What is a sexually transmitted infection (STI)?

A sexually transmitted infection is an infection that is primarily spread through person to person contact. There are over 30 different transmittable bacteria, parasites and viruses. The most common STIs are gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital warts, HIV and Hepatitis B.

A sexually transmitted infection is spread from person to person by close contact of the genitals to genitals or sometimes genitals to mouth. These are also called sexually transmitted diseases. They include the specific infections of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphillus, genital herpes, pediculosis or lice, trichomoniasis, genital warts, lymphogranuloma venereum and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are those spread by sexual contact. They may also be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus before or during delivery. Exposure to an STI can occur anytime a person has sex or close contact that involves the genitals, the mouth or the rectum with another person. Exposure is more likely if you have many sex partners or do not use condoms. STIs can be prevented by not having sexual contact (abstinence). STIs include:

• Chlamydia.
• Genital herpes.
• Genital warts or human papillomavirus (HPV).

Certain types of HPV can cause cancer of the cervix in women:

• Gonorrhea.
• Hepatitis B.
• Syphilis.
• Trichomoniasis.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS.
• Other infections that may be sexually transmitted, including hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus, scabies and pubic lice.

Most STIs can be treated and cured, but some cannot. Some STIs, such as HIV and syphilis, can cause death.