LGV vs Regular Chlamydia: What's the Difference?
LGV and ordinary chlamydia are caused by the same bacterium - Chlamydia trachomatis - but different strains. LGV comes from the more aggressive L1. L3 serovars and causes severe, invasive disease like
152 articles
STD Condition Guides, Page 6
Plain-English deep dives on HIV, hepatitis, HPV, syphilis and more.
STD Condition Guides articles
Genital Herpes Treatment: Antivirals Compared
Genital herpes is treated with one of three antiviral pills - acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir - taken either at the first sign of an outbreak (episodic) or every day (suppressive).
Crabs vs Scabies: Itch, Bites & Treatment
Crabs and scabies both itch in the genital area, but they're different parasites with different treatments. Crabs (pubic lice) are visible insects that cling to coarse hair.
Trich vs Chlamydia: Symptoms & Tests
Trichomoniasis and chlamydia are both common, both often silent, and both fully curable - but they're entirely different organisms.
Gonorrhea Treatment: Antibiotics & New Guidelines
Gonorrhea is cured with a single injection of ceftriaxone given in a clinic - 500 mg into the muscle for most adults, or 1 g for people weighing 150 kg or more.
Scabies Reinfection: Why It Keeps Coming Back
Scabies reinfection means new mites have burrowed into your skin after a previous case was treated - usually from an untreated partner or household contact, or from bedding and clothing that wasn't decontaminated.
Chlamydia vs Mycoplasma vs Ureaplasma
Chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium are both bacteria that infect the urethra and cervix and cause overlapping symptoms - discharge, burning, and pelvic pain - but they're different organisms with dif
How to Test for a Yeast Infection at Home & Clinic
To test for a yeast infection, a clinician examines a sample of vaginal discharge under a microscope (a wet prep) and checks vaginal pH, sometimes adding a fungal culture.
Yeast Infection During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?
Yes, a yeast infection during pregnancy is safe to treat and rarely harms the baby - but the medication matters.
HPV Positive but No Symptoms: What It Means
A positive HPV test with no symptoms is normal and usually not an emergency.
Acute HIV Infection: Seroconversion Symptoms
Acute HIV infection is the earliest stage, usually the first weeks after the virus enters the body.
Syphilis Symptoms: Chancre, Rash & Each Stage
Syphilis symptoms unfold in stages. The first is usually a single painless sore (chancre) where the bacteria entered, about three weeks after exposure.
Trichomoniasis in Pregnancy: Risks & Treatment
Trichomoniasis in pregnancy is a treatable infection caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis that's linked to preterm birth and low birth weight if left untreated.
Chlamydia Symptoms in Men: Signs, Timing & When to Test
Most men with chlamydia have no symptoms at all - roughly half feel completely fine while carrying it.
Herpes Outbreak Triggers & How to Prevent Them
You can't always stop a herpes outbreak, but you can cut how often they happen and lower the chance of passing the virus to a partner.
HPV Testing: How You're Diagnosed
HPV testing means a high-risk HPV DNA test run on cells brushed from the cervix during a pelvic exam - it's a cervical-cancer screening tool, not a general STD-panel item.
Can You Get HPV While Using Condoms?
Yes, you can still get HPV even when you use condoms correctly every time.
HPV vs Herpes: How to Tell the Difference
The short answer: herpes causes painful blisters or sores that come and go, while HPV usually causes painless bumps (genital warts) or nothing at all. Herpes is a lifelong viral infection managed with
Acyclovir vs Valacyclovir vs Famciclovir: Herpes Antivirals Compared
Acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir all block herpes from replicating - they manage outbreaks and cut transmission but don't cure HSV. They're equally effective.
Oral Herpes Symptoms: Cold Sores & Mouth
Oral herpes symptoms are most often cold sores - small fluid-filled blisters on or around the lips that break into painful sores and crust over within a week or more.