What is an STD?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are serious, sometimes painful and can cause a lot of damage to your body. Some STDs infect only your sexual and reproductive organs. Others (HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis) cause general body infections. Sometimes you can have an STD with no signs or symptoms. Other times, the symptoms go away on their own. Either way, you still have an STD until you get it treated. A few STDs cannot be cured, but most can be cured if you get treatment.

How are STDs spread?
STDs are spread during close sexual activity, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Some STDs (HIV and hepatitis B) are also spread by contact with infected blood. Most STD germs need to live in warm, moist areas. That's why they infect the mouth, rectum and sex organs (vagina, vulva, penis and testes). Types of STDs include chlamydia, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and trichomoniasis ("trich").

What to watch for
Many people have no symptoms. If you have symptoms, you may notice the following:

Women

•	An unusual discharge or smell from your vagina
•	Pain in your pelvic area-the area between your bellybutton and sex organs
•	Burning or itching around your vagina
•	Bleeding from your vagina that is not your regular period
•	Pain deep inside your vagina when you have sex

Men

•	A drip or discharge from your penis

Women and Men

•	Sores, bumps or blisters near your sex organs, rectum and/or mouth
•	Burning and pain when you urinate or have a bowel movement
•	A need to urinate often
•	Itching around your sex organs
•	A swelling or redness in your throat
•	Flu-like feelings, with fever, chills and aches
•	Swelling in your groin-the area around your sex organs

If you have any of these symptoms, stop having sex. Go to a clinic listed in this guide or your health care provider. Do not put this off-get checked now!