Support available for sexual and blood borne infections

Common sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptoms include:

• Unusual genital discharge
• Pain during urination
• Pain during sex
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Rash, sores or itching around the genitals or other parts of the body 

In many cases, STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV, don’t have any obvious symptoms. You can have an STI without knowing it. And, while you may feel perfectly fine, you can still pass an STI to someone else if you have vaginal, oral or anal sex without a condom.

Common blood borne infection (BBI) symptoms include:

• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes)
• Unusual fatigue
• Dark urine
• Abdominal discomfort
• Loss of appetite

You may not experience obvious symptoms if you have a BBI and the infection may progress without detection. If you are at-risk of a BBI, it is important to learn your status by seeking testing and follow-up from a health care provider. 

Ways to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood borne infections (BBIs) include:

• Practice safer sex. Using latex or polyurethane condoms and/or oral dams for oral, anal or vaginal sex can reduce the risk of STIs
• Consider regular STI testing for yourself and your sexual partners
• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective, safe treatment taken to prevent HIV transmission. For more information on how PrEP works, guidance on how to access PrEP, or to do a quick assessment to see if PrEP is right for you, visit ontarioprep.ca. You can also access PrEP through York Region Sexual Health Clinics

Additional ways to protect against blood borne infections (BBIs):

• Harm reduction, or the use of various tools and strategies to prevent infection when people inject or use drugs
• Avoid sharing any personal hygiene items (e.g., razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers)
• Seek personal services (e.g., tattoo, piercing, manicures, pedicures, cosmetic procedures) from facilities that use single-use needles, inks and/or follow proper sterilization procedures
• Get vaccinated for hepatitis B

Early detection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood borne infections (BBIs) decreases the risk of long-term health complications from these infections.

If you've had sex without a condom, including oral sex, see your health care provider or book an appointment at a York Region Sexual Health Clinic to get tested for both STIs and BBIs. To find out if you have a sexual and blood borne infection (SBBI), you need to be tested. Otherwise, you could spread an SBBI to a sexual partner without knowing it.

If you are sexually active, you should get tested. You should consider getting tested every time you have sex with a new partner, prior to sexual contact, at your regular check-ups, and if you have symptoms such as pain during sex, sores, bleeding after sex, abnormal discharge, and/or abnormal vaginal bleeding. It is important to remember that many infections do not have any symptoms.

Testing for blood borne infections (BBIs) should be included if you have any one of the following risk factors:

• You have engaged in injection, intranasal or inhalation drug use with shared equipment (even once)
• You were born in a region where hepatitis B/C is more common
• One or both of your parents immigrated from a region where hepatitis B/C is more common
• You live in or travel to regions where hepatitis B/C is more common
• You’ve had exposure to non-sterile medical, dental or personal services equipment
• You received blood, blood products, or had an organ transplant before 1992 in Canada
• You had an invasive medical procedure(s) in a country or countries where infection prevention and control practices are not standardized
• You have a family history of liver disease or liver cancer
• You have been in prison
• You are pregnant
• You are a man who has sex with other men and have had unprotected sex
• You receive dialysis

Once you know what you have, you can get the right treatment. It's also worth knowing so you don't pass along a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or blood borne infection (BBI) to someone else. Please review What to do if you were exposed to blood or body fluids resource for more information.

If you test positive for an STI or BBI, take action to prevent the spread. It's important to tell your partner(s) from the past and present, or even future ones, depending on the infection. A Public Health Nurse can provide guidance about which partner(s) require notification. If possible, those that are at-risk of exposure should be treated at the same time you are. That way they can avoid re-infecting you or others.

How do I tell my partner(s)?

If you have concerns about telling your partner(s), call us to speak with a nurse. They can suggest ways to handle the situation or will contact your partner(s) for you. Your name will be kept confidential. If you decide to talk to your partner(s) yourself, learn how to talk comfortably about it

Treatment

STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can be treated and cured by antibiotics. There are also highly effective anti-viral medications available to help people with HIV live longer and healthier lives. With consistent treatment and follow-up, it is possible to prevent sexual transmission of HIV.

While hepatitis B cannot be cured, there are treatments that help keep the infection under control and reduce its damaging effects. Advancements in hepatitis C treatment now make it possible to cure this infection. Getting linked early to a health care provider is important to managing these infections.

If you have had a recent exposure and would like to review recommendations for follow-up, including accessing Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) (treatments to prevent acquisition of hepatitis B or HIV), contact a Public Health Nurse through Access York 1-877-464-9675, connect with a health care provider, or access emergency assessment at your local hospital.

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• HIV
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C

The Mandatory Blood Testing Act (MBTA) allows an individual (“applicant”) to apply to have the blood of another person (“respondent") tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C if they have come into contact with their blood and body fluids during the course of their duties.

The applicant must meet specific eligibility and the application must be submitted to the respondent’s local public health unit no more than 30 days after the occurrence.

Please review the Ministry of Health website for further details regarding eligibility, application forms and submission.

Questions? Call Access York at 1-877-464-9675 Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.