Transmission of STIs

There must be an exchange of body fluids in order to transmit most STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HIV, hepatitis.

Others like genital warts, herpes, scabies, and pubic lice can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact and still others are not necessarily transmitted through sexual contact.

Modes of transmission of STIs include

• From a pregnant woman to her unborn fetus, or to infants during vaginal delivery or through breast milk
• Infestations (scabies and pubic lice) can also be transmitted through shared clothing, bedding, linens etc.
• Mixture of infectious body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal secretions)
• Sexual transmission (genital-anal, genital-genital, oral-genital/anal)
• Sharing of needles and other drug paraphernalia and needle stick injuries
• Skin-to-skin contact (i.e., kissing, non-penetrative sex, body rubbing)

* subjected to change above data on image