Health and Wellbeing: Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs) – How Much Do You Know?
STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis, are on the rise in Australia, including in Queensland. For example, the most common bacterial STI, chlamydia, had 16,648 notifications in 2020 in Queensland, increasing to 19,361 in 2023. Similarly, gonorrhoea notifications increased from 4,884 in 2020 to 5,470 in 2023, and infectious syphilis cases rose from 737 to 1,026 during the same period (source: www.health.qld.gov.au).
If left untreated, these infections can cause serious health issues, including infertility (in both males and females), pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancy. In particular, syphilis can lead to long-term damage to the brain, heart, eyes, and nervous system. Pregnant women with syphilis are at risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, and passing on syphilis that can cause permanent damage to their babies, including blindness, deafness, and disability.
Symptoms of STIs
Some individuals may experience symptoms such as:
• Blisters, lumps, sores, or rashes in the genital area or inner thighs
• Testicular pain (in males)
• Lower abdominal pain, pain during or after sex, or bleeding between periods (in females)
• Unusual discharge or bleeding from the penis, vagina, or anus
• Pain or difficulty when urinating
However, many STIs are asymptomatic, making regular sexual health checks essential, especially if you:
• Change sexual partners, particularly at the beginning or end of a relationship
• Have had unprotected sex
• Have multiple sexual partners
Special Considerations for Pregnant Women
In Queensland all pregnant women undergo HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis testing at the start of pregnancy, even if they’ve had only one partner, to protect their health and prevent transmission to their baby. Retesting for syphilis is done at 26–28 weeks and again at 36 weeks gestation to avoid serious health issues for both mother and baby.
Mpox (Monkeypox)
Mpox, another STI of concern, has seen rising cases in Queensland, with 69 identified between January 1 and September 27 this year. Mpox can spread through intimate contact, and free vaccines are available for those at high risk, including:
• Sexually active gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (cis and trans), and their sexual partners
• People living with HIV
• Sex workers
• Certain healthcare workers and laboratory staff
For more details, visit the Queensland Government’s health page on Mpox.
Where Can You Get Tested?
General practitioners (GPs) and sexual health clinics across Queensland offer STI testing. You can find your nearest sexual health clinic at https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/sex-health/services/find-service#qld .
Remember, your doctor may ask personal questions, but it’s important to answer honestly to ensure an accurate diagnosis. Your information will remain confidential. Your sexual partners will need to be contacted if you have been diagnosed with an STI. It is important for them to be tested to prevent further transmission. This can be done anonymously by an experienced nurse or doctor or specialist contact tracer for you, or by yourself. You can also use websites to let your sexual partner know: https://letthemknow.org.au/ or https://www.thedramadownunder.info/ (for men who have sex with men).
For more information, visit our webpage www.eccq.com.au/bbv or contact our team.
If you are living in Cairns, you can contact Damian Garozzo-Vaglio at Cairns Sexual Health Services by calling 4226 4760 or emailing damian.garozzo-vaglio@health.qld.gov.au.
