Dear DOLLY, I feel stupid asking, but I'm so confused about STIs and they don't teach us about it at school. I'm wondering how common are chlamydia and HIV in teens? And are people born with it? And can you catch chlamydia from a virgin? Anonymous
Don't feel stupid at all - STIs are confusing, even when you do learn about them at school! Basically, an STI (sexually transmitted infection) is something that's caused by a bacteria, virus or other germ, that's passed from one person to another by sexual contact.
The types of sexual contact that might cause an STI to be passed on include intercourse (penis into vagina), anal sex (penis into back passage), oral sex (contact between mouth and genitals) and sometimes also using objects or sex toys between genitals.
An STI can only be passed on from a person who actually has the infection. Someone who has never had sex and who doesn't have an STI cannot pass it on.
You can't catch chlamydia from a virgin. On the other hand, some STIs can be passed on from mother to baby, including HIV. So a baby can be born with HIV and when they grow up and have sex for the first time, they could possibly pass it on to their partner if they have unprotected sex (sex without a condom).
In teens, chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI. It's becoming more and more common among young people all over the world. It can be prevented by wearing condoms every time you have sex, it can also be easily tested for and cured with antibiotics.
It's recommended that sexually active people under 25 have a chlamydia test at least once a year. For more information about chlamydia, go to www.getcluedup.com.au
