Dr Steve Chapman

If we get diagnosed with gonorrhea we always treat the patient. The PCR tests we use give us confidence as they are exceptionally sensitive and precise. But I have mentioned elsewhere in this blog that sometimes these INFECTIONS WILL DISAPPEAR ON THEIR OWN! Another Dutch study has shown that on average about 1 in 6 […]

Christmas is here and the office party is round the corner. It’s typically said that colleagues will have sex together at these parties but the next day their lips are sealed….what happens at the office party stays there… But a study performed in the UK just before Covid put this into context: If you have […]

I had been looking for Spanish data so I could mention here how the subject of antibiotic resistance in the damned bacteria Mycoplasma genitalium is progressing, which has not been an easy task. Let me remind you a bit why this is important…… An Australian company (SpeeDx) has developed a tool that tells us whether […]

We all know that children are more and more exposed to sexual imagery and the effect that can have on the development of their sexuality and their integral sexual health Sexting is when “sexters” send messages with a sexual content – this could be pictures, videos, of a pornographic nature, and of third parties or […]

We’ve had decades now collecting data on the risk of HIV in oral, vaginal and anal sex Now we know that the risk of HIV in unprotected sex with SOMEONE ON MEDICATION IS ZERO. But just what is the risk of HIV in vaginal sex? Can I catch HIV in oral sex? This excellent article […]

In Los Angeles, USA men who have sex with men and also did Chemsex (sex in the context of mephedrone or tina) who get diagnosed with an STI (sexually transmitted infection) were found to radically reuce their drug use afterwards. They asked participants to fill out a questionnaire about what their sex life is like […]

En este estudio, calcularon que 1 en cada 20 casos de VIH se pudo evitar detectando gonorrea o clamidia y erradicándolas con antibióticos. Tener gonorrea o clamidia en el recto o cuello de útero incrementa el riesgo del VIH si te expones a este virus también. Of course, most rectal and cervical (in the cervix) […]

There are many reasons why we’re seeing little effort in the clinical development of new antibiotics to treat gonorrhea. As I’ve mentoned elsewhere, this bacteria is beginning to become resistant to the older antibiotics like ciprofloxacin or azithromycin, and we’re left only with the injectable ceftriaxone. Here you can find a nice summary that explains […]

STI specialist wins prize

The treatment of gonorrhea in the future will have to overcome significant obstacles becuase of resistance to antibiotics

A scientific publication about how common it is to hide facts from the doctor if you have been hurt in rough sex, BDSM, etc. Also that it is common that someone would not go to the doctor until symptoms have passed after rough sex

A German study published in October 2021 wanted to know what factors are associated with an orgasm or multiple orgasms in women. Could they be due to certain practices, masturbation, or other factors?

PCR tests to detect HIV and other sexually transmitted infections

Detecting HIV by PCR or viral load. Is it reliable?

What is this bacteria and why is the scientific comminity so concerned about it? Here is a 2 minute review of the main reasons why.

A study done in young Australians confirms what we already knew, that we all ask Google for health information, including sexual health issues. 80% of people who attended an STI clinic looked up their symptoms online first. However, only 17% got their diagnosis right, and these searches were found to provoke anxiety My customers can […]

You’re in a relationship but both decide to get tested as you’ve been together a while and sex was not always protected. That´s the most normal thing in the world, isn’t it? But how can it be that I am positive for, let’s say chlamydia, and he isn’t? There are several explanations: The test didn’t […]

I was recently interviewed for the company Better2Know who also work in sexual health services about the subject of syphilis, to answer questions that pop up often in customers’ minds. If you have any questions about syphilis, please don’t hesitate to write to me for advice. For press or media activities please contact us on […]

In this study, the authors wanted to know if men who consume pornography have a different type of sex with their fuck-buddies.

Men who have sex with men already feel more empowered with the existence of PrEP (taking anti-HIV drugs to avoid infection and hence not infect others ...) and its effectiveness in reducing new cases of HIV is amazing.

In this publication from Ireland, they investigated who knew the most about HIV and other STIs and who were the worst among men who have sex with men.

For many years there have been HIV tests capable of detecting the virus without waiting for the development of antibodies (which can take up to 3 months). There are private labs that offer this test - some say you only have to wait 3 days after risky contact, others mention 10 or 14 days. Obviously it is important to wait long enough to have a very robust result, so what is the true window period for HIV PCR testing?

In this article, we saw the power of testing just for being sexually active, and not waiting for symptoms.

In this article the authors see that in men who have sex with men, those who douche (enemas) before sex are more likely to be infected with an STI / HIV compared to those who do not.

The transmission of hepatitis A in sex is well described by passing from an ass (infected feces) to mouth, and do not forget that there is a vaccine if you want to protect yourself.

Couples having a child for the first time often experience an impact on their sex lives. In this study they saw that it is a phenomenon that lasts an average of 12 months, and mainly affects libido.

GPs are under time constraints and are often unable to open a conversation about sexual health. This recent study describes how common it can be that these doctors either forget or do not know how to open a dialogue with men who have sex with men about their sexual practices or possible relevant check-ups.

HIV is a disease that still shocks many my patients. PrEP (taking anti-HIV medication for prevention) is highly effective in preventing infections and thus helps to stop the circulation of the virus in the community, but where it impacts the most is in people who have anal sex without a condom on a regular basis.

In this Canadian study we see again that what predominates as a primary concern of sexual health for men who have sex with men is mainly HIV, and if they do take measures not to become infected, these are usually measures directed at this virus (condoms in anal penetration etc.).

The impact of the HPV vaccine in the prevention of cervical cancer in women is well demonstrated, and little by little the world is also beginning to incorporate the vaccine in men.

In the public health system it is still common to see that they use the RPR test to try to diagnose new cases of syphilis. I have noticed that it is very common to see people clearly infected with this bacterium who are surprisingly negative in the most typical test

When I see someone with syphilis, it is very common for the person infected in an early stage (first or secondary) to have mild neurological symptoms.

At the 34th IUSTI congress which I attended remotely this year, Dr. Salmerón from Barcelona presented data on her study to find out the state of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhea in Spain.

I presented data at the IUSTI congress in 2018 that we see much more gonorrhea and chlamydia in the throat and rectum than any other part of the body