Surveys show that although many think they know how to protect themselves from STI there are still one out of every four teenagers and young adults are still being infected.  Aside from the dangerous HIV, there are still other STIs that continue to rise up among our people. The STIs that we are referring to includes: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV) genital warts.

• Lack of know how on the preventive measures.
• Feeling embarrassed in buying condoms.
• Getting condoms brings pressure to the partners which leads to using of alcohol the affects their mental state and decision making.
• Fears to be embarrassed if partner may knew of their lack of knowledge. This will keep each silent instead of asking and / or discussing the matter.

It is not a zero possibility but very unlikely to happen because mostly of the STIs are only transmitted through: sexual contact, skin-to-skin contact, bodily fluids exchanged between partners. The transmission of pubic lice (Garapata) may be through, may be transmitted through sexual contact, sleeping in infected bedding, sharing infected clothing.  The pubic lice according to studies cannot survive if they are away from human body for more than 24 hours. In this regard, getting them through sitting on an infested toilet seat is possible but very rarely to happen.

Kissing may be is a possible mode of transmission because of the saliva but the case is not very common to be the main cause. If your partner's mouth is infected with an STI, then he or she may be able to pass that infection to your mouth during a kiss. If your partner is infected with STI, he/she can pass on to you through kiss infections like fever blisters and cold sores. Kissing can be a medium of transmission for Blood-borne infections like HIV or Hepatitis B or C only if their there an exchange of infected blood while doing so. You can not pass on the infection through kissing on the mouth if the infection in his or her genital area.  But if you are going kiss the infected part of the body, this may lead of the transmission of the infection.

Yes, STI can be transmitted through oral sex because there is skin-to-skin contact and bodily fluid exchange that may transpire. In this regard, the use of barrier protection plays a very important role in the blockage.  You can use un-lubricated condoms or latex dental dams as protection during oral sex.

The common physical symptoms of STIs are bumps or sores on the skin, itchy discharge, pain or burning sensation when urinating, fever, flu like symptoms.  However, all of these sign may be cause by other diseases other than the sexually transmitted. But remember, in some instances STIs may not show any signs and symptoms at all. That is the reason why it is very hard to diagnose STI based on only on common signs and symptoms or the physical manifestations being experienced.

Yes, a person has already been infected with STI but did not notice it because many of the STIs will take too long to show up symptoms.  It may be week, months or even year before the signs will manifest. So the danger is here because STIs can be continuously pass on by the carrier for not noticing or experiencing the signs and symptoms of infection.

You must seek immediately for medical help from the expert if you have the symptoms. Your medical and health care provider will advise you on the best way and things to do.  However if you don’t have health care provider, you may consult the school physician or nurse, community health professionals in your place who can advise and you on whether the symptoms are alarming or not

Unless your partner tells, you may not know if she/he is affected with STI.  Please be reminded that some of the STIs don't show any symptoms, so most likely your partner may not even know if he or she is infected.

Each kind of STI has also many different tests to undergo. There is no single examination that can thoroughly screen all types of STIs. There are STIs that do not show any sign and symptoms so it would be really difficult to test. Simple blood or urine test can be done to identify some of these STIs but other can only be tested other ways like culturing body fluid from the penis, vagina or open sore on the body. It is always very important to ask first the profession opinion of your physician or health care provider on what test is more appropriate to be done and which will not before undergoing through any testing. It would take some or enough times (weeks or months) for your body enough time to develop antibodies that will show up in a test and indicate that you have a particular STI.

You can get tested for STI through any of your local health department, community clinics, private health providers (private doctor or family planning clinics) are all good resources to check into for STI testing.

Medical health providers are all practicing the confidentiality for every medical care that you receive and the medical records as well. This confidentially means that all the information you discuss and the test you have undergone with your health care providers must stay in your files at the clinic and these should not be presented and released to anyone without asking first your permission. Further more all the examinations done and results of these tests will absolutely be handled as confidential matters.

The anonymous testing on the other hand is the test wherein your name will not be indicated or associated from the start up to the results in any way. The way to know and identity the results will be through the given number or code word. Talk first to your health care provider before examination on what testing process will be used.

The choice of protection against STIs or pregnancy is still with you. You can use latex condoms during sex. This shall give you good protection because they are barriers that will keep you away from your partner's sexual fluids. However, using a condom is not 100% protection against pregnancy and /or from STIs but it offers best protection from STIs and also pretty good protection from pregnancy during sexual intercourse. Only abstinence is the way against pregnancy and STIs.

Be reminded always the other birth control methods are only protecting you from unwanted pregnancy and not from STIs. But still, the use of birth control pills or other reliable forms of birth control are the best protection in preventing pregnancy.