STIs and STDs

 I know a lot of the people I talk to want info about STD’s so here’s what’s up with those annoying Sexually Transmitted Diseases/ Infections (STD/STI).

First of all, STI stands for Sexually Transmitted Infection. An STI is any infection that you might get by having sex through contact with sexual fluids such as semen (cum) and vaginal fluids. You can also get some STIs just by having skin-to-skin contact with someone who has one. STIs can be passed through vaginal, butt (anal), or oral sex.  Some STIs can even be transmitted if you use a condom.  So if you’re having sex you could be at risk, and the truth is many STIs don’t have symptoms that guys or girls can see or feel. 

If you’re having sex or thinking about having sex, it’s important to know about STIs. If they go untreated, some of these infections can cause pain and scars which could cause problems having a baby in the future.  Some STIs can be cured – but some, like HIV, can’t. 

What is the difference between STI and STD?

STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease, and is a term that has been used for a long time.  STI is a newer term that stands for Sexually Transmitted Infection, and is beginning to be used more by doctors. Aunt Lucia said that the doctors she works with use STI now because when you have a disease, it usually means that you have signs or symptoms of an infection, but many sexually transmitted infections are asymptomatic (have no symptoms) so a lot of people don’t even know they have them. Since infections don’t always cause symptoms, some people think the term STD can be confusing.


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