{"id":7212,"date":"2019-08-27T18:06:30","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T22:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/?p=7212"},"modified":"2025-01-15T14:32:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T19:32:06","slug":"std-vs-sti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getmaple.ca\/blog\/std-vs-sti\/","title":{"rendered":"The lowdown on STDs…or is it STIs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whatever the sex\u00a0ed curriculum where you live, we\u2019ve all (hopefully) managed to get the basics. Most Canadians are clear on how to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. What\u2019s less clear is the terminology we\u2019re supposed to be using. <\/span>At some point in the last few years, we\u2019ve all started talking about STIs instead of STDs. <\/span>What <\/span>exactly <\/span>is the difference between STI and STD<\/span>, or is there even one?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What’s the difference between an STI and an STD?<\/h2>\n

<\/span>While most organizations use the terms interchangeably (including us<\/a>), there are a few who make a distinction between them. The basis for their argument is that <\/span>STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and STIs (sexually transmitted infections) are<\/span> not <\/span>the same<\/span> thing because diseases and infections are not the same thing. Infection is when microorganisms that don\u2019t normally live in the body, get into the body and start to\u00a0multiply. You might have symptoms from an infection, but you might also be symptom free. Disease, however, is when the cells in your body are damaged from the infection \u2014 causing symptoms.<\/span> Take HIV\/AIDS for example. HIV is an infection that may or may not have symptoms. AIDS however, is a disease (resulting from an HIV infection), that most definitely has symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The major reason for the change is that the term \u201cdisease\u201d suggests obvious symptoms, but many STIs don\u2019t have any. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for example, goes largely\u00a0undetected unless you present with an abnormal Pap smear, genital warts, or <\/span>cervical cancer<\/span><\/a>. The idea of \u201cdisease,\u201d can also be stigmatizing while \u201cinfection\u201d might seem easier to treat to some. While neither sound great, at least we\u2019re not calling them \u201cvenereal diseases\u201d anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n

STI symptoms<\/h2>\n

While some STIs may be entirely asymptomatic, others can have mild symptoms or take a while for overt ones to develop. This means it\u2019s not always obvious that you have an infection. Despite this, be on the lookout for the following signs:<\/span><\/p>\n