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DeKalb County, Illinois |
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DeKalb County Health Department Communicable Disease Program 2550 N. Annie Glidden Road DeKalb, IL 60115 Hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm 815.748.2467 (phone) 815.748.2440 (fax) |
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FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions about STDS
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STD stands for Sexually Transmitted Disease. An STD is contracted through sexual contact. Some STDs are passed by skin-to-skin contact, while others are infected through body fluid exchange. For more information on specific STDs, click here.
I am sexually active. Should I get tested for STDs if I feel fine and have no symptoms? Many STDs do not have any symptoms. If you have had unprotected sex with someone who could have an STD, it is important to get tested. Many STDs can cause serious complications if untreated. For more information, check out our STD info.
If you have been diagnosed with an STD, whether or not you have symptoms, it is important to treat it. If STDs go untreated, serious complications can occur.
Is there any way to know if my partner has an STD? If your partner has had unprotected sex with someone who may have an STD, your partner may have been exposed. The only way to find out if your partner has an STD is for them to be tested. Often times STDs have no symptoms. For information on where to get tested, see our STD referral list.
I only engage in oral sex, can I still get an STD? Yes. It is possible to become infected from oral sex. During oral sex, there is skin-to-skin contact and there can be body fluid exchange, so consider using protection such as condoms or dental dams to protect you during oral sex.
Is there a connection between HIV and other STDs? Yes. If a person has an STD it makes it easier to get HIV. STDs can cause open sores that HIV can enter the body through. An HIV positive person may have serious complications if he/she catches another STD. For example, a person with HIV and genital herpes may have worse outbreaks than a person who is just infected with genital herpes.
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV attacks the immune system and makes it harder for the body to fight off infections. AIDS is a medical term that means a person’s immune system has been severely weakened by HIV. When a person has AIDS, that person is more at risk for getting other serious, sometimes deadly, infections.
Does getting an AIDS diagnosis mean I will die soon? No. With medical care, a person with an AIDS diagnosis may be able to strengthen his/her immune system. Once a person has received an AIDS diagnosis, he/she will always have the diagnosis. The AIDS diagnosis is to let medical professionals know that that person’s immune system is or was very weak at one time.
Do men need to worry about contracting HIV from women? Yes. It is possible to pass HIV from females to males. For more information, see our HIV transmission section.
Can mosquitoes or other animals transmit HIV? No. HIV can only be spread from humans to humans. For more information, see our HIV transmission section.
Can HIV live outside the body? HIV is a fragile virus when outside of the human body. According to the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov), the risk of infection from HIV outside of the body is almost zero.
Do condoms protect from STDs all of the time? When used correctly, condoms are 98% effective in preventing fluid exchange. Condoms may not protect you from STDs that can be spread from skin-to-skin contact, like herpes or genital warts.
I am on birth control, do I still need to use condoms? Birth control does not prevent you from getting an STD.
Yes. There are several different sizes, shapes and textures of condoms. Females can take action by wearing a female condom, which is put in the vagina before sexual intercourse. Both male and female condoms are available for FREE at the DeKalb County Health Department.
If I douche after unprotected sex am I less likely to get an STD? No. Douching can actually push bacteria up into the vagina. This can cause irritation of the vagina, such as a bacterial or a yeast infection. It can also push bacteria from other STDs (such as chlamydia or gonorrhea) further into the reproductive tract, causing a serious infection known as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. See our STD section for more information on specific STDs.
If I have vaginal discharge can I treat it with over the counter products? If you have unusual vaginal discharge it is important to be examined in order to find the cause. Vaginal discharge can result from several things, including STDs or vaginitis (irritation of the vagina, such as yeast infection or bacterial infection). The only way to properly treat the discharge is to get examined by a health care professional.
Yes. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis are some of the STDs that can be cured. It is also important to be aware that it is possible to catch these STDs in the future if exposed. Viral STDs, such as Herpes, HIV, and HPV can be treated, but not cured. For more information, check out our STD section
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