An infectious disease is any disease that can be passed from one person to another. There are many ways for them to pass between people, including on surfaces and through sexual contact. Those with any genitourinary symptoms who are sexually active should seek STD testing.
An infectious disease is one that can be passed from one person to another. There are many examples of infectious diseases, ranging from nuisances like the common cold to life-threatening diseases like HIV.
Each infectious disease has a particular method of transmission, meaning its own way of being passed from one person to another. One very common way for diseases to be passed is on surfaces, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, sink handles, and the like. This is how the viruses that cause the common cold are passed, and there are many other examples of diseases that are acquired on surfaces.
Another common method of transmission for an infectious disease is through sexual activity. Diseases that are passed in this way are called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. Examples of STDs include gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and HIV.
Some of these are passed through the exchange of sexual fluids; HIV is one example of this. Others are passed through direct contact between the genitals; this is how the virus that causes herpes is passed.
If you have any symptoms in your genitourinary system, and you are sexually active, then you should seek STD testing as soon as possible. Sexual activity does not have to mean vaginal intercourse; STDs can also be transmitted through oral sex, anal sex, or even through the rubbing together of the genitals without penetration. The symptoms could include rashes or sores on the genitals, burning or pain with urination, pain during sex, or other symptoms. You can go to an STD clinic to get all of your testing in one place.
STD testing in Singapore is also recommended on a regular basis for those who are sexually active, even if they don’t have any symptoms. This is called STD screening, and it’s necessary because many STDs have no symptoms in many of those infected. Even if you don’t have symptoms, the STD could still damage your health; for example, some STDs cause infertility if left untreated. STD testing in Singapore is recommended annually for most sexually active young adults, and even more frequently for some higher-risk groups (such as men who have sex with men).
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. “STD symptoms: Common STDs and their symptoms.” Mayo Clinic. Published 18 Mar 2015. Accessed 25 Jun 2016. http://www.mayoclinic.org/std-symptoms/art-20047081
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 25 Feb 2014. Accessed 26 Jun 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/std/general/default.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Screening Recommendations Referenced in Treatment Guidelines and Original Recommendation Sources.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published 4 Jun 2015. Accessed 20 Jun 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/screening-recommendations.htm
References
Infectious disease at Shim Clinic, Singapore