Having syphilis once does not protect you from getting it again. Even after successful treatment, you can get syphilis again.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious health problems without treatment.

You can contract or transmit syphilis by direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

You can get syphilis again if your sex partner(s) does not receive testing and treatment.

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is similar to PrEP but is taken after sex if you think there was a possible exposure to HIV and you were not using PrEP.

If you are sexually active, have an honest and open talk with your partner and get tested for syphilis or other STIs.

Syphilis, and most other STIs are curable with the right antibiotics from your healthcare provider.

Though HIV disproportionately affects men who have sex with men, heterosexual sexual contact still makes up around 25% of HIV transmissions each year.

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is taken before sex to protect you from acquiring HIV.

HIV is transmitted through blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, rectal fluid, and breast milk.

HIV can also be transmitted through sharing needles and equipment for injection drug use.

You can have an STIs or HIV and not know. Not all people have symptoms when they have an STI or HIV, but they still need to be treated to prevent serious health issues and transmission to others.

All pregnant people should receive syphilis and HIV testing at their first prenatal visit and receive treatment right away if they test positive.

Condoms are available for free at many locations across Nebraska. Condoms are great at preventing HIV and many STIs.

You cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging, sharing food or other types of non-sexual physical contact.

By consistently taking their medication, people living with HIV are able to lower the amount of HIV in their bodies and achieve an undetectable status making it virtually impossible for them to transmit the virus to a partner.

Syphilis can spread from a mother with syphilis to her unborn baby, if untreated the baby can experience serious health problems.

HIV testing and PrEP are for everyone.

Though not currently curable, HIV can be managed with medication so well that people living with HIV, with proper care, do not transmit the virus.

There are cost assistance programs that make PrEP medication no or low cost.