In a recent news article, CTV News highlighted that “the cousin of the HIV” has come to the attention of medical professionals in Canada. Similarly to HIV, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) can be transmitted through bodily fluids during sexual activity, blood, and breast milk. Although this virus has been around for decades, many Canadians are not familiar with its history, symptoms, and methods of prevention.
You might be wondering, “What does this have to do with me?” When it comes to our relational and sexual health choices, it’s important that we stay informed so we know how to protect ourselves and our partners.
Did you know that the most common symptom of a sexually transmitted infection is actually no symptom at all? Regarding HTLV-1, Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CTV that, “The reason we don’t know a lot about this virus is because the vast majority of those with this virus have no symptoms whatsoever”.
For more information about sexually transmitted infections and diseases, as well as where to find testing in Cambridge, please see our blog post, “STI/STD Testing: Why it’s important & where to go”.