There are a bunch of different sexually transmitted infections, and most of them can be separated into two categories: STDs caused by bacteria, and STDs caused by viruses. The main difference between them is that bacterial STDs are curable, and viral STDs are not curable. But it gets a little more complicated than that.
Bacterial STDs include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and trichomoniasis (trich). STDs caused by bacteria can be cured with medicine. This means that once the medicine has finished working, the infection is totally gone and you don’t have the STD anymore. But if you don’t get treated, they can lead to health problems (like infertility) in the future. And it’s possible to get a bacterial STD again — that’s why it’s important to get tested for STDs regularly.
Viral STDs include herpes, HPV, and HIV. STDs that are caused by viruses can live in your body forever. That may sound scary, but viral STDs don’t always cause serious health problems. And there are treatments that can help manage your symptoms and prevent the virus from spreading to other people. Some viral STDs can even go away on their own.
Herpes is a super common skin condition that can cause outbreaks of blisters, but it’s not dangerous. Most of the time there are no symptoms, or the symptoms aren’t noticeable, so lots of people don’t even know they have herpes. Herpes outbreaks are no fun, but the first one is the worst. Repeat outbreaks are usually shorter and less painful. Most people with herpes get fewer outbreaks as time goes on, and some stop having them altogether. People who have herpes can take medicine to help prevent outbreaks and avoid spreading the virus to their partners.
HPV is a common virus that has lots of different types, or “strains.” Some strains cause genital warts, which can be annoying but aren’t dangerous. Other strains can lead to certain genital and oral cancers, especially cervical cancer. But regular Pap tests can spot any problems on your cervix before they become cancer, and HPV tests can find the types of HPV that can lead to cancer. The HPV vaccine is also a good way to prevent HPV. Most of the time, HPV goes away on its own and doesn’t cause any health problems.
HIV is a virus that hurts your immune system (your body’s defense against getting sick). When HIV damages your immune system, it’s easier to get really sick from things that normally wouldn’t affect you. Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS, which is when other illnesses can easily attack your body. There are medicines that people living with HIV can take to stay healthy, and lots of ways to avoid giving HIV to other people. There’s also a medicine you can take to help prevent HIV, called PrEP.
STDs don’t discriminate. Anybody who has sexual contact with another person can get an STD. That’s why getting tested for STDs regularly if you have sex is important — the sooner you know you have an infection, the sooner you can get treated. The good news is, most STDs are easy to cure or treat. And having safer sex can help prevent STDs.
Everyone can support someone living with HIV. There is no cure, but HIV treatment
means people can live longer, healthier lives. Questions? Healthcare
providers have answers. You can also visit HelpStopTheVirus.com
When someone is “HIV positive”, it means they have Human Immunodeficiency Virus — aka HIV. HIV is a virus that damages your immune system (your body’s defense against diseases, which helps you stay healthy).
Over time, HIV destroys an important kind of cell in your immune system (called CD4 cells or T cells) that helps protect you from infections. When you don’t have enough of these CD4 cells, it’s easier to get really sick and even die from infections that your body could normally fight off.
AIDS — Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome — is caused by the damage that HIV does to your immune system. You have AIDS when you get rare, dangerous infections or have a super low number of CD4 cells. AIDS is the most serious stage of HIV, and it leads to death over time. Without treatment, it usually takes about 10 years for someone with HIV to develop AIDS. Treatment slows down the damage the virus causes, and can help people stay healthy for decades.
If you don’t have HIV and a potential partner tells you they’re living with HIV, remember that mixed-status couples (serodiscordant) have sexual relationships all the time, and do it safely. So listen to the person you like who’s talking to you about their health and life, and learn the facts. Ask a nurse or doctor about prevention options, like condoms and PrEP. You could even ask to go with your partner to a doctor’s visit.
HIV weakens the immune system, which makes your body less able to defend itself from common infections. That’s why getting tested regularly is so important. If it’s found early, HIV positive people can live healthy lives with treatment. Learn more>>
When someone is on HIV treatment, it means they’re taking medicines to help them stay healthy. Treatment for people with HIV is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART for short. (An antiretroviral is a medicine that fights viruses.)
Since the 1990s, ARTs have been used to support the health and well being of people living with HIV. When people take ARTs on schedule, it lowers the chances of passing on HIV to sexual partners. Some people on ARTs can’t transmit HIV to their partner at all, if certain lab tests can’t find HIV consistently and a doctor says the HIV is undetectable. Today, most people living with HIV who use ARTs live long and healthy lives.
But it’s not just about ARTs. Getting comprehensive HIV care also means having regular check-ups with a nurse or doctor. These visits include drawing blood for lab work, monitoring your vitals, checking how well the ARTs are working, and screening for other STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
If someone you might have sex with or are already having sex with has HIV, talk with them about their treatment and health status. You can also talk with them about how likely their doctor or nurse says it is for them to pass on HIV, and what you can do to stay negative. This includes things like using condoms and taking PrEP — a daily pill that can help prevent HIV.
