Types of STIs

The only way to be 100% sure you won’t get an STI is to not have sex. However, if you’re having sex you can take charge of your sexual health and stay healthy by always using barrier methods like condoms, getting regularly tested for STIs, and talking to your partners about safer sex. Remember: For ALL types of STIs, the most common symptom is NO symptom. The only way to know whether you have an STI is to get tested.  Looking for info about HIV? Try here.

Chlamydia

Gonorrhea

Herpes

Hepatitis

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Syphilis

Trichomoniasis

Pubic Lice

Chlamydia

AKA The Clam 

What is it? A common, easily curable STI that can infect people with all kinds of genitals

How can I get it? Unprotected penis-in-vagina (PIV) sex, oral sex or anal sex with someone who has chlamydia. Getting chlamydia from manual sex (hand jobs or fingering) is highly unlikely.

How can I prevent it?

• Use barrier methods like condoms or dental dams the right way, every time you have sex.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Getting regularly tested.

What are the symptoms?

If you have a vagina:

• The most common symptom is no symptom
• Weird discharge from your vagina or penis
• Burning when you urinate
• Pain and swelling in one or both of your testicles (if you have a penis)
• Pain in your rectum
• Rectal discharge
• Rectal bleeding

How do they test for it? With either a urine sample, or taking a swab from the vagina

How is it treated? Chlamydia can be cured with medication, usually pills. Your health care provider will either give you a single dose or several doses to be taken over 7 days. It’s important to take your medication as directed by your doctor. Do not have sex until 7 days after you take your single dose treatment, or until you’ve finished your 7-day treatment. Make sure that your partner(s) have been tested and treated before you have sex. Otherwise, they can pass the virus back to you.

What happens if it’s not treated? In everyone, untreated chlamydia increases the chances of getting or spreading HIV. If you have a vagina, chlamydia can spread to your uterus and fallopian tubes. This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can cause serious, permanent damage to your reproductive system and even make it impossible to get pregnant. Chlamydia can also be passed to babies during birth. In people with penises, chlamydia can cause pain and fever, and make it impossible to have children. However, these consequences are rare.

Gonorrhea

AKA The Clap

What is it? A curable STI that can infect the genitals, rectum or throat. It is very common, especially in young people.

How can I get it? Unprotected penis-in-vagina (PIV), oral or anal sex with someone who has gonorrhea.

How can I prevent it?

• Using condoms, the right way, every time you have sex.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Talking about STIs with your partners.
• Getting regularly tested for STIs.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom is no symptom.

In people with vaginas:

• Burning or pain when you urinate
• More vaginal discharge than usual
• Bleeding from your vagina when you’re not on your period
• Rectal discharge
• itching or soreness around your anus
• bleeding from your anus
• painful bowel movements

In people with penises:

• Burning when you urinate
• White, yellow or green discharge from your penis
• Painful or swollen testicles (less common)
• Rectal discharge
• Itching or soreness around your anus,
• Bleeding from your anus
• Painful bowel movements

How do they test for it? A routine test is done with a urine sample. If you have symptoms, your health care provider may take swabs of your throat, rectum, urethra if you have a penis, or cervix if you have a vagina.

 How is it treated? Gonorrhea can be cured with the right antibiotics. Make sure to follow your doctor’s directions and take all of the necessary medication. If you keep having symptoms for more than a few days after treatment, talk to your health care provider. Some strains of gonorrhea have become antibiotic-resistant, and are more difficult to treat. Do not have sex for 7 days after you finish treatment, or you may pass on the infection. Make sure that your partner is also treated.

What happens if it’s not treated? In people with vaginas, gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can make it impossible to get pregnant and cause long-lasting pain. In people with penises, untreated gonorrhea can spread to the tubes attached to the testicles, which is quite painful. Rarely, gonorrhea can also spread to the joints or blood, which is life-threatening. Like all STIs, gonorrhea increases the chances that you might get or pass on HIV or other STIs.

 

Herpes

AKA The Gift That Keeps on Giving

What is it? There are two main kinds of herpes: genital herpes (usually caused by HSV-2) and oral herpes (usually caused by HSV-1). Genital herpes is a common STI that affects people with all types of genitals and is spread through genital contact with someone who has herpes. It is manageable, but not curable. Oral herpes (which causes cold sores or fever blisters) is spread through direct contact between the infected area (usually around the mouth) and the mouth, genitals, or an open cut or sore. Oral herpes is extremely common—over half of adults in the United States have it.

How can I get it? Genital herpes is spread through genital contact or genital fluids like semen (come or ejaculate) or vaginal fluids. This means you can get it from penis-in-vagina (PIV), anal or oral sex with someone who has herpes. You can also get it from direct genital-to-genital contact, such as tribbing. While you’re more likely to get herpes if you directly touch a herpes sore, herpes can still be spread when there’s no outbreak. This means you can get herpes from touching someone’s genitals with your own genitals or mouth—no sores or fluids needed.

You can get oral herpes by kissing someone who has herpes, especially if they have cold sores when you kiss them. Sometimes, oral herpes can be spread to a partner’s genitals through oral sex. So even though genital herpes is USUALLY caused by HSV-2, it’s sometimes caused by HSV-1. Most people who have oral herpes have had the infection since they were very young, and got it from non-sexual contact.

