A specialist in genitourinary medicine (GUM) sees people with all types of STDs, including HIV. This is why a GUM clinic is an ideal place to go for management of HIV. Having an HIV test at a GUM clinic gives you access to these experts to manage your HIV PEP if you are a candidate.
A specialist in the field of %genitourinary medicine% (GUM) diagnoses and treats all types of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A GUM physician also prescribes birth control and treats other problems with sexual health, including erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. However, diagnosis, testing, and treatment of STDs constitute a large part of a genitourinary medicine practice.
Treatment for some STDs is simple in most cases. For instance, the treatment of gonorrhea or chlamydia usually requires a course of antibiotics, and the infection will be cleared. However, some STDs cannot be removed from the body so easily. There are several viral STDs that are lifelong infections. A genitourinary medicine physician can help the patient to manage the infection using medications, even though it can’t be cured.
The most complex STD to manage is the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and a genitourinary medicine physician is an expert in this complex process. To keep HIV under control, more than one medication must be used. Sometimes, the virus becomes resistant to a medication, requiring a switch. These medications have the potential to interact with each other and with other medications and supplements, and the GUM physician must be aware of all of that. In addition, the science of HIV is constantly changing, with new knowledge being added and new treatments being developed.
After an exposure to HIV, medications can be used to decrease the risk that the exposure will turn into an HIV infection. This is known as post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. %HIV PEP% is effective if started within 72 hours (three days) after the exposure; if it’s longer than that, then PEP will not have an effect on the risk of HIV.
People who have had a known exposure to HIV should consider HIV PEP. This could occur through sexual activity, or through contact with an infected needle (either through injection drug use, or in the workplace as a healthcare worker). HIV PEP is not recommended for those who have ongoing exposures, but rather for those who have had one exposure to HIV. For example, if you regularly share needles for injecting drugs or if you have a regular sexual partner who is HIV-positive, then HIV PEP is not right for you.
Because a genitourinary medicine physician is an expert in the management of HIV, a GUM clinic is the best place to go for your HIV testing and %HIV PEP in Singapore% if you’ve had an exposure. You’ll have access to an expert in this field whose knowledge is up-to-date and whose experience is vast.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. “STD symptoms: Common STDs and their symptoms.” Mayo Clinic. Published 18 Mar 2015. Accessed 27 Jun 2016. http://www.mayoclinic.org/std-symptoms/art-20047081
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 25 Feb 2014. Accessed 27 Jun 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/default.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Screening Recommendations Referenced in Treatment Guidelines and Original Recommendation Sources.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 4 Jun 2015. Accessed 27 Jun 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/screening-recommendations.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “HIV Basics – Testing.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 5 May 2016. Accessed 27 Jun 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/testing.html
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).” AIDS.gov. Published 21 Sep 2015. Accessed 27 Jun 2016. https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/prevention/reduce-your-risk/post-exposure-prophylaxis/
References
Genitourinary medicine at Shim Clinic, Singapore