Published on Mar 14, 2024 | 11:42 AM
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While we don’t know exactly how many people catch a sexually transmitted disease when traveling, we do know that traveling and sex often go hand in hand. With one in three people engaging in sexual activity while on a trip along with the current STD transmission rate, it is common not only to get an STD but to get one while traveling, especially with the amount of individuals who do not practice safe sex. (1)
Instead of asking how possible it is to get an STD while traveling, it would be better to ask how possible it is to catch an STD per unprotected encounter with an infected partner. Women are known to have a higher risk of getting an STD than men due to the lining in the vagina being more susceptible to foreign bacterial development. Another factor to keep in mind is that most STDs are asymptomatic, where patients experience minimal or no symptoms at all. Current statistics show the chances of STDs per heterosexual encounter broken down by each condition:
Chlamydia: One of the most frequently reported in the United States, chlamydia has proven to be common among younger generations ages between 15 to 24. (2) Current studies rate the probability of someone getting the STD at 4.5% per sex act for both men and women. (3) Learn more about chlamydia from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Chlamydia.
Gonorrhea: One of the most common STDs to be reported, gonorrhea has a high transmission rate in both men and women, being 20% to 30% and 60% to 90%, respectively, per sexual encounter. (4) Learn more about gonorrhea from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Gonorrhea.
Herpes: Herpes is believed to have infected billions of people globally, with a significant percentage of people in the United States already infected with either HSV-1 or HSV-2. While male to female is up to 31% chance of transmission, female to male has a 4% chance. (5) While asymptomatic cases have a lower chance of passing on the STD, it's well documented that most cases are passed on while the infected partner is asymptomatic. Learn more about herpes from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Herpes.
Human Immunodeficiency Viruses: In the United States and globally, HIV is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, being the cause of the global AIDS pandemic of the 80’s and 90’s. While exposure per sexual encounter is currently measured at less than 1%, the condition has no cure and severely reduces a person’s quality of life if left untreated. (6) Learn more about the human immunodeficiency virus from The Call-On-Doc Guide to HIV.
Human Papillomavirus: The most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and globally, HPV runs a 3.5% chance for women and a 5.6% chance for men. (7) While research is still being conducted on the HPV transmission rate, the explanation for its aggressive transmission rate falls upon it being difficult to notice and often asymptomatic. Learn more about HPV from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Genital Warts.
Mycoplasma Genitalium: Compared to other STDs, M. Genitalium was discovered relatively recently in the 1980s. It is considered a fastidious bacteria, meaning it grows slowly in the body after transmission. Often asymptomatic, it can result in complications when left untreated in some patients and is closely monitored by healthcare professionals due to its resistance to many antibiotics. While it has a relatively low transmission rate of 2.3% for women and 1.1% for men per sexual encounter, couples are known to have a higher chance of catching the STD due to the lack of initial symptoms for most people. (8) Learn more about M. genitalium from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Mycoplasma Genitalium.
Syphilis: An STD closely monitored by the Department of Health and other agencies monitoring public health due to how it can develop in the human body, syphilis has recently experienced a resurgence in cases by around 80% more than normal between 2018 and 2022 among all age groups. In context, such numbers have not been seen since the 1950s, which is a major concern due to how the STD can damage everything from the brain, to the heart, internal organs, and more. (9) Having a high chance of spreading when a person has it, the transmission rate per sexual act can be as high as 20% to 30%. (10) Learn more about syphilis from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Syphilis.
Trichomoniasis: Known to increase the chance of catching other STDs like HIV due to it inflaming the genitals, trichomoniasis often shows up as asymptomatic. (11) Unlike other STDs, which spread virally or bacterially, trichomoniasis is a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis that mainly attacks the lower genital tract in women and the urethra in men. Spreading aggressively in most populations, the infection rate of the parasite is estimated to be 3.2% per sexual encounter. (12) Learn more about trichomoniasis from The Call-On-Doc Guide to Trichomoniasis.
