You can get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have contact with someone's skin, mouth, penis, vagina or anus that has the infection. Half of all new sexually transmitted infections happen in people under age 25. Each year, 1 in 4 sexually active teens gets an STI and 1 in 2 teens will get an STI by the time they are 25. Now is the time to get educated and protect yourself.

Think you know everything? Think again!

"You have to have sexual intercourse (vaginal sex) to get an STI."
WRONG. You can get some STIs like herpes and genital warts through skin contact alone. Condoms can protect those areas covered by the condom, but not skin around the genitals where infected areas may be. Do you want to say anything about dental dams?

"You can’t get an STIs from oral or anal sex."
WRONG.
All STIs can be passed on through oral or anal sex.

"If my partner ‘looks’ clean, they must be clean."
WRONG. Some STIs have no symptoms, and show no signs of infection. Some people with STIs don’t know that they have them.

You can get an STI from kissing, naked genital rubbing, oral sex, anal sex and sexual intercourse. For more information on what STIs you can get from different kinds of sexual activity, click here.

Did you know?

• Having unprotected sex puts you at high risk of getting an STI. Male and female condoms protect against many STIs, but not all. Birth control, spermicides, and diaphragms only prevent pregnancy.
• You can get more than one STI at a time.
• You can get the same STI more than once.

Learn More

• More about STIs
• Possible Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment
• Get Tested! Find a Clinic near You