What is the difference between Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections?

STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection occurs when a pathogenic organism(s) is present in the human body, causing an infectious process but not a disease. Not all STIs result in the development of a STD.

STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease results from damage caused by a Sexually Transmitted Infection that has progressed. All STD’s are preceded by STI(s). These terms are often used interchangeably.

Some facts:

By age 24, 1 in 3 sexually active people will have contracted an STI.
Women are biologically more susceptible than men for STIs.
Adolescent females are at higher risk to certain STIs than are adult women due to anatomical differences of the uterine cervix associated with age.
STIs can cause permanent damage to reproductive organs leading to infertility.
4 out of 8 most common STI’s are incurable: Genital Herpes, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B (HBV).
Many infected with a STI have no signs or symptoms.
STIs can be spread by shared needles in the use of drugs, body piercing and tattooing.
STIs can be spread by vaginal, oral, and anal sex.
Some STIs can be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby.
Nearly 50% of all new STIs diagnosed are in 15-24 year olds.
There are over 35 different kinds of STIs.
STIs are contagious even when no symptoms exist.
 

What are the signs?

Here are some of the most common symptoms of STI/STD(s):

Men

Abnormal discharge from the penis
Burning with urination
Pain or swollen testicles
Sores or warts on external genitalia, lips or mouth, tongue, nose, throat or anus
Fever
Enlarged lymph nodes
Fatigue
Sore throat
NO Symptoms

Women

Abnormal discharge from the vagina
Burning with urination
Pus-like discharge
Pelvic pain
Vulvar itching, burning and/or pain
Wart-like growths on external genitalia, lips or mouth, tongue, nose, throat or anus
Fever
Enlarged lymph nodes
Fatigue
Sore throat
Abnormal PAP Smear
NO Symptoms
 

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