Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) are infections you can get if you have unprotected sexual contact. Not all STIs have symptoms and the best way to protect yourself and your partner is by using condoms.
WHAT IS AN STI?
Sexually transmissible infections are also called STIs. In some countries they are called sexually transmissible diseases (STDs).
STIs are infections you can get if you have unprotected va**nal, oral, or anal sex or skin on skin contact with someone.
STIs can be serious and may not go away by themselves. It is important to be tested and, if necessary, treated.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON STIS?
The most common STIs in Aotearoa New Zealand are:
chlamydia
genital warts
genital herpes
gonorrhoea
HIV, which causes AIDS, is not as common.
DO ALL STIS HAVE SYMPTOMS?
Some STIs have symptoms but often there are no signs at all. People can be infected with an STI without knowing it. You can’t tell if someone has an STI just by looking at them. It’s not who you are, but what you do that puts you at risk of getting an STI.
CAN I PROTECT MYSELF FROM AN STI?
There are ways to protect yourself and your partner against STIs. Condoms and internal condoms offer the best protection against STIs. They must be used correctly and used every time you have sex.
