Could A Vaccine You Probably Already Have Protect Against Gonorrhea?
There’s potential good news in gonorrhea prevention as a series of studies suggests that certain meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines can reduce the risk of gonorrhea.
STIs and Oral Sex
Oral sex is when someone puts their lips, mouth, or tongue on their partner’s penis, clitoris, vulva, vaginal opening, or anus. There are different terms used to describe types of oral sex:
- Fellatio is the technical term for oral contact with the penis. This is often referred to as a blow job.
- Cunnilingus is the term for oral contact with the clitoris, vulva, or vaginal opening. This is sometimes called going down on someone.
- Anilingus is the technical term for oral contact with the anus. This is often referred to as rimming.
Oral sex is a common sexual practice for people of all genders and sexual orientations. Generally, oral sex is a safe sexual activity, but sexually transmitted infections can be pass on to partner this way.
Can you get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) from oral sex?
Yes. Some STIs—including gonorrhea and herpes—can be spread through oral sex. But it’s much less likely to pass on or get an STI from oral sex than from vaginal or anal sex.
How are STIs spread through oral sex?
You can get an STI of the mouth or throat if you give oral sex to someone who has a genital or anal infection. Fellatio (mouth-to-penis) is the type of oral sex that is most likely to pass on STIs.
You can also get an infection on the genitals or anus if you receive oral sex from a partner who has an STI on their lips or in their mouth or throat.
Some STIs—specifically gonorrhea and herpes—are more likely to be passed on by oral sex than others.
The chance of getting HIV through oral sex is very low. There have been few if any cases of HIV known to be pass on through oral sex.
What are the symptoms of oral STIs?
Most oral STIs cause no symptoms. Syphilis and herpes may first show up as sores on the lips or mouth. Oral gonorrhea may cause a sore throat similar to strep throat, but over 90% of cases have no symptoms.
How do you test for oral STIs?
Testing for oral STIs depends on the infection. It can be done using a swab (like a throat culture), by visual exam or swab of any sores, or through blood tests.
If you have any symptoms—such as sores on your lips or mouth or an otherwise unexplained sore throat—see a health care provider. Be honest about your recent sexual activity. They may or may not decide you need a test.
If you had oral sex with a partner who has been recently diagnosed with an STI, talk to your provider about whether you should get tested.
Screening for people who don’t have any symptoms is based on your sexual behavior and your partners. For example, most providers suggest screening men who have sex with men for gonorrhea of the throat because this infection is common in this group. In contrast, it’s unlikely a provider would suggest gonorrhea screening for anyone who has only given cunnilingus.
Can oral STIs be treated?
Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis can be cured with antibiotics. It’s important that all partners get treated so you don’t reinfect each other. Ask your provider whether you need follow up testing.
There is no cure for oral or genital herpes infections, but there are treatments that can help limit outbreaks and lessen symptoms.
There is no cure or treatment for oral HPV, but most infections clear up on their own.
How can I prevent STIs from oral sex?
The best way to prevent STIs from oral sex is to make sure you and your partners get tested. Many STIs have no symptoms meaning the only way to find out if you have one is to get tested. Testing and treating STIs prevents you from passing them to anyone else.
Using condoms during fellatio can prevent STIs, just like they do with vaginal or anal sex. They even make flavored condoms to make it more fun for the giving partner.
In addition, the HPV vaccine prevents infection with the nine types of HPV that are most likely to cause genital warts and cancer. This includes types that cause cancer of the cervix, genitals, anus, and throat.
STIs Transmitted Through Oral Sex
Gonorrhea is one of the most common oral STIs. Fellatio is more likely to transmit gonorrhea than cunnilingus or anilingus. It is most likely that someone giving oral sex would get gonorrhea from their partner’s penis. If the giving partner has an infection of the throat, they might pass this to their partner’s penis, but this is less likely. Gonorrhea of the throat is common, especially among men who have sex with men.
Providers often suggest gonorrhea testing of the throat for people who frequently give oral sex to a partner with a penis, especially men who have sex with men. The test uses a throat swab similar to what is used to diagnose strep throat.
Gonorrhea of the throat can be cured with antibiotics. It’s important that all partners take medication to avoid re-infecting each other.
- Oral chlamydia infection is uncommon. Unlike gonorrhea, the bacteria that cause chlamydia do not grow or survive very well in the mouth and throat.
- Screening for chlamydia infection of the throat is usually not recommended. However, gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are often done together so people who are tested for gonorrhea may automatically be tested for chlamydia as well.
- Chlamydia infection of the throat can be treated with antibiotics.
- A person who has a syphilis infection on their genitals can pass it to the mouth of a partner who gives them oral sex. A person who has a syphilis infection of the mouth can pass it to the genitals of a partner through oral sex.
- Syphilis can be diagnosed through swabs when a sore is present, but it is usually diagnosed through a blood test. A positive syphilis test won’t tell you how you contracted the infection.
- Syphilis can be treated with antibiotics.
- Herpes is more likely to be transmitted through oral sex than most STIs. If you receive oral sex from a partner who has oral herpes, you could get herpes on your genitals. If you give oral sex to a partner who has genital herpes, you could get herpes on your mouth. (Remember, herpes virus can be present on the skin even if there are no visible symptoms.)
- There are two types of the herpes simplex virus. HSV-1 usually causes sores on the mouth. HSV-2 usually causes sores on the genitals. Either type can infect either location, but HSV-2 oral infections are rare.
- A provider can diagnose by swabbing the sore to test determine which type of the virus you have. Providers may also want to do a blood test.
HPV (human papilloma virus) can be transmitted through oral sex from one partner’s genitals to the other partner’s throat or mouth. It is much less likely that HPV would be transmitted from one partner’s mouth or throat to the other partner’s genitals.
Researchers estimate that 7% of the population has oral HPV. Most cases of HPV (oral or genital) resolve on their own, and the person never knows they had it. Some cases lead to cancer, including cancer of the mouth and throat. These types of cancers, however, can occur in people who have never engaged in oral sex.
There are tests for oral HPV infection, but they’re not usually recommended. There is no treatment for oral HPV infection, but most infections go away on their own.
The HPV vaccine prevents infection with the nine types of HPV that are most likely to cause genital warts and cancer. This includes types that cause cancer of the cervix, genitals, anus, and throat.
- HIV is not transmitted through saliva, so the person receiving oral sex is not at risk.
- HIV is passed on through semen and vaginal secretions, but the virus can’t survive the environment in your mouth or stomach. This means there is a very low risk for the giving partner as well.
- People living with HIV can reduce their risk of passing on the virus by staying on ART (antiretroviral therapy). ART can reduce viral loads to the point that the virus is undetectable in their blood. People who are undetectable can’t transmit HIV through any sexual behaviors.
- Anyone who is concerned about contracting HIV should talk to their provider about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP reduces the risk of HIV transmission through sex by about 99%.
The bottom line is that oral sex is a generally safe activity that is less likely to pass on STIs than vaginal or anal sex. That said, if you engage in oral sex, it’s a good idea to ask your health care provider if they would recommend any additional STI testing.
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