How can I prevent it?

• Using condoms the right way every time you have sex helps prevent spreading herpes, but herpes sores are not always in areas covered by a condom. Contact with these sores can pass on the virus. In addition, herpes can still be spread even when there are no sores.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Talking about STIs with your partners.
• Getting regularly tested for STIs.

If you have herpes, taking an anti-herpes medication every day can reduce the chances that you’ll spread it. Talk to your health care provider about it. Avoiding sex when you’re having an outbreak also helps reduce the risk of passing the virus on.

What are the symptoms?

Like with all STIs, most people with herpes have no symptoms, or very mild symptoms that are barely noticeable. If you do have symptoms, you may get painful blisters on or near your vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth. They may break and take a week to heal. This period of time, when there are visible symptoms of herpes, is called an outbreak. Some people (but not everyone) with herpes will have repeat outbreaks throughout their life. Usually, the first outbreak is the worst—it can include symptoms similar to the flu like a fever, body aches or swollen lymph nodes.

How do they test for it? If you have symptoms, your health care provider may diagnose you just by looking at your blisters. Sometimes, they take a sample of fluid from the blister to test.

If you don’t have symptoms, herpes can be tested with a blood test. However, this test is not as reliable as other routine STI tests. Sometimes, there are false positives. This means that the test will say you have herpes when you really don’t. Because of this, most health care providers do not recommend routine herpes testing. Tell your health care provider if you’ve had symptoms of herpes and talk to them about whether they recommend getting tested.

How is it treated?

Herpes is not curable, but it is manageable. Your health care provider can give you anti-herpes medications that shorten and help prevent outbreaks, and decrease the chances that you’ll pass herpes on to a partner.

What happens if it’s not treated?

Some people with herpes continue to get painful outbreaks throughout their lives. These outbreaks increase the chances of getting HIV, since HIV can enter your body through herpes sores. Not treating herpes also increases the chances that you will spread the virus to a partner.

Herpes can cause some complications during pregnancy, and if not managed the virus can be passed on to the baby. This is incredibly serious, and can be potentially deadly for the baby.

Outside of pregnancy, however, herpes does not directly cause serious health complications.

 

Hepatitis

What is it? An inflammation of the liver, usually caused by a virus. The three most common kinds are Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Hepatitis A is spread through sexual contact and contact with traces of feces. It is rare in the United States and developed countries. Hepatitis B is the most common in the United States, and is spread through semen, blood, and other body fluids. Hepatitis C is the most serious form of hepatitis.

How can I prevent it?

• Getting vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B. The Hepatitis A vaccine consists of two shots and most doctors recommend it for children over 1 year old. The Hepatitis B vaccine consists of three shots and is for newborns.
• Using condoms, the right way, every time you have sex. Keep in mind that condoms do not generally prevent the spread of Hepatitis A, but they’re useful in preventing Hepatitis B and C.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Getting regularly tested and treated for STIs.

What are the symptoms?

Like all STIs, the most common symptom is no symptom at all. If someone does have symptoms, they may have mild to severe flu-like symptoms, such as fever, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, dark pee, tiredness and abdominal pain. It may also cause jaundice (when the whites of your eyes become yellow).

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

What is it? HPV is the most common STI in the United States. Almost everyone who is sexually active gets HPV at some point in their lives. There are many different types (or strains) of the virus. Most strains are harmless, but some cause cancer or genital warts. The good news is that getting the HPV vaccine can protect you against the most serious strains.

How can I get it? Through sexual contact—penis-in-vagina (PIV), oral, anal or manual sex with someone who has HPV.

How can I prevent it? By far the most effective way to protect yourself is to get the HPV vaccine. This vaccine keeps you from getting several of the most serious strains of HPV. It protects you from many different kinds of cancers that affect people with all genitals. Talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated.

• Using condoms, the right way, every time you have sex helps prevent HPV, but HPV can infect areas not covered by a condom—so it’s not perfect.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Talking about safer sex and STIs with your partners.
• Getting regularly tested for STIs.

 

What are the symptoms? Most of the time, HPV has no symptoms. Some strains of HPV cause genital warts, which are white or skin-colored bumps on your genitals or anus. They can appear years after getting HPV, so it’s hard to know when someone first got HPV. Other strains can cause cancers of the cervix, throat, penis, anus and more—usually years after getting infected.

How do they test for it? The only tests for HPV are used to screen for cervical cancer in people with vaginas, and there is no test for people with penises. HPV is not included in routine STI testing.

How is it treated? There is no treatment for HPV itself. Genital warts can be treated with prescription medication. If you have a vagina, your health care provider will recommend routine Pap smears (usually starting when you’re 21 years old) to help prevent cervical cancer.

 

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

What is it? PID is an infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes (which means only people designated female at birth can get it). It is not a unique STI (and can be caused by non-sexually transmitted infections), but is often caused by untreated STIs like chlamydia or gonorrhea.

How can I get it? PID is often caused by untreated STIs. Most people get PID when they do not get regularly tested for STIs and don’t have their STI treated.

