Sexually Transmitted Infections
(STIs)
Any disease or infection that is spread through sexual contact
STI
Chlamydia
Viral,
Bacterial,
or
Parasitic
Bacteria
(curable)*
Symptoms
Female:
 may not show symptoms
 increased vaginal discharge
 abnormal vaginal bleeding
 pain/bleeding during/after intercourse
 pain when passing urine
 pain in lower abdomen
Transmission
 unprotected
vaginal, oral, or
anal sex
Helps Prevention
 abstain from intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
risk
Male:
 may not show symptoms
 watery/cloudy discharge from penis
 increased frequency/pain when passing
urine
 tingling/itching inside penis
 pain in testicles
Gonorrhea
Bacteria
Also called
— the “clap”
— a “dose”
— a “drip”
(curable)
Female:
 may not show symptoms
 increased vaginal discharge
 abnormal vaginal bleeding
 pain/bleeding during/after intercourse
 pain when passing urine
 pain in lower abdomen
 unprotected
vaginal, oral, or
anal intercourse
 abstain from intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
risk
Male:
 may not show symptoms
 yellowish-green discharge from penis
 increased frequency/pain when passing
urine
 tingling/itching inside penis
 pain in testicles
Hepatitis B
Virus:
hepatitis B
virus (HBV)
(treatable)**








may not show symptoms
fatigue
fever
jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites
of eyeballs)
dark urine/pale stools
abdominal pain
nausea/vomiting
poor appetite
 unprotected


vaginal, oral, or
anal sex
sharing needles
mother to child
 hepatitis B vaccine
 abstain from intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
risk
 do not share needles,
toothbrushes, or razors
 avoid tattoos
(continued)
Sexually Transmitted Infections
(STIs) (continued)
STI
Herpes
Human
immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)
Human
papilloma
virus (HPV)
Viral,
Bacterial,
or
Parasitic
Symptoms
Virus: herpes
simplex virus
(HSV)
 tingling/itching in genital area
 tiny painful blisters/sores in genital
(treatable)

Virus: HIV
(treatable)
Virus: HPV
(treatable)





 skin-to-skin
contact
illnesses, infections, cancers
diarrhea
shortness of breath
fever
swollen glands
Helps Prevention
 abstain from
intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
area
cold sores/fever blisters on the lips
(type 1)
 may not show symptoms
 “cauliflower-like” appearance of warts
risk
 avoid contact during an
outbreak
 unprotected


vaginal, oral, or
anal intercourse
sharing needles
mother to child
 skin-to-skin
contact
grouped around anus, vagina, vulva,
cervix, and on shaft of penis
Also called
— genital warts
— venereal warts
— condyloma
Pubic lice
Transmission
 abstain from
intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
risk
 do not share needles,
toothbrushes, or razors
 abstain from skin-to

Tiny insects
(crabs)
 itching in genital area
(curable)
Syphilis
Bacteria
Also called
— “bad blood”
— the “pox”
(curable)
 skin-to-skin

 stage 1: painless shallow sore (chancre)


at site of infection
stage 2: rash or mucous patches on
palms of hands/soles of feet, swollen
glands
stage 3: heart disease, blindness,
paralysis
contact
scratching
 unprotected

vaginal, oral, or
anal sex
mother to child
skin contact and
intercourse
use of condoms reduces
risk
regular pap tests help
for early detection
 abstain from skin-toskin contact and
intercourse
 abstain from
intercourse
 use of condoms reduces
risk
* curable—the disease goes away or is eliminated with medical care.
** treatable—symptoms are reduced with treatment, but the disease does not go away.
_________
References:
Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA). Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum Support: Grades K-10.
Toronto, ON: OPHEA, 2000.
Ottawa, City of. People Services Department. Teaching Sexuality Resource Kit. 2nd ed. Ottawa, ON: City of Ottawa, People Services
Department, 2002.
Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada. Beyond the Basics: A Sourcebook on Sexual and Reproductive Health Education. Ottawa,
ON: Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada, 2001.