jobs or cocksucking, rimming or analingus, cunnilingus);
• Sharing sex toys.

Symptoms

Most people don’t have any symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include:

• Unusual discharge from the penis or anus;
• Pain when urinating (itching or burning);
• Pain in the testicles or the anal region;
• Sore throat (gonorrhea);
• Unusual discharge from the front hole;
• Bleeding from the front hole after sex.

Treatment

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are treated with medication. The treatment is free for the infected person and their sexual partners.

LGV is a bacteria in the same family as chlamydia. This infection occurs in three stages: primary, secondary and tertiary. It can be transmitted even when no symptoms are present.

Transmission

LGV is transmitted through:

• Oral sex (blow jobs or cocksucking, rimming or analingus, cunnilingus);
• Anal, vaginal or frontal penetration;
• Simple genital contact (without penetration);
• Sharing sex toys.

Symptoms

Symptoms don’t always occur. When they do, they vary depending on the stage of the infection.

Stage 1: One or more small painless lesions (chancres, sores). They appear three to 30 days after transmission and disappear on their own. Often, the person doesn’t realize they have lesions. They may appear on the penis, rectum, mouth, throat or front hole. The person is now an LGV carrier and can transmit it even after symptoms disappear.

Stage 2: Stage 2 symptoms may last a few weeks to a few months. They appear two to six weeks after the stage 1 lesions.

• Swollen, painful lymph nodes in the groin or neck;
• Fever;
• Muscle or joint pain;
• Anal discharge with blood or pus;
• Creamy whitish discharge from the lymph nodes;
• Constipation.

Stage 3: These symptoms may appear one to 20 years after transmission. They include major damage to the genitals or anal region, such as deformities or growths (lumps) that resemble hemorrhoids. This damage may be permanent, which is why it’s important to get tested regularly.

Treatment

If you have LGV, the medication to treat it is free for you and your sexual partners. It’s easy to treat when it’s detected early. Remember that untreated LGV can lead to stage 3 infection, where damage is permanent.

In Québec, syphilis mostly affects men who have sex with men. Often, a person with a syphilis infection has no symptoms or doesn’t notice symptoms. From the moment you start having sex with men, get tested for syphilis at least once a year.

Transmission

Syphilis can be transmitted: 

• Through oral contact: giving a blow job (cocksucking) or rimming (analingus, licking or eating ass);
• Through anal penetration: when you penetrate (top) or get penetrated (bottom);
• Sometimes, by rubbing naked against your partner or sharing your sex toys.

Symptoms

Often, a person infected with syphilis has no symptoms or doesn’t notice them. If symptoms appear, they disappear on their own, but that doesn’t mean the infection has healed. When there are symptoms, they develop according to the stage of the infection.

Stage 1:

• Chancres (small ulcers) appear on or around the penis, testicles, anus or mouth. Often, the person doesn’t realize the ulcers are there, and they don’t hurt.
• They may appear three months after the transmission of syphilis and they disappear on their own after three to six weeks.
• The infection remains in the body and can be transmitted to others.

Stage 2: The symptoms may appear up to six months after the transmission of the bacteria. They may include:

• Symptoms like those of a flu (fever, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, muscles, swollen lymph nodes);
• Redness or pimples on the hands, fingers, feet or elsewhere on the body.

The symptoms disappear without treatment after a few weeks. The infection remains in the body and can be transmitted to others.

Latency stage: This stage without symptoms can last many years, during which the infection remains in the body and can be transmitted to others.

Stage 3: The infected person may develop severe problems in the heart, brain, bones and liver. These symptoms can appear five to 30 years after infection. At this stage, the person can no longer transmit the infection.

Treatment

When detected and treated early (in the first or second stage), syphilis is completely cured. The medication is free for the infected person and their sexual partners. Left untreated, the infection can cause major damage to the brain, heart and bones.

Remember that you can catch syphilis more than once. This is why it’s important to get tested regularly.

The herpes virus can cause small ulcers, also called lesions or flares, at various places on the body. There are two types of herpes virus:

• Type 1, also called oral herpes or cold sores: These appear on the mouth and can be transmitted to the genitals through oral sex.
• Type 2, also called genital herpes: These appear on the genital organs and are more difficult to transmit to the mouth.

Transmission 

Sperm and vaginal, frontal and anal secretions don’t transmit herpes. Both types of herpes are transmitted when the virus is active on the surface of the infected person’s skin. Transmission can occur through:

• Simple skin-to-skin contact with a person who has herpes (with or without visible symptoms);
• Sexual relations with or without anal, vaginal or frontal penetration;
• Oral sex (ex.: if you have a cold sore and you give a blow job, it can be transmitted).

The virus is active:

• When there are visible lesions.
• When there are signs of an impending herpes flare, called prodromes (itching, fever, tingling, etc.). These signs may show up a few hours or up to two days before the flare.
• At certain times, when the virus is on the skin’s surface without creating lesions. This is the case 1% to 3% of the time.

