Women's symptoms often get worse with menstruation. Visit Sore Subjects to learn more about the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. Because inflammation leads to ulcerations that allow easier access to the blood stream, people with STDs like syphilis , gonorrhea , chancroid , and chlamydia are at higher risk for infection with HIV if they have intercourse with an HIV-infected partner. The HIV in an infected person's blood, semen, or vaginal secretions can enter another person's body through tiny cuts and sores in the skin, or through the fragile, moist lining of the vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth. But the Facts .
Most infected people have no symptoms.
But the Facts . If you think you have an STD or have been exposed to one, see a healthcare provider immediately. You also need to abstain from sexual contact until you're sure that you can't pass the STD on to someone else. That means no sex with anyone until your healthcare provider assures you that you're no longer contagious. Bacterial STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis can readily be cured with antibiotics.