HIV and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) share many of the same characteristics, but there are also some very distinct differences in the way they are transmitted, how long each virus lives outside of the body, disease progression, and treatment. This post explores some of the similarities and differences between HIV and HCV. RNA Viruses […]
A Look at the Increase in HPV Cancer Cases & the HPV Vaccine
The Annual Cancer Report Time.com recently wrote about the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The report shows the U.S. is making progress in controlling some tumors, but rates of human papillomavirus-related cancers remain high despite the FDA’s approval of the vaccine and the CDC’s subsequent vaccination guidelines. The annual report is a […]
Hepatitis Transmission Risk – Hep C – HCV
Hepatitis Transmission – Hep C: Hepatitis C is transmitted from blood-to-blood. This doesn’t mean just touching someone else’s blood. It means getting blood infected with the hep-C virus directly into your bloodstream. While there’s still a lot we don’t know about how hep-C infections happen, there are two important points to remember: You can’t get […]
Testing for Hepatitis C – Diagnostic & Evaluative Tests
Hepatitis testing is a two-stage process: first diagnosing the illness, and then evaluating liver damage and treatment prospects. The first stage tests, antibody screening and confirmation, tell you if you’ve been infected by hep-C, and whether the virus is still present and active. Once you know that you have hep-C, the tests in the evaluative […]
Signs, Symptoms & Disease Progression – Hepatitis C
Most people do not know they have hep-C. In fact, the virus was around for years before scientists even identified it. So, lots of people were infected before anyone knew the virus existed. Now there are ways to find out if you were exposed to and/or infected with hepatitis C. Hep C is a small […]
Tips for Living with Hepatitis C (HCV)
If you have hepatitis C (HCV or hep-C), taking care of yourself may be simple, or it may be complicated depending upon how sick you are, the symptoms you have, other problems you may have, etc. This is your basic care overview, but for more information, check the resources links at the bottom of this […]
What Do You Want to See on The STI Project This Year?
A new year has arrived (the world didn’t end yet, much to the chagrin of some), which means, it’s a perfect time to make improvements, set goals, and brainstorm dreams into fruition! Therefore, we’re contemplating how we can best serve you, our readers, over the upcoming year. Recharged and Excited for The New Year I […]
Herpes Blood Tests – Why I Haven’t Been Type-Specific Tested Yet
Recently, I had a written exchange with a reader about blood testing for HSV1/HSV2. In my interview, I previously mentioned not having taken a blood test to determine which strain of HSV I’m living with*. Diagnosed 14 years ago at the family doctor’s office, with a very obvious genital outbreak, a blood test was neither […]