Is UTI a type of STD?
Symptoms in some STDs and UTIs are common, which can lead to misdiagnosis and may lead to wrong or delayed treatment.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is not a sexually transmitted disease. UTIs are caused by bacteria (mostly the E. coli bacteria) entering the urethra, causing infection. In contrast, STDs can be caused due by the spread of bacteria, viruses, or parasitic elements through sexual activity.
The type of bacteria indicates the primary difference between UTIs and STIs. The bacteria that cause UTIs already live in the body’s gastrointestinal tract and are often located around the rectum. You can pass the bacteria on to your sexual partner but not the infection itself.
STIs, on the other hand, pass from person to person through sexual contact because the infection lives in the person’s skin, saliva, sperm, or other bodily fluids. STIs can present with very different symptoms than UTIs
If you’re dealing with any of the following symptoms,
- Rash, blisters, or lumps in the genital area
- Abnormal penile or vaginal discharge
- Pelvic pain or itchiness
- Spotting or unusually heavy menstruation
The above symptoms do not commonly occur with UTIs but can indicate an STI.
So, is a UTI a sexually transmitted infection? No, but sex may contribute to a UTI. STIs in the urinary tract can resemble UTIs but are caused by different bacteria.
Can a UTI Cause STDs?
No, although you can suffer from both types of genital infections simultaneously.
How to Tell if You Have a UTI or STD?
The only way to tell if you have a urinary tract infection or an STD is to get tested. Although UTIs usually cause symptoms, they sometimes don’t, and STDs are frequently asymptomatic early on. Whenever you experience symptoms of any kind, the best thing you can do is to get tested as soon as possible.
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