-
Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
What’s the difference between a sexually transmitted disease STD and a sexually transmitted infection STI?
Related Topics
-
Find a professional to answer your question
Find a professional to answer your question Search Now
-
1
Thanks
Women's Health Queensland Wide provides free health information for Queensland women. View Profile
Sexually transmitted or transmissible infections (STIs) are infections generally acquired by sexual contact. STIs used to be known as sexually transmitted disease (STDs) or venereal disease (VD). The organisms that cause sexually transmitted infections may pass from person to person in blood, semen, or vaginal and other bodily fluids or from contact during sexual activity, including vaginal, anal or oral sex and sex props or toys. Common STIs in Australia include chlamydia, HSV (herpes simplex virus) and genital HPV (human papillomavirus).
Some of these infections can also be transmitted non-sexually, such as from mother to infant during pregnancy or childbirth, or through blood transfusions or shared needles.
It's possible to contract sexually transmitted diseases from people who seem perfectly healthy — people who, in fact, aren't even aware they are infected. Many STIs cause no symptoms, which is one of the reasons experts prefer the term ‘sexually transmitted infections’ to ‘sexually transmitted diseases.’
Report this post
You must be a HealthShare member to report this post. to your account or now (it's free).
You may also like these related questions
-
Does the HPV test only detect certain strains or can it find all HPV?
Is there only one HPV test?
I found out there are over 100 types of HPV. Can the HPV test detect all of these types or only some? If there is any HPV present at all of any type will this test definiti… Read More -
Should I get a hpv type test for low grade cervical cell changes?
-
Does the HPV test only detect certain strains or can it find all HPV?
