STD/STI

What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), also known as sexually transmitted infections (or STIs), are very common. Millions of new infections occur every year in the United States.

STDs are passed from one person to another through sexual activity and intimate physical contact.

STDs don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms, so it is possible to have an infection and not know it. That is why it is important to get tested if you are having sex. If you are diagnosed with an STD, know that all can be treated with medicine, and some can be cured entirely.

The eight common STIs include: chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B virus (HBV), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Chlamydia, genital herpes, HPV, and trichomoniasis account for  98% of all prevalent STIs and 93% of all new STIs in 2018.There are serious health consequences of untreated STIs, and that many infections go undetected and unreported to CDC.