What Are STIs and RTIs?

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs)—also known as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)—are infections primarily passed from person to person by sexual contact.

Some STIs can be passed to a baby during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding, causing serious complications. Some STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), can also be passed through unclean surgical instruments, injection needles and skin-cutting tools, as well as transfusions of infected blood.

STIs are part of a broader group of infections known as reproductive tract infections (RTIs). RTIs include infections of the female reproductive system that:

• Are not caused by sexual contact, including infections caused by an imbalance of normal reproductive tract microorganisms (such as yeast infections)
• Are acquired during medical procedures (often when there is a failure in aseptic technique)

STIs and other RTIs can lead to serious complications, including infertility, chronic pain, and even death, especially if they are not detected and treated early. No cure exists for HIV infection or AIDS, and infection usually results in death. STI infection significantly increases the risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV.

STIs can be divided into two broad categories: curable and incurable. 

Curable STIs can be treated with medications, such as antibiotics or antimicrobials. These STIs include syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomonas infection, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), chancroid, granuloma inguinale, pubic lice, and scabies. If not diagnosed and treated in time, some of these curable STIs can have serious—even fatal—consequences.

Incurable STIs, such as HIV, hepatitis B, genital herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, are caused by viruses. Although these diseases cannot be cured, in some settings they can be managed by preventing, relieving, or reducing their symptoms. (HPV infection can often be treated with no recurrence.)

Infection with an STI might lead to symptoms in the reproductive organs themselves, in the skin around the genitals or anus, or in the throat or mouth. Some STIs may lead to systemic symptoms that cause problems in other parts of the body or throughout the body, while others may cause no symptoms at all. Common STI symptoms include:

• Abnormal discharge from the vagina or penis
• Pain or burning with urination
• Itching or irritation of  the genitals
• Sores, blisters, or bumps on the genitals
• Rashes, including rashes on the palms of hands and soles of feet
• Pelvic pain

It is important to remember that the symptoms associated with STIs and other RTIs can vary from none to minor to severe. You cannot always tell if a person has an STI, and people without symptoms often transmit the infection to others unknowingly.

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