There are certain sexual behaviors that can pass on an STD. Anal sex carries the highest risk of passing on the disease. Oral sex on a man can pass on a variety of throat infections, including HPV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Oral sex on a woman is less likely to cause disease but it can cause herpes and HPV. Receiving oral sex in a man can cause chlamydia and gonorrhea, while receiving oral sex in a woman can cause herpes. Vaginal sex can cause all types of STIs to both men and women. The same is true of insertive anal sex and receptive anal sex. Anilingus can pass on some diseases through the fecal-oral route. Types of risky sexual behavior include the following: •
Oral sex
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Barebacking, which is sex without a condom
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Sex at a young age
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Having sex with someone who is not monogamous or uses IV drugs
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Having many sexual partners
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Anal sex
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Working in the sex industry
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Using drugs or alcohol
Things that are most linked to risky sexual behaviors are not using condoms regularly, using drugs and alcohol, mental illness, childhood sexual abuse, lack of social support, domestic violence, and recent incarceration.
CHLAMYDIA Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. The biggest problems with transmission are that it does not always lead to symptoms and the development of symptoms can take several weeks after contracting the infection. Women will have burning on urination and vaginal discharge; men will have similar symptoms along with testicular swelling. In women, it can be very severe, leading to pelvic inflammatory disease of the uterus and tubes, which contributes to ectopic 104