To learn more, visit the Info-Herpès site of Portail VIH/sida du Québec.

Symptoms

Most of the time, people don’t have symptoms. If there are symptoms, they are small painful sores (with a burning sensation) on the genitals, thighs, anus, buttocks and inside the vagina or front hole (the areas covered by boxers).

People who live with herpes may have episodes (recurrences, attacks, flares). When the first episode of sores appears, the person may have a fever and muscle pain as well. The following episodes are often less intense. The lesions often reappear at the same place.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no cure for herpes. Medication can help reduce the frequency of flares (meaning the appearance of lesions) and the risk of transmission, as well as soothing symptoms. Talk with your doctor about the options.

If you’re living with herpes and would like support, contact Info-Herpès, a service provided by Portail VIH/sida du Québec.

HPV is one of the most widespread infections in Québec. There are many types of this virus, some forty of which are sexually transmitted. This is the virus responsible for genital warts (condylomas). HPV can come with a low or high risk of cancer. Your doctor can give you more information and recommend the most appropriate steps to take for your health.

Transmission

HPV is transmitted by:

• Simple skin-to-skin genital contact (without penetration);
• Anal, vaginal or frontal penetration;
• Oral sex (blow jobs, cocksucking; when the mouth is in contact with the genitals or anus);
• Sharing sex toys.

Transmission can occur even when no warts (small bumps) are present on the skin or mucus membranes of the penis, testicles, vulva, anus or throat.

Symptoms

Very often, a person infected with HPV has no symptoms. They don’t know they’re infected. When they have symptoms, they include:

• Bumps, called condylomas or genital warts, on the genital organs, around the anus and sometimes in the mouth;
• For men who have a front hole, lesions on the cervix.

Treatment

• In most cases, the body eliminates the infection without requiring intervention.
• Certain treatments can remove genital warts. However, they may reappear later.
• Depending on the type of HPV, your doctor may suggest appropriate treatment.

There is also a preventative vaccine to protect against the most common types of HPV. It’s provided for free to people age 9 to 26 years old. To learn more, visit the Gouvernement du Québec website.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.

Symptoms

Most of the time, there are no symptoms. When symptoms appear, they’re similar for hepatitis A, B and C:

• Fatigue;
• Loss of appetite;
• Nausea or stomach cramps;
• Jaundice (the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellowish);
• Pale stools and dark urine;
• Diarrhea.

Hepatitis B can cause a fever. Note that the symptoms of hepatitis C can take 20 years to appear.

HEPATITIS A

Transmission

Hepatitis A is found in the stools of the infected person. It can be transmitted sexually by:

• Analingus or rimming: oral-anal contact, including contact with the fecal matter (stools) of an infected person;
• Sharing sex toys that have been in contact with the stools of the infected person.

Treatment 

Most of the time, the infection goes away on its own and the person is then immune for life. There is a vaccine to prevent infection. Since 2008, all children in fourth grade receive the hepatitis A and B vaccine. If you haven’t been vaccinated, or if you don’t know whether you’ve been vaccinated, talk to your doctor.

HEPATITIS B

Transmission 

Hepatitis B can be transmitted in two ways.

• Sexually, by:
  • anal, vaginal or frontal penetration;
  • sharing sex toys.
• Through the blood, by:
  • sharing drug injection or drug inhalation equipment;
  • tattooing or piercing done with contaminated equipment.

Treatment

The virus may disappear on its own and then the person is immune to the virus, meaning they can no longer contract it. If not, treatments exist to limit the severity of the infection. Remember, there is a vaccine to prevent infection. Since 2008, all children in fourth grade receive the hepatitis A and B vaccine. If you haven’t been vaccinated, or if you don’t know whether you’ve been vaccinated, talk to your doctor.

HEPATITIS C

Transmission

Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through blood, when people share drug injection or drug inhalation equipment or through tattooing or piercing done with contaminated equipment.

More rarely, hepatitis C can be sexually transmitted. Regardless of the type of sexual act, sometimes a little blood may be present, even if you can’t see it. When blood is present, hepatitis C can be sexually transmitted. Cases of sexual transmission are most often seen among men who have anal sex with men. The risk increases if one of the people has another STBBI or is living with HIV.

Treatment

There is no preventative vaccine for hepatitis C. Effective treatments now exist that make it possible to cure. After being cured, the person is not immune, and can contract the virus again.

To learn more, visit the HIV section.

Crabs are parasites that live in the pubic hair. They’re a type of lice, and may also be called pubic lice.

Transmission

Crabs are transmitted by:

• Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person;
• Contact with an object that has crabs (clothing, sheets, towels, etc.).

Symptoms

If there are symptoms, they may include:

• Rashes where the crabs are located, such as the pubic area;
• Small blue stains, which are the crabs’ bite marks;
• The presence of small, pale brown insects and white eggs in the infected areas.

Treatment

You’ll be prescribed a cream to apply on the infected area for a few days. You also need to wash your sheets, towels and clothing with hot water to prevent reinfection.