what are STIs and BBVs?

Sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and blood borne viruses (BBVs) can be passed on from one person to another by sexual contact. This includes vaginal, oral and anal sex, as well as genital touching and skin-to-skin contact. Some STIs and BBVs can be passed on from a mother to her child during pregnancy or childbirth.

Anyone can have an STI or BBV and it's impossible to tell if a potential partner is infected just by looking at them. You could also be infected and infect someone else without knowing it because most people with an STI or BBV have no obvious symptoms.

The best way to lessen your chance of getting infected or infecting someone else is to have safer sex. This means always using condoms or dams whenever you have anal, vaginal or oral sex. To keep healthy, you should also have regular sexual health checks.

If you have an STI or BBV and don't get treatment, you risk having long term health problems. Different STIs and BBVs affect you in different ways and have different symptoms and treatments.

Protecting yourself from STIs and BBVs

The following will help protect you from getting STIs and BBVs:

Always use condoms or dams when you have vaginal, anal or oral sex and if you need more lubrication, make sure it's water based.
Make sure semen, blood and vaginal and anal fluid are not passed between partners.
Talk about sex with your partner/s (i.e. the things you want to do and the things you don't want to do).
Always use clean needles and never share drug-injecting equipment.
If you see sores, lumps or ulcers around the mouth or genital area or any unusual discharge, avoid vaginal, anal and oral sex and any activity involving skin-to-skin contact with the affected area.

When to see a doctor or nurse

If you're under 30 or a male who has sex with men, to keep healthy, you should:

see a doctor or nurse for a sexual health checkup once a year when you become sexually active
talk to a doctor or nurse about having a checkup more regularly if you change sexual partners often
see a doctor as soon as possible if you notice any STI or BBV symptoms or your sexual partner is diagnosed with an STI or BBV or has a symptom.

If you're not sure what to do, call or visit one of our clinics.