STI vs. STD is there a difference?

STD = sexually transmitted disease.
STI = sexually transmitted infection.

They refer to the same thing, but STI is considered more politically correct, because STIs are generally something you "catch"; they don't "just happen" (for lack of a better term) the way diseases do.

I thought you had to catch a disease to get it ... So hmm which ones "just happen"?

Ah ok was worried for a sec. Didn't notice we went off from STD/STI to non STI/STD diseases like those. I feel much better now. LOL

Thanks!

I never got a sex ed class and I don't think many people did. All we got was a general health class that talked about STD's for a few mins and moved on. Of course I don't know if they taught sex ed in public high school, but I went from public middle to private high school with out most of the knowledge I felt I needed. My mom bought me a book and I read it but I don't think most of the other kids got books or proper knowledge from their parents.

The class was about as in depth as this.. STDs are bad so use a condom... problem solved! Not even how to put a condom on properly. I didn't learn from school that you were supposed to leave a space for the semen to collect. So I kinda wanna do that as a job only do it right so people know whats what. Because I was left in the dust.

I stopped hanging out with them because they all did pot (some did crack) some got busted multiple times so I called it quits with them.

SO I BECAME A NERD WHOOHOOO!!! It kept me safe Happy too.
Parents if your kids like to play his/her games or do what ever its probably for the better depending on who they hang out with... Was for me.

Hmm I forgot to delete a sentance...

Man I've been up to long it shows in my post been up for 16 hours now.

I had decent sex education as part of my health class in high school. Even 6-8 years ago STI was not yet a term which was used. I agree with Backseat Boohoo, it's definitely more a PC way to look at it. I also think it suggests that infections are not permanent as opposed to diseases, and helps to take away some of the stigma sufferers may run into.

Huh, I was distinctly aware of the change between grade school and middle school, but I never knew why it happened. I learned something new--yay!

Also, note that condoms can't protect you from EVERY STI out there. I believe that it is still possible to catch HPV and herpes from someone since a condom does not necessarily cover all the "dangerous" bits.

I wonder if it also has something to do with the language used by health organizations in general. If I remember correctly disease is only used when talking about a particular bacteria/virus/etc. on its own as soon as it's in something (ie. person/animal/etc.) it becomes an infection.

They are used interchangeably at most hospitals and ED's. There are sexually transmitted diseases and infections that can impact organs far from the genitals in later stages like syphilis (neuropsyphilis mimics many neurological and neuropsychological disorders) and gonorrhea can set up factory and destroy cartilidge in major joints like the hips and knees. Hepatitis B and C can be passed through sex as well as blood products and neither infection can ever be cured once it is in the body. There is a shot-a series of three shots actually, which you can receive to prevent hep B, but no preventitive shot exists to prevent the deadliest for of hepatitis, C. Once you have it, its there for life and a great deal of the cases of hep C die from liver cancer or complications from cirhosis and clotting disorders due to chromic liver failure.

HIV and Herpes and Human Papilloma Virus (genital warts) also can not be cured, even after they appear to go away, they can still be spread through unprotected sex, and more than half the adult population caries HPV and HSV2, according to a CDC bulliten I got a few months ago at work. Right now, Chlamydia is the numer one STI. Fortunately, its easily cured with a few pills, unfortunately it usually has no symptoms.