Can you get an STI more than once?

To understand whether you can get STIs more than once, we need to understand what STIs are and how they operate.

Most people get STIs from sex and other forms of sexual activity. The vast majority of STIs are transmitted through vaginal and anal sex, but they can also be passed on through oral sex and sharing sex toys.

This is because STIs transmit through infected bodily fluids. Substances like semen, vaginal secretions, and blood come into contact with mucous membranes of the uninfected person. Mucous membranes that can absorb these pathogens include those in the genitals (penis and vagina), rectum, mouth, and eyes. The bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause STIs pass through these porous membranes, establishing an infection in the body.

But this isn’t the whole story. Many STIs can be transmitted outside of sex.

STIs like HPV and Herpes only require skin-to-skin contact. Blood-borne infections like HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis can also be transmitted through sharing needles, needle stick injuries in healthcare settings, and blood transfusions.

Mothers can also transmit some STIs to their children during childbirth and breastfeeding.

It’s important to keep this point in mind: these infections don’t care about the method of transmission so long as they can be passed on to new hosts. If a bacteria or virus can pass on to another host outside of sex, it will.

That’s why the term “sexually transmitted infection” can be a bit misleading. These infections primarily pass on through sex, but many of them can do so in other ways, too.

You can get some STIs more than once. But which?

The main dividing line in this conversation remains between viral infections and bacterial/parasitic infections.

Bacterial and parasitic infections

Bacterial STIs operate much like most other bacterial infections. The bacteria infect your body, and your immune system activates to fight them off. If the bacteria that cause the infection are eradicated, the infection stops.

STI reinfection makes up a fairly large number of new infections.

Here are some of the most common bacterial STIs. You can get all of these infections more than once.

• Gonorrhoea: This bacterial infection infects the urethra and upper urinary tract. It can lead to symptoms such as:
  • Burning during urination
  • Painful bowel movements
  • Sore throat
  • Unusual white, yellow, or green discharge from the genitals
  • Vaginal bleeding
• Chlamydia: Like Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia infects the upper urinary tract and the urethra. Though largely asymptomatic, it can cause:
  • Burning during urination
  • Pain during sex
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Unusual mucus-like discharge from the genitals
  • Swollen testicles or discomfort around the tips of the penis
• Mycoplasma: Around 2% of all adults are infected with Mycoplasma bacteria, and can often be found in normal, healthy genital tracts. When the bacteria grow out of balance with its environment, it can cause:
  • Unusual discharge from the genitals
  • Pain during sex
  • Pain during urination
  • Genital irritation and itching
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Lower pelvic pain
• Syphilis: Unlike the above infections, Syphilis is a blood-borne infection. When symptoms do appear, they tend to occur between 10-90 days after the initial infection. They can include:
  • A chancre or sore at the site of infection
  • Body rash
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
• Trichomonas: This infection is caused by a parasitic protozoan that infects the urinary tract. It can cause:
  • Pain during urination
  • Increased urination
  • Frothy genital discharge with a “fishy” odour
  • Vaginitis
  • Pain during sex
  •  Soreness and swelling around the head of the penis
• Ureaplasma: Like Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma can be found in healthy vaginal environments. However, it can overgrow and cause an infection. When it does, it can cause:
  • Inflammation of the urethra
  • Pain while peeing
  • Burning or itching sensations in the genitals
  • Unusual genital discharge
  • Redness and inflammation around the site of infection

Viral infections

While you can get any number of bacterial infections, viral infections are a slightly different story.

Most bacterial STIs can be treated with antibiotics, and the infection can therefore be cured. With viral infections, however, the immune system either clears the infection on its own or the infection stays with you permanently and can’t be cured.

Here are some of the details.

• HPV is the most common STI in the world and has over 100 different strains. Most people will get HPV at some point in their lives. While your immune system will clear the vast majority of HPV infections without issue, some high-risk strains of HPV can cause certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer, penile cancer, and other cancers of the head and throat.
• While most people only get one strain of HIV, it’s possible to get another strain while still infected with the first. This is known as a superinfection. This can lead to complications, such as drug resistance, making treatment more challenging.
• While you can’t get Hepatitis B more than once (since your body develops immunity to the virus), the virus can become dormant and activate at a later date, especially if your immune system is weakened.
• You cannot get the same strain of Herpes more than once. However, if you have oral Herpes (HSV-1), you can get genital Herpes (HSV-2). Herpes symptoms can also come and go over time, and dormant infection can activate because of triggers like stress, illness, or a weakened immune system.

Getting reinfected can be baffling and stressful. In general, reinfection with an STI is usually caused by:

• Engaging in unprotected sex with a new partner
• Having sex with multiple partners
• Not completing a full course of antibiotics for a previous STI
• Engaging in sexual activity before completing treatment for a previous infection

Practising safe sex is an important part of protecting yourself from STIs. Safe sex can help reduce your risk of reinfection and ensure that you stay healthy.

First, always use a condom or other barrier protection during sexual activities. This will protect both partners from any potential infections. Also, make sure to use new condoms each time you have intercourse. Condoms are designed to be single-use items – used condoms may tear or break more easily.

Second, limit your number of sexual partners and practice abstinence between partners if possible. The fewer people you have sexual contact with, the lower your chances of contracting an STI.

Finally, get tested regularly for STIs so that any infection can be caught early and treated promptly before it has a chance to spread further or cause serious health complications.

While it’s possible to contract an STI more than once, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and reduce your risk of reinfection.

If you suspect that you have been exposed to an STI, it’s essential to get tested as soon as possible to prevent serious health complications. At Better2Know, we offer confidential STI testing services that are fast, accurate, and reliable.

Call the number listed above to learn more about how we can help you protect your sexual health.