Alcohol and Drugs: Someone under the influence of substances like alcohol, stimulants, and opiates will struggle to control their impulses. (13) When relating it to STD transmission, such substances can influence a person’s ability to consider situations that may make them more vulnerable, like unprotected sex with someone you do not know or something similar. (14)
Gender: Women are far more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases than men due to differences in anatomy. Put simply, the vaginal microbiome is an easy place for bacteria to grow and flourish, while for men, bacteria have to travel through the longer urethra to gain entry. Additionally, the lining in the vagina is easy to access for an STD, being directly accessible during vaginal intercourse. (15)
Immune System Health: Like any other disease and infection, your immune system plays a crucial role in protecting your body from STDs. A healthy immune system can help recognize and fight off pathogens, including bacteria and viruses responsible for STIs, reducing the likelihood and severity of infection. Conversely, a compromised immune system, such as that seen in individuals with conditions like HIV/AIDS or those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, may weaken the body's ability to defend against STIs, leading to an increased risk of infection and potential complications.
Multiple Partners: The more partners a person has sexual relations with, the greater the likelihood they will contract an STD. (16)
Not Getting Tested: Young people ages 15 to 25 make up half of all STD cases, yet the vast majority of those in such an age group don’t seek out testing. (17) When it comes to when a person should be tested, the CDC recommends:
Types of Sexual Activity: While it might be common knowledge, it should still be stated that a person can catch an STD not just by vaginal sex but also via oral and anal sex. In fact, unprotected anal sex increases the chance of catching an STD, especially HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
Unprotected Sex: Choosing to avoid the use of condoms, dental dams, and other forms of protection leaves a person directly susceptible to catching a sexually transmitted disease. Not just featuring a high protection rating against getting pregnant, condoms also block direct exposure to bodily fluids carrying the bacteria that spread STDs.
According to the CDC, STD care cost Americans around the country a total of $16 billion due to treatment, testing, and care in 2018. (18) In the same fact sheet, the current top STDs in the United States include the following:
As per a U.S. News report analyzing STD statistics from 2022, the overall spread of sexually transmitted diseases had decreased from the previous year by 1.5%. (19) In the same report, the top 10 states with the highest STD rates included:
When it comes to sex and traveling, there’s always a chance of catching an STD from someone you do not know and additionally a chance from someone you do who has multiple partners. That’s why if you do decide to have intercourse on a trip, make sure to practice safe sex and get tested regularly. Call-On-Doc offers not only treatment but also testing and forms of prevention for the most common sexually transmitted diseases but also options for testing as well through a discreet and easy-to-access process.
English graduate and Call-On-Doc’s medical resource guide, Wayne C. Hahne is an experienced and passionate medical education content expert. Through diligent research, provider interviews and utilizing the industry's leading resources for wellness information, it is Mr. Hahne’s personal mission to educate the general public on medical conditions with in-depth and easy-to-understand written guides.
Get Treated for STDs without Testing
Most people typically assume that when it comes to STD treatment, you’ll need to go to a doctor’s office and get tested. Not only can the entire process be unnerving, but going into a doctor's office can be uncomfortable, timely, and expensive. However, there is now a more accessible option for STD treatment with telemedicine. Call-On-Doc provides same-day relief for STD symptoms without the hassle of appointments, lab testing, and face-to-face visits.
Specializing in asynchronous consultations, an online text-style visit, our board-certified medical providers offer STD treatment online for a reduced cost that is 100% private and from the comfort of home on your phone or computer!
Simply select a condition and fill out the medical intake form. Then, we'll review and prescribe the appropriate treatment plan that is available for pick-up at any US pharmacy in 1-2 hours.
Not sure what STD you have? No problem, we can still help treat you. On our STD page, select "unsure" and answer a few questions about your symptoms. Our medical providers will know what treatment option is best based on the medical and sexual history as well as other information you can provide.
Does your partner also need treatment? We can help keep both of you sexually healthy and provide 50% off partner treatment.
Apr 18, 2023 | 1:20 PM
The Problem with Antibiotic Resistant STDS
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a common occurrence in the United States, with the CDC reporting over 20 million cases annually and continually rising year over year. The highest reported number of cases are in those under 25 as well as in gay and bisexual men. (1) Due to the continual increase in cases, STD treatment needs to be easy to get and accessible by anyone. However, it is important to know more about the prescriptions that treat STDs and antibiotic resistance concerns.
Due to most STDs being caused by bacteria, antibiotics proved to be highly effective at treating them. Today they still offer a rapid and targeted approach to eradicating the pathogen responsible for the infection. Developments like Azithromycin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and more were crucial to eradicating the infection in patients. However, in some areas, overuse or misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that are starting to spread in the states, rendering standard treatments ineffective.
