Viral STIs

Hepatitis B can be passed during vaginal, oral, or anal sex with an infected partner. It can also be transmitted when using infected needles. A blood test is used to diagnose. There is no cure for hepatitis B. Most adults get hepatitis B for a short time and then get better on their own. Sometimes, hepatitis B causes a long-term infection, which can damage the liver. 

Hepatitis B can be prevented through vaccinations. In the Yukon, this vaccine is given to infants, but it is a good idea to check your immunization records to make sure that you have received it.

Hepatitis C is only passed through contact with someone else’s blood. It can be passed when using infected needles or snorting equipment. It can also be passed during vaginal, oral (rarely), or anal sex with an infected partner. 

A blood test is used to diagnose, and it can be treated with antiviral medication. There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C. 

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is very common and has several strains. It can be passed during vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner. Depending on the strain it can cause certain cancers or genital warts. 

A visual exam or cervical swab are used to diagnose. The type of HPV will determine the kind of treatment. Some strains of HPV can be prevented through vaccinations. 

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is very common and classified as an STI but is easily passed through casual skin to skin contact (e.g., a kiss on the cheek) or during vaginal, anal, and oral sex with an infected partner. Symptoms include an outbreak of sores on the genitals or mouth (commonly known as a cold sore).

The stigma of herpes is often much worse than the condition and it doesn’t deserve the drama it causes. Antiviral medications help reduce the severity of outbreaks.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can be passed during anal, vaginal, and rarely oral sex with an infected partner. It can also be passed through childbirth, breastfeeding, or by sharing infected needles. HIV weakens the body’s immune system. 

A blood test is done to diagnose, and it can be managed with antiviral medication.  Without medication, HIV leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). AIDS occurs when the immune system is so badly damaged that it becomes vulnerable to common infections like the flu. AIDS eventually leads to death.