STIs or sexually transmitted infections are passed on from one to another through sexual contact. STIs are common, and they spread easily. While some of the STI’s can be treated and cured, others will stay with the infected all life.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are also called sexually transmitted disease (STD).
STDs are acquired by sexual contact with the virus, bacteria, and parasites that cause the STI to pass the infection from one to the other person.
The germs are passed through blood, semen, and vaginal and bodily fluids.
At times the infections are passed non-sexually as well. A mother can pass on the STI to her child during pregnancy or childbirth. The STIs can also spread when needles are shared or through blood transfusion.
STIs may not always be symptomatic. You may have a sexually transmitted infection from those who are healthy and may not even know that they have an infection and thus show no STD symptoms.
Some common STIs:
STIs can be transmitted through:
STIs are of three types: bacterial, parasitic, and viral.
Bodily fluids like semen, vaginal secretions, blood, saliva can contain the virus.
A person can also get an STI when he comes in contact with the fluid that contains the virus or bacteria. It is thus recommended to use condoms to avoid coming in contact with bodily fluids during sex.
STIs like herpes can pass through direct skin-to-skin contact. It happens through anal, oral, or vaginal sex. It can also pass from the mouth to the genitals when one has oral sex.
STIs like hepatitis and HIV can pass through the infected person's blood. If the infected sexual partner has an open sore, they can pass it. Also, when needles are shared, one is exposed to STI’s.
Parasitic STIs like pubic lice pass through close contact with the infected person. It can be transmitted disease through clothing and sheets when one comes in close contact with pubic hair.
It is important to know that STIs do not spread through casual contact. Sharing clothes, shaking hands, or sharing a toilet seat do not cause STIs.
Anyone can get STD. It is, however, more common among young adults and teenagers, that do not take adequate precautions while engaging in sexual activity. Drug users who share needles are also prone to STIs.
STIs can be diagnosed by a healthcare professional. They will take a fluid sample of the penis or vagina and a blood test to confirm the problem, and a lab test will confirm if you have a viral or bacterial STI.
Blood tests are done to show if you have a disease that has infected your blood.
Urine samples show if the bacteria is present in your urine.
Fluid samples show if you have any active sore, and this can help to diagnose the infection.
It is important to avoid the risk factors of STIs. This is the only way to prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
The kind of STD disease determines its treatment. Treatments could help relieve the symptoms, cure the infection or prevent the symptoms from flaring up again. It is possible that STI can pass on to the partner even during the treatment.
1. What are the 4 ways most STIs are spread?
Vaginal sex, oral sex, anal sex, and needles are the 4 ways that spread STI.
2. How can you tell if someone has an STI?
The common symptoms are:
3. Can you get an STI from a toilet?
The virus cannot thrive on a hard surface outside the human body. Thus you cannot get STI from a toilet.
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