Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

More than 30 viruses, bacteria and parasites cause STDs. Many of these organisms rely almost completely on sexual transmission to survive. In other words, if you have one of these infections, you most likely got it from sexual contact. The microbes include:

  • Bacteria that cause gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhea)
  • Bacteria that cause syphilis (Treponema pallidum)
  • Bacteria that cause urethritis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (Chlamydia trachomatis)
  • Bacteria and intestinal parasites that cause rectal and anal pain, sometimes with severe diarrhea
  • Single-celled organisms that cause urethritis, vaginitis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (Trichomonas vaginalis)
  • Viruses that cause cervical and anal cancer (human papillomavirus, also known as HPV, types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58)
  • Viruses that cause genital herpes (herpes simplex virus, also known as HSV, usually type 2 but sometimes type 1)

Sexual activity plays a role in spreading many other infectious agents, although it's possible to catch these infections without sexual contact. Viruses capable of spreading both sexually and through close nonsexual contact include the Epstein-Barr virus — responsible for mononucleosis — and a related virus called cytomegalovirus. Hepatitis A, a viral infection usually contracted from contaminated food and water, sometimes passes between sex partners, mainly men who have sex with men. The same pattern of transmission occurs with several common food- and water-borne bacteria and parasites, including shigella, cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia.

Intravenous drugs abusers have a high risk of HIV and hepatitis B, which spread through needle sharing as well as sex.

Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 31st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2007.
  2. Swygard H. Screening for sexually transmitted diseases. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  3. Holmes KK. Sexually transmitted infections: Overview and clinical approach. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.:  McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008.  http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2893718. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
  4. Global strategy for the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: 2006-2015. Breaking the chain of transmission. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/stisstrategy/index.html. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
  5. Basic information: HIV. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  6. CDC fact sheet: Genital herpes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Herpes/herpes-Fact-Sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  7. CDC fact sheet: Genital HPV infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Hpv/hpv-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  8. CDC fact sheet: Syphilis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Syphilis/syphilis-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  9. CDC fact sheet. Chlamydia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/chlamydia-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  10. CDC fact sheet. Gonorrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea /gonorrhea-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:2. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5511a1.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  12. CDC fact sheet: Bacterial vaginosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/bv/BV-Fact-Sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  13. CDC fact sheet. PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/PID/pid-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 20009.
  14. CDC fact sheet. Trichomoniasis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/Trichomoniasis/trichomoniasis-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Shigella flexneri serotype 3 infections among men who have sex with men - Chicago, Illinois, 2003-2004. MMWR. 2005;54:820. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5433a2.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  16. Quick answers: Sexually transmitted diseases. McGraw Hill's Access Medicine. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aID=3271836. Accessed Feb. 5, 2009.
  17. Klausner JD. Screening guidelines for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3025000. Accessed Jan. 19, 2009.
  18. Swygard H, et al. Gonorrhea. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3025486. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  19. Ward H. Prevention strategies for sexually transmitted infections: Importance of sexual network and epidemic phase. Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2007;83:i43. http://sti.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/83/suppl_1/i43. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  20. Trends in reportable sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, 2007. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats07/trends.htm. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009.
  21. Arrington-Sanders R, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3026189. Accessed Jan. 28, 2009.
  22. Wong W. Sexually transmitted diseases in men who have sex with men. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3026252. Accessed Jan. 19, 2009.
  23. Peterman TA. Partner notification and management. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aid=3026470. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  24. Klausner JD. The sexual history. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aid=3026901. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  25. Safer sex ("Safe sex"). Planned Parenthood. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/safer-sex-4263.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  26. Reitmeijer CA. Principles of risk reduction counseling. In: Klausner JD, et al. Current Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aid=3026470. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  27. Viral hepatitis: A through E and beyond. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralhepatitis/index.htm. Accessed Jan. 20, 2009.
  28. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual, injection-drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV in the United States. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2005;54:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5402a1.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  29. Kung HC, et al. Deaths: Final data for 2005. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2008;56:10. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_10.pdf. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.
  30. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Revised recommendations for HIV testing of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health-care settings. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5514a1.htm?s_cid=rr5514a1_e. Accessed Feb. 6, 2009.
  31. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Recommendations for partner services Programs for HIV infection, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydial infection. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2008;57:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5709a1.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2009.

DS01123

Feb. 25, 2009

© 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger