HIV Prevention & Support

HIV – Hep C – STI Prevention & Awareness

You can begin Home Testing this month!

The HIV Positive Support Group will continue as a zoom group on the 3rd Thursdays of the month, but now from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. The next group meeting is Thursday, November 19th. Contact cristina@solanopride.org for more information. This is the first meeting, so plan on attending to share what you’d like to see in future meetings! Facilitated by Cristina Zaldana. Future dates below.

Health Advisory: Recent Rise of Mpox Cases in California and the Bay Area

October 20, 2025: CDPH and local health departments have identified three unrelated cases of clade I mpox among Southern California residents without a history of recent international travel, indicating that person-to-person community spread is occurring in California. Clade I mpox transmission can occur through sexual or intimate contact (e.g., massage, cuddling) or shared living spaces or personal items. While most people are at low risk, some people and communities are at higher risk for exposure and can protect themselves by getting both doses of the mpox vaccine.

Health care providers should incorporate assessments for mpox risk and vaccination status at all sexual health visits, and test patients for mpox with compatible signs and symptoms, regardless of vaccination status or previous infection. Please see the Health Advisory for recommendations for medical providers and commercial laboratories.

October 28, 2025 update from the Bay Area Reporter:

Three unrelated cases of clade I mpox have been found in Southern California, state health officials announced. The news indicates there is person-to-person community spread, primarily impacting communities of gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men and their social networks, health officials stated.

Prior cases of clade I mpox were associated with international travel; the three reported Southern California cases did not report travel outside the U.S. All required hospitalization.

All three of the new clade I cases were among unvaccinated people, the state health department stated to the Bay Area Reporter. Asked if any were immunocompromised, the department declined to comment, citing patient privacy. It did state that risk to the general public remains low.

Most prior spread of mpox in the U.S. among men who have sex with men involved clade II mpox, a less dangerous strain. Clade I is endemic to central Africa. The two cause similar symptoms. There was a clade I case in California reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2024, but that involved international travel. There have been five total clade I cases ever reported in the Golden State, the state health agency stated. Of those, four required hospitalization.

Syphilis: The Comeback We Didn’t Want — And How We’re Fighting It

Planned Parenthood, Sept 6th

Across the U.S., syphilis is making a troubling comeback. Cases have jumped nearly 80% since 2018, levels we haven’t seen since the 1950s. Even more alarming, the number of babies born with syphilis has skyrocketed by 937% over the last decade.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause serious, even life-threatening health problems if it’s not treated. It’s usually spread through sexual contact, but when it’s passed from a pregnant person to their baby during pregnancy, a condition known as congenital syphilis, the results can be devastating. Congenital syphilis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, lifelong disabilities, and even infant death.

This STI affects all communities, but some are hit harder. Men who have sex with men, Black Americans, and people without easy access to healthcare face higher rates of infection. Factors like substance use, reduced condom use, and cuts to STI services have also fueled its spread. And because syphilis often shows no early symptoms, many people don’t even know they’re infected.

A Local Success Story in a National Crisis

While syphilis rates climb across the country, Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC) has seen a much different trend, and the results are worth celebrating. Since 2021, early syphilis cases have dropped 43% among female-identifying patients in both counties, a rare public health win during a national surge. The success is especially important in San Bernardino County, which has some of the highest STI rates in the nation, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Secret? Proactive Testing

In April 2021, PPOSBC began “opt-out” STI screening. That means everyone who comes for a routine appointment is offered testing, no awkward requests, no special visits. This simple change has been a game-changer, catching infections earlier, even in individuals who thought they were at low risk.

Dr. Shayne Poulin, a PPOSBC physician in San Bernardino, explains why this matters: “When we started testing everyone, we found more early cases than we expected. Importantly, 40% of the new positive tests were among patients who could become pregnant.”

Since the program began, congenital syphilis cases in San Bernardino County have dropped 45%. In Orange County, early syphilis cases overall are down 32%, including a 30% decrease among male-identifying patients.

Expanding The Fight Against STIs

The opt-out approach has been so successful that in November 2024, PPOSBC expanded it to include trichomoniasis (another common STI). The results were immediate: 396 cases in pregnant patients were caught early that might have otherwise gone undiagnosed. Catching trichomoniasis matters. Untreated, it can lead to premature birth, lower birth weight, and other serious complications for newborns. By finding and treating these cases early, PPOSBC is helping protect the health of both patients and their babies.

And this work is part of something bigger. Each year, PPOSBC provides nearly 250,000 patient visits for cancer screenings, Pap tests, birth control, breast exams, STI testing and treatment, and so much more, available to everyone regardless of insurance or immigration status.

Why Testing Matters for Everyone

The rise of syphilis across the country is alarming, but the progress here in Orange and San Bernardino Counties shows that it doesn’t have to be this way. Proactive testing, early treatment, and accessible care can change the trajectory of an epidemic.

PPOSBC’s opt-out testing model is proof that when healthcare is easily accessible, everyone benefits, from individuals to entire communities….

Share this info at this link: https://pposbc.substack.com/p/syphilis-the-comeback-we-didnt-want?utm_source=substack&publication_id=4140838&post_id=172925922&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&isFreemail=true&r=4044wo&triedRedirect=true

— Your Friends at AIDS Walk San Francisco

Thanks to those who were able to walk or get sponsors this year! You make a huge difference!