Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections spread from person-to-person during sex (vaginal, oral, or anal) or close sexual contact.

Some STDs (also called sexually transmitted infections, or STIs) can cause serious, long-lasting problems, so it's important to protect yourself, and if you have symptoms, to get treated right away.

Prevention:

The only way to completely avoid STDs is to not have sex or close sexual contact. To help lower your risk of getting an STD if you do have sex:

• Use a condom every time you have sex (vaginal, oral, or anal). Latex condoms are the best choice for preventing STDs (and pregnancy). Non-latex condoms (for example, those made from polyurethane) are a good option for people with latex allergies.
• Get tested for STDs with any new partners before having sex.
• Have sex with only one partner (who also doesn't have sex with other people).

Treatment:

• If your healthcare provider prescribed any medicines, take them exactly as prescribed.
• If you are diagnosed with an STD, follow your healthcare provider's instructions for telling your sexual partners. This way, your partners can get treatment too.

Follow-up:

• Go for follow-up STD testing as recommended by your healthcare provider.
• Get all doses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (shot). HPV is an STD that can lead to some kinds of cancer and genital warts.

You:

• Can't get or take the prescribed medicine for any reason
• Are not getting better after a few days
• Get better but then notice signs of an STD (such as an abnormal discharge, belly pain, pain with sex, or pain when peeing)

• For females: You have severe belly pain or unusually heavy bleeding from your vagina.
• For males: You get swelling or pain in your testicles.

What are the different STDs? There are many types of STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis B, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), trichomoniasis, syphilis, genital warts (caused by HPV or human papilloma virus), and pubic lice (crabs).

What are the signs of an STD? Signs of an STD can include discharge from the vagina or penis, genital sores, pain in the lower belly, pain with sex, or burning or pain when peeing. But someone can have an STD without any symptoms.

How are STDs diagnosed? To find out if someone has an STD, and which germ is causing it, healthcare providers might do tests on:

• Fluid or discharge from the vagina or cervix in females or the urethra in males
• Fluid from sores
• Urine (pee)
• Blood

How are STDs treated? It depends on which germ caused the infection. Antibiotics can treat STDs caused by bacteria (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis). But antibiotics won't work for STDs caused by a virus. Other treatments are available for most STDs caused by a virus.

What happens if an STD is not treated? An STD that's not treated can:

• Cause ongoing pain
• Lead to trouble getting pregnant and/or problems with pregnancy
• Cause serious medical issues
• Spread to others through sex

Even if people with STDs have no signs, they still need treatment to avoid these problems.