STIs can be acquired by a man through any form of sexual contact. The question is which STIs can you acquire from a specific type of sex act.
We will approach this based on the type of sexual engagement – kissing, petting, getting or giving oral sex, vaginal penetration or anal penetration.
Below represents the risk to the man based on the sex act performed.
| HIV | Chlamydia | Gonorrhoea | Syphillis | Herpes | Hepatitis B | *Hepatitis C | Trichosomonas | Mycoplasma/ Ureaplasma | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kissing | No risk, provided no open sores | No risk | No risk | Yes risk exists – especially if there are punched out sores in the mouth | Yes risk exists especially for Herpes Type I | Potential risk exists with deep wet kissing – Not dry kissing | No risk – Unless there are open bleeding sores in the mouth | Next to no risk | No risk |
| Petting(rimming of vagina) | No risk, provided no open sores or exchange of body fluids/ blood | No risk | No risk | Yes, if there are open sores | Yes risk exist | No risk | No risk | No risk | No risk |
| Oral sex (cunnilingus) – giving oral sex to vagina | Extremely low risk | Yes risk exist. Chlamydia can be transmitted to your throat | Yes risk exists. Gonorrhoea can be transmitted to your throat | Yes risk exists, esp if there are sores around the vagina | Yes risk exists | Yes risk exist esp if bleeding/sores in vagina | Negligible risk | No risk | No risk |
| Oral Sex(fellatio)- getting a blow job to the penis | Negligible risk provided no open sores or bleeding in the woman’s mouth | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists esp if bleeding/ sores in the women’s mouth | Negligible risk | Low risk | Low risk |
| Vaginal sex – penetrative | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. |
| Anal Sex – penetrative | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. | Yes risk exists. |
*The risk of acquiring Hepatitis C via sexual contact is significantly lower than Hepatitis B. Hepatitis C is more likely transmitted via injection drug use, needle stick injury, organ transplant, birth to a hepatitis C infected mother, receipt of blood products or direct blood contact into open wounds.
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