STIs

If you are worried that you have an STI, get tested as soon as you can by contacting your local clinic or ordering a test at home kit from Sexual Health Wales.

Clinic Locations

We have both hospital and community based clinics across North Wales. For further details of the clinics and their opening times please select the area in which you would like to be seen:

Test at home

Order a test at home kit from Sexual Health Wales.

STI Symptoms

Most people with an STI do not have symptoms. Different STIs can give you varying symptoms, including unusual discharge from the vagina, penis, anus, pain or discomfort when passing urine, lumps around the genital area or anus, unusual vaginal bleeding, abdominal/testicular pain, blisters or sores in the genital area, or itching in the genital area.

Some of the STIs can affect your long term health. If you are sexually active, and especially if you have had a recent change in your sexual partner, we recommend regular sexual health check-ups.

Partner Notification

Partner notification is a confidential process whereby your sexual partner is told that they have been in contact with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Your partner can then receive the medical advice, tests and any treatment they might need. Partner notification is especially important because many people who have an STI do not notice anything wrong. Partner notification is an important way of helping to stop STIs being passed from person to person, and can stop you from getting the infection again.

For more information please see this Guide to Partner Notification on the BASHH website. 

Common STIs

Chlamydia 
Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can infect the urethra, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, testicles, rectum, throat and eyes.

Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea can infect the urethra, uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, testicles, rectum, throat and sometimes the eyes. Men commonly notice a discharge from the tip of the penis but most women will not have any symptoms. 

Genital Warts
Genital warts are caused by human papillomaviruses or HPVs and are the most common STI caused by a virus.

Herpes
Genital herpes is caused by two viruses called herpes simplex, types 1 and 2. The viruses are very similar and both can cause blisters or ulcers on either the genital area or the face. Details of neonatal herpes can be found here.

Syphilis
Syphilis is caused by a bacterium called Treponema pallidum. It can infect almost any part of the body and usually presents as ulcers on the genitals or in the mouth, skin rashes and swollen lymph glands. 

Non-gonococcal Urethritis
NGU is the name given to inflammation of a man’s urethra when gonorrhoea is not the cause. Men may notice a discharge from the tip of the penis, pain on passing urine or discomfort or itching at the tip of the penis or just inside the urethra.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
PID is the name given to inflammation of a woman’s reproductive organs: the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and surrounding tissues. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection that spreads from the cervix.

Epididimo-orchitis
Epididimo-orchitis is a condition affecting men with symptoms presenting as pain and swelling inside the scrotum.

Mycoplasma
Mycoplasma is caused by a bacterium called Mycoplasma genitalium. Many men and women who have mycoplasma do not have any genital symptoms when they are infected.

Trichomonas Vaginalis
Trichomonas vaginalis is caused by tiny germs similar to bacteria and can infect the vagina, urethra and underneath the foreskin. 

Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus that's spread through blood and body fluids.

Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver and is spread through contact with the blood of an infected person.

HIV
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.

Lymphogranuloma Venereum
Lymphogranuloma venereum, or LGV, is caused by a bacterium from the chlamydia family. LGV can infect the genitals, anus, rectum, throat or lymph glands in the groin.

Molluscum
Molluscum contagiosum is a relatively harmless viral infection of the skin and causes small raised bumps, or lesions, on the upper layers of the skin.

Pubic Lice
Pubic lice (sometimes called crabs) are tiny insects that live on coarse human body hair. Symptoms can include: itching, inflammation and irritation caused by scratching, black powder in your underwear and blue spots or small spots of blood on your thighs or lower abdomen.

Scabies
Scabies is a skin infestation caused by a mite known as the sarcoptes scabiei. Symptoms usually include an itchy, red rash to form on the skin.

Other Conditions

Bacterial Vaginosis
Bacterial vaginosis is the most common cause of an abnormal vaginal discharge in women of child bearing age. 

Balanitis
Balanitis is a skin irritation on the head of the penis that can affect men and boys.

Candidiasis
Candidiasis, which is also known as thrush, is a common yeast infection that affects men and women. Recurrent thrush is defined as an episode of thrush four or more times in a year.

Cystitis
Cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bladder infection.

Further information about sexually transmitted infections can be found on the NHS 111 Wales website.