Diseases that can be encountered during oral sex

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Man - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 10 years of experience in diagnosing, consulting and treating in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Oral sex is using your mouth, lips, or tongue to stimulate your partner. Having oral sex with someone who has an STI carries the risk of infection.

Oral sex can increase the risk of STIs.
Chlamydia Chlamydia is a disease caused by the bacteria chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia can be transmitted through oral sex, and it is also transmitted through anal or vaginal sex. Chlamydia affects the throat, genitals, urinary tract, and rectum.
Most cases of throat chlamydia have no obvious symptoms. When symptoms appear, the patient presents with a sore throat. Chlamydia is a lifelong infection but can be cured with the right use of antibiotics.
Gonorrhea Gonorrhea, also known as clapping, is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
Gonorrhea can be transmitted through oral sex, it can also be transmitted through anal or vaginal sex. Gonorrhea affects the throat, genitals, urinary tract, and rectum.

Like chlamydia, throat gonorrhea usually does not present any symptoms. Symptoms usually appear 1 week after exposure to the bacteria with a sore throat.
Gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics. However, there has been an increase in reports of drug resistance in the treatment of gonorrhea in the United States and worldwide. The CDC recommends re-testing if your symptoms don't go away after you've finished your course of antibiotics.
Syphilis Syphilis is a serious infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. According to the CDC - the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015 there were more than 74,000 cases of syphilis. Syphilis affects the mouth, lips, throat, genitals, anus, and rectum.
Syphilis symptoms occur in stages. For oral syphilis, the first stage includes sores in or around the mouth and throat. In the second stage, you may have a skin rash, swollen lymph nodes, and a fever. The latent stage of the infection can last for years without any signs or symptoms. The third stage of the infection can affect the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones, and joints.
If left untreated, the bacteria will survive in the body and cause serious health problems such as organ and nerve damage. It can also be passed to an unborn baby during pregnancy causing stillbirth or other serious complications for the newborn.
Syphilis can be cured with the right antibiotics and symptoms may go away with or without treatment.
HSV-2 (Genital Herpes type 2) HSV-2 is transmitted primarily through sexual contact, causing genital or anal herpes. HSV-2 has been affecting approximately 417 million people under the age of 50 worldwide.
HSV-2 can be transmitted through oral sex causing herpes esophagitis (sores or blisters in the esophagus) in some people, but is extremely rare. Symptoms of herpes esophagitis include: sores in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, joint pain, chills, fever, malaise (general unwell feeling).
This is a lifelong infection that can spread even when the sick person has no symptoms. Treatment can shorten, reduce, or prevent herpes outbreaks.
HPV In some strains of HPV, there are no symptoms. Other types of HPV infection can cause papillomas in the larynx or other respiratory organs, affecting the mouth and throat. Symptoms include: Throat warts, vocal changes, difficulty speaking, trouble breathing. Some other viruses that infect the mouth and throat do not cause warts, but can cause cancer in the head or neck.
HPV has no cure, but sometimes it goes away within 2 years of being infected. Any blisters or sores in the mouth and throat can be removed through surgery, but they can recur even with treatment.
HIV HIV is usually spread through vaginal and anal sex. The risk of HIV transmission during oral sex is extremely low.
HIV is a lifelong disease and many people with HIV don't see any symptoms for years. People with HIV may initially have flu-like symptoms.
There is no cure for viral infections. However, people with HIV can live longer, healthier lives by taking antiretroviral drugs and receiving intensive treatment in the hospital.

For STI Screening - Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Screening, CDC - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends annual testing for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea for all sexually active women under the age of 25 and for all men who have sex with the same sex.
People with new or multiple sex partners, as well as pregnant women, should also be tested for STIs annually. The CDC also recommends that all adolescents and adults ages 13 to 64 be tested for HIV at least once in their lives.
Tests include:
Chlamydia and gonorrhea: Genital swab or urine sample HIV: Oral swab or Herpes blood test (no symptoms): Herpes blood test (symptomatic): Take a sample of the affected area and have a follow-up blood test to check the results Syphilis: Blood test or sample taken from an HPV sore (oral warts or throat): Diagnostic imaging based on symptoms or pap hpv test The social disease screening and examination package of Vinmec International General Hospital helps customers screen for social diseases in order to detect diseases early. for effective treatment to avoid complications.
Package of screening for social diseases for all ages, for both men and women. When registering for the Social Disease Screening Package, customers will receive:
Dermatology Specialist Tests Perform tests such as: HIV Ab rapid test, Chlamydia rapid test, Treponema pallidum rapid test, rapid test. Qualitative and quantitative Treponema pallidum TPHA assay, bacteriological staining and endoscopic staining of fungi

Reference source: healthline.com