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Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)






Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a serious infection that affects the liver. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus.  Hepatitis B can be transmitted through oral, vaginal or anal sex or by using infected needles to inject drugs. Hepatitis B can be prevented by condom use, choosing not to have sex, and, if you use injection drugs, not sharing needles.  Many people infected with Hepatitis B may show few or no symptoms.











Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum Contagiosum can spread from one person to another by sexual contact. Molluscum contagiosum is a skin disease that can infect skin around the penis, vagina and anus. Condoms reduce but do not eliminate the risk of transmission.  Molluscum contagiosum can be transmitted by sexual contact or by objects such as towels, clothing, or sex toys that come in contact with the lesions. Molluscum contagiosum also may be transmitted from one part of a person's body to another, such as touching a lesion and touching another part of the body.  Diagnosis is made based on appearance of the lesion or by collecting a specimen. Most symptoms are self-resolving, but generally lesions are removed. Many, but not all, cases of molluscum in adults are caused by sexual contact.





Genital Herpes



Human Papillomavirus (HPV)



Genital Warts



Safer Sex

Being responsible about shared sexual behaviors by doing things that reduce your chances of getting or spreading a sexually transmitted disease and/or becoming (or getting a girl) pregnant. Usually, this means educating oneself about STDs and pregnancy, using latex barriers like condoms and dental dams, limiting the number of partners a person has, and getting tested for STDs on a regular basis. Because nothing is 100 percent safe, aside from continuous abstinence, the term is “safer” rather than “safe” sex.


If you would like to learn more, including information about symptoms, please visit: http://www.cdc.gov/std



Reduce Your Risk of Getting a STI



This word means not doing something. It is most commonly used to describe not engaging in sexual behaviors. Each person decides which sexual behaviors they include in their definition of abstinence. A person who practices sexual abstinence may say that they are “abstinent,” and what qualifies as being abstinent from sexual behaviors can vary from person to person.






Having only one sexual or romantic partner at a time.



A cover for the penis, worn during sex to prevent STDs and pregnancy. Only a latex condom is recommended for protection against disease. Students can get 3 free condoms per day at the Healthy Miner Office located in the College of Health Sciences/School of Nursing, Room 486


Female condoms

Lines the vagina, which is worn by the woman during sex for similar protection. Condoms are highly effective at preventing STDs and pregnancy if used consistently and correctly.


Dental Dams

A sheet of latex that can be used to cover the vagina or anus during oral sex in order to prevent body fluids from passing from one person to another. It is called a dental dam because it was designed to be used for dental procedures. A substitute can be made by cutting off the tip and slitting the side of a latex condom.