STI – Practical Recommendations

What is the most important practical recommendations ?

• Value a stable partner and/or use a condom during each sexual intercourse.

What must I do if I think I have caught a sexually transmitted infection (STI) ?

• See a doctor (physician) immediately and avoid sexual intercourse until instructed to do otherwise.
• Do not self-medicate.

When must I see a doctor (physician) after having sex with a stranger ?

• As soon as you feel and sign or symptom of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) ?
• If no sign or symtom appears, go see a doctor (physician) after 4 weeks so that he can exclude common STIs (blood and urine tests).
• In both cases, do not have sex until your doctor (physician) tells you it is ok to do so.

What happens if I do not treat a STI ?

• In some STIs, signs and symptoms can disappear completely.
• However, the infection remains and with time can invade internal organs and produce irreversibles damage. Less importantly for you during that time, all the other sexual partners run a risk of being infected.
• New signs and symptoms of the infection can appear many years later (paralysis, blindness in teriary syphilis…).

Are STIs always symptomatic (signs and symptoms) ?

• No.
• For example in gonorrhoea (gonorrhea) and chlamydial infections, 10% of men and almost half of females are asymptomatic right from the beginning.
• Badly treated individuals, such as those self-medicating and those not following correctly treatment prescribed by their doctor (physician) can be asymtomatic. However, they are still ill (sick), and can transmit the infection to others.