Human Sexuality
Understanding One's Self is the Best Way to be Protected

Sexually Transmitted Infections

There are two kinds of STI's, or Sexually Transmitted Infections (more commonly referred to as Sexually Transmitted Diseases). The first includes bacterial infections and the other, viral infections.  Bacterial infections are far more prevalent than viral, which is a good thing.  Bacterial infections are treatable and curable, while viral infections are not currently curable and often only effectively treatable at early stages.  However, millions of people in any country are infected with either bacterial or viral STI's, and it is common for people to be infected with both.

As the name indicates, STI's are passed from living body to living body through sexual contact.  The term 'living body' is used in part because humans, animals and even plants (not plant to animal, though) transmit sexual infections to each other.  Also, it is important to note that sexual contact does not mean only sexual intercourse.  STI's can be transmitted by the exchange of any bodily fluids through a hospitable environment.  The typical hospitable environment is a warm, moist environment with limited oxygenization.  However, cases have been documented where infectious fluids have sustained life through short periods of exposure to other environments, so safety requires the utmost care.  Common methods of contracting STI's from an infected living body include sexual intercourse, oral-genital or oral-anal sexual intercourse, kissing, and inter-genital, -oral, -anal fondling, or contact with open sores, cuts, and the inter exchange of blood.

Further increasing the spread of STI's is the fact that many STI's do not cause symptoms in many people, especially women.   Prevalent STI's like Chlamydia and Ghonorrea often do not rear their symptoms, causing severe internal damage before the individual is even aware.  The majority of the damage done affects the reproductive system and often causes infertility.  There is also an increased risk of cancer when exposed to STI's, again especially in women; although many researchers argue correlation between the two variables, not causation.