Getting a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)

1. I'm young, I'm not at risk for an STD, right?

Wrong. Young adults will get a STD, even though lots of young indian think they know how to protect themselves. There are other STDs out there besides HIV, and they are on the rise among young indians. They include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes genital warts and abnormal Pap smears.

2. Can you get an STD from a public restroom?

This is not very likely. Most STDs are only transmitted during sexual contact, either by skin to skin contact or through body fluid exchange. Crabs, or pubic lice, may be transmitted through sexual contact, sleeping in infected bedding, sharing infected clothing and possibly through sitting on an infested toilet seat. However, lice cannot survive away from the human body for longer than 24 hours. So contracting pubic lice from a toilet seat is possible, but it's unlikely.

3. Can I get HIV or another STD from getting a tattoo or through body piercing?

There can be a risk for HIV or another blood-borne infection (like Hepatitis B or C) if the instruments used for piercing or tattooing either are not sterilized or disinfected between clients. Any instrument used to pierce or cut the skin should be used once and thrown away, or thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before using them again. Ask the staff at the parlor about their equipment. They will show you what precautions they use.

4. Can I get an STD from kissing?

This is possible but not very common. If your partner's mouth is infected with an STD, then he or she may be able to pass that infection to your mouth during a kiss. Fever blisters and cold sores can be passed through a kiss if your partner is infected, and blood-borne infections like HIV or Hepatitis B or C can only be passed through kissing if there is the exchange of infected blood. If your partner has an infection in his or her genital area, then kissing on the mouth will not transmit the infection.

5. Can I get an STD from oral sex?

Yes. During oral sex, there is skin to skin contact and there can be body fluid exchange, so it is important to use barrier protection like unlubricated condoms or latex dental dams to protect you during oral sex.

6. Why don't young people protect themselves if they are having sex?

It's not always because people don't know. Sometimes they. . .

• are embarrassed about buying or getting condoms
• feel peer/date pressure
• use alcohol and drugs
• have a lack of knowledge
• believe using birth control pills is enough protection
• are embarrassed about asking questions
• don't think ahead of time