Hardly a new phenomenon since the time penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, bacteria evolved a workaround by mutating an antibiotic resistance, E. coli being the first in 1940. (2) While still uncommon, a bacteria resistant to the first line of STD treatment often results in more advanced and expensive measures. However, understanding how the organism gets there and knowing how to recognize the signs indicating antibiotic resistance to STDs has proven helpful in stemming the appearance of harder-to-treat sexually transmitted infections.
Sep 15, 2023 | 2:01 PM
What is DoxyPEP?
Every year, it's estimated that around 374 million people are infected with curable sexually transmitted infections, most notably syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. (1) Just in the United States alone, the number of annual infections concerning the same STIs hovers between 1.5 million and just below 2 million. (2) Such rising numbers, alongside concerns for antibiotic resistance STDs, have driven the scientific and healthcare communities towards advancing new methods of cures and spread prevention. That’s where the recent development of DoxyPEP has made such an impact on doctors and patients alike.
Designed to function similarly to a morning-after pill, DoxyPEP is an oral antibiotic that has proven effective against immediate exposure to bacterial sexually transmitted diseases. Most effective if taken within 24 hours of exposure, DoxyPEP is also known to reduce bacterial STDs if taken within 72 hours.
Nov 14, 2023 | 2:19 PM
Get Treated for STDs without Testing
Most people typically assume that when it comes to STD treatment, you’ll need to go to a doctor’s office and get tested. Not only can the entire process be unnerving, but going into a doctor's office can be uncomfortable, timely, and expensive. However, there is now a more accessible option for STD treatment with telemedicine. Call-On-Doc provides same-day relief for STD symptoms without the hassle of appointments, lab testing, and face-to-face visits.
Specializing in asynchronous consultations, an online text-style visit, our board-certified medical providers offer STD treatment online for a reduced cost that is 100% private and from the comfort of home on your phone or computer!
Simply select a condition and fill out the medical intake form. Then, we'll review and prescribe the appropriate treatment plan that is available for pick-up at any US pharmacy in 1-2 hours.
Not sure what STD you have? No problem, we can still help treat you. On our STD page, select "unsure" and answer a few questions about your symptoms. Our medical providers will know what treatment option is best based on the medical and sexual history as well as other information you can provide.
Does your partner also need treatment? We can help keep both of you sexually healthy and provide 50% off partner treatment.
Apr 18, 2023 | 1:20 PM
The Problem with Antibiotic Resistant STDS
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a common occurrence in the United States, with the CDC reporting over 20 million cases annually and continually rising year over year. The highest reported number of cases are in those under 25 as well as in gay and bisexual men. (1) Due to the continual increase in cases, STD treatment needs to be easy to get and accessible by anyone. However, it is important to know more about the prescriptions that treat STDs and antibiotic resistance concerns.
Due to most STDs being caused by bacteria, antibiotics proved to be highly effective at treating them. Today they still offer a rapid and targeted approach to eradicating the pathogen responsible for the infection. Developments like Azithromycin, ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and more were crucial to eradicating the infection in patients. However, in some areas, overuse or misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that are starting to spread in the states, rendering standard treatments ineffective.
Hardly a new phenomenon since the time penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928, bacteria evolved a workaround by mutating an antibiotic resistance, E. coli being the first in 1940. (2) While still uncommon, a bacteria resistant to the first line of STD treatment often results in more advanced and expensive measures. However, understanding how the organism gets there and knowing how to recognize the signs indicating antibiotic resistance to STDs has proven helpful in stemming the appearance of harder-to-treat sexually transmitted infections.
Sep 15, 2023 | 2:01 PM
What is DoxyPEP?
Every year, it's estimated that around 374 million people are infected with curable sexually transmitted infections, most notably syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. (1) Just in the United States alone, the number of annual infections concerning the same STIs hovers between 1.5 million and just below 2 million. (2) Such rising numbers, alongside concerns for antibiotic resistance STDs, have driven the scientific and healthcare communities towards advancing new methods of cures and spread prevention. That’s where the recent development of DoxyPEP has made such an impact on doctors and patients alike.
Designed to function similarly to a morning-after pill, DoxyPEP is an oral antibiotic that has proven effective against immediate exposure to bacterial sexually transmitted diseases. Most effective if taken within 24 hours of exposure, DoxyPEP is also known to reduce bacterial STDs if taken within 72 hours.
Nov 14, 2023 | 2:19 PM
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