How can I prevent it? You can avoid getting PID by preventing STIs. If you’re having sex, getting regularly tested for STIs (and treated for them) is the most important thing you can do to prevent PID.

What are the symptoms? Often, PID symptoms are mild and may be unnoticeable. You may have:

• Lower abdominal pain
• Fever
• Bad-smelling discharge from your vagina
• Pain or bleeding when you have sex
• Burning when you urinate
• Bleeding in between your periods

How do they test for it? There’s no test for PID, and it’s not part of routine STI screening. Your health care provider will diagnose you based on a physical exam and other test results.

How is it treated? PID can be cured with antibiotics. However, this won’t fix any damage that it has already done to your reproductive system which is why it is very important to see a healthcare provider when you first notice symptoms.

What happens if it’s not treated? PID can:

• Create scar tissue in your fallopian tubes.
• Increase the chances of having a pregnancy outside of the womb (called an ectopic pregnancy), which is very serious.
• Make it impossible for you to get pregnant.
• Create chronic pain in your pelvic area.

Syphilis

AKA The Pox, Bad Blood

What is it? A curable, less common STI that affects people with all genitals.

How can I get it? By touching a syphilis sore during penis-in-vagina (PIV), oral or anal sex. These sores are usually on or near the penis, vagina, anus or lips, or in the rectum or mouth.

How can I prevent it?

• Using condoms the right way, every time you have sex. However, sometimes syphilis sores are in areas not protected by the condom. In these cases, syphilis can still be passed on.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Talking about safer sex & STIs with your partners.
• Getting regularly tested for STIs.

What are the symptoms? Firm, round, generally painless sores. They are usually in or around the genitals (including the anus), in the mouth, or on the lips. If left untreated, syphilis will cause skin rashes, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. You may not notice these symptoms because they can be mild.

How do they test for it? Usually, health care providers will use a blood test. If you have a sore they think may be from syphilis, they may test a sample of fluid from the sore instead.

How is it treated? It can be cured with antibiotics, though this does not treat any damage that syphilis has already done to your body.

What happens if it’s not treated? If left untreated, syphilis can cause permanent and severe damage to your brain, heart, eyes and other organs, and even be deadly. This damage usually takes place 10-30 years after first getting syphilis.

 

Trichomoniasis

AKA Trich

 What is it? The most common curable STI in the USA. Caused by a parasite, it affects people with all genitals.

How can I get it? Through unprotected penis-in-vagina (PIV) sex or contact between two vulvas (tribbing or frottage) with someone who has trichomoniasis. It is NOT common to get or spread “trich” through oral, anal or manual sex.

How can I prevent it?

• Using condoms the right way, every time you have sex. However, sometimes the trich parasite infects areas not covered by a condom. In these cases, trichomoniasis can still be passed on.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other).
• Talking about STIs with your partners.
• Getting regularly tested for STIs.

What are the symptoms? The majority of people with trich never get symptoms. Those who do may notice the symptoms come and go.

People with vaginas may have:

• Itching, burning or soreness in or around your vulva
• Discomfort when you urinate
• Yellowish, greenish, or white vaginal discharge, sometimes with a fishy smell
• Uncomfortable sex

People with penises may have:

• Itching or burning inside your penis
• Burning after you urinate or ejaculate (come)
• Discharge from your penis
• Uncomfortable sex

How do they test for it? A sample of discharge. People with vaginas will need a pelvic exam and people with penises will get a swab of their urethra or a urine sample.

How is it treated? It’s cured with a single dose of antibiotics. Like with all STIs, make sure that your partner(s) get tested and treated too. Otherwise, you may get infected again.

What happens if it’s not treated? Sometimes, trichomoniasis goes away on its own. However, like all STIs, it increases the risk of getting or spreading HIV and other STIs. Trichomoniasis can be dangerous during pregnancy, but otherwise this infection doesn’t directly cause any serious health consequences.

 

Pubic Lice

AKA Crabs

What is it? Tiny, parasitic insects usually found living in pubic hair.

How can I get it? Pubic lice are usually spread through penis-in-vagina (PIV), oral or anal sex. Unlike other STIs, pubic lice are sometimes passed on by sharing bed sheets, clothing, or towels with someone who is infected. However, you CANNOT get pubic lice from public toilet seats.

How can I prevent it?

• Using condoms does NOT help prevent pubic lice because pubic hair is not generally covered by condoms.
• Limiting the number of people you have sex with.
• Being in a monogamous relationship (meaning that both of you only have sex with each other.

What are the symptoms?

• Itching around your genitals
• Seeing crawling lice or lice eggs in your pubic hair

How is it treated? You do not need to see your health care provider to get treated for pubic lice. However, if you think you have pubic lice it’s still a good idea to get a second opinion, since you may misdiagnose yourself.

Treatment involves an over-the-counter lotion or mousse from your local pharmacy, which you can get without a prescription. Just make sure to follow the instructions on your medication closely and ask your health care provider if you have any questions. If the pubic lice do not go away, your health care provider can prescribe a stronger shampoo.

What happens if it’s not treated? Pubic lice do not carry disease and do not have long-term health consequences.