Can you have an std but not your partner?

Test results show that you have gonorrhea or chlamydia, or both. These are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that can cause permanent harm to you and your sexual partners if not treated in time. People get STDs by having sex with someone who has an STD. Once you're infected, you can infect another person.

Both gonorrhea and chlamydia usually have no symptoms. Sometimes, only one partner will have symptoms, even if both have the condition. That's why it's important to notify your sexual partners of the test results. It doesn't matter how many people the person has had sex with.

Even if someone has only had one sexual partner, that partner could have an illness. Of course, the chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (also called sexually transmitted infections or STIs) are even greater if a person has unprotected sex with many different partners. The best way to avoid getting a sexually transmitted disease (STI) is to not have sex. However, this is not most people's favorite option.

The next best option is to make sure your sexual encounters are safe and get tested later. Your next potential partner may not even know that they are infected. You see, many STDs don't even show signs or symptoms. It's possible to sleep with someone with a sexually transmitted disease and not get it, but you should still take appropriate precautions when it comes to your sexual health.

Some STDs (such as trichomoniasis) can be treated to go away, but other infections (such as herpes or HPV) can stay in a person's body, even if that person has been treated. It is also possible to contract some STDs in a non-sexual way, such as using intravenous medications or transmitting them from mother to baby during delivery. They may have contracted an STD before their relationship began and unknowingly contracted it later on. Test at home with one of MyLab Box's STD testing kits to detect the most common STIs and participate proactively to protect yourself.

Another way to check your STD status is to get tested regularly, such as at your local Planned Parenthood health center if you're sexually active. Even if STDs remain asymptomatic or symptoms go away over time, that doesn't mean you're no longer at risk. Over time, STDs can cause a variety of dangerous conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, nerve damage and, in some cases, death. While most STDs are usually transmitted through sexual intercourse or genital-to-genital contact, this is not always the case for all STDs.