15 Ways Sexually Transmitted Diseases Can Spread

Even adults don’t know all the answers when it comes to how sexually transmitted diseases are spread. Unfortunately, a lot of people are just doing guesswork or trying to use “logic” when determining if it’s safe to do x, y, or z with somebody infected with an STD. But STD’s usually don’t care about your logic, so know the facts on how they’re spread.

Sharing a needle to pierce an ear

Very few people today pierce their own ears other than young teenagers whose parents forbid them from getting it done professionally, but that is still a risk because sharing a needle to pierce an ear can transmit HIV and other STD’s spread through blood.

Herpes through skin

Even if your infected partner doesn’t have any herpes related sores, the virus can actually still pass through the skin.

Herpes through shared objects

Herpes can be spread through sharing a towel, razor or utensil with the infected person — if these items come in contact with broken skin or an open orifice like an eye. The virus is much less commonly spread through sharing items than through sexual contact, but it is a possibility.

Genital herpes through oral sex

Performing oral on someone who has genital herpes can result in you getting oral herpes. Likewise, if you have oral herpes and perform oral on an uninfected person, you could give them genital herpes.

Chlamydia to your eye

If you touch your eye with a hand contaminated with chlamydia bacteria, you can develop trachoma which is an infection of the eye that often causes redness of the eye, swollen eyelids, and discharge.

HPV through skin

Using condoms does not 100% stop the spread of Human Papillomavirus because the virus can be carried through uncovered areas like the scrotum, anus and vulva.

HPV through touch

Even if you do not have intercourse, by touching the scrotum, anus, vagina, penis, or vulva of someone who has HPV — with your hands or mouth — you can still get the virus.

Through birth

Several STD’s including herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea can be spread from a pregnant woman to her baby during delivery.

Breast milk

An infected mother can also pass HIV to her baby through her breast milk.

Through uncompleted oral

Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes, HPV, HIV and several other STD’s can be carried in a man’s pre-cum, so performing oral on an infected man—even if he does not ejaculate—can spread the disease.

HIV spreads quicker with other STD’s present

Studies have found that the risk of spreading HIV is much higher when the carrier is also infected with another STD like Gonorrhea or Chlamydia.

Bacterial infections spread STD’s quicker

When someone infected with an STD is also currently suffering from a bacterial infection such as pneumonia or a urinary tract infection it is much easier for him or her to transmit the STD.

Crabs through toilet seat

It is very rare that crabs be spread through a toilet seat because they cannot live long off of a warm body, however, it is possible.

Trichomoniasis through the hands

Trichomoniasis is a disease caused by an infection with a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Trichomoniasis symptoms include mild irritation to severe inflammation in or around the vagina. The disease can be cured with a simple antibiotic, but often carriers do not show symptoms and let the disease persist. Trichomoniasis can be spread from a contaminated hand to a vagina, and having this STD can make you much more susceptible to getting other STD’s.