Sexual Health

4 Incurable Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Jeff White
Jeff White25 Feb 2022
Reviewed and Fact Checked ✔️

There are four common incurable STIs and STDs: HSV/Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus), HPV (Human Papillomavirus) HBV (Hepatitis B), HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). According to the World Health Organization, globally, people between the ages of 15 to 49 get over 1 million STI and STD infections per day. STIs and STDs are widespread, so in order to stay protected you should have a thorough understanding of the risks and symptoms. 

If you think you may have contracted an STI, or if you’re sexually active, then you may want to get tested. With Mira, lab testing is part of your monthly membership. You can get tested with next-day results for $99. Sign up today and schedule your appointment. 

STIs vs. STDs

STI stands for “sexually transmitted infections.” On the other hand, STD stands for “sexually transmitted diseases.” Though these terms are mostly interchangeable, there’s a subtle differentiation between them. STI implies that though the person has been infected, the disease has yet to manifest as symptoms or the person isn’t considered infectious to others. For instance, HPV or Herpes isn’t always infectious. 

When to Get Tested

When to Get Tested

STI 
Hepatitis B3 weeks to 2 months after exposure
HPV3 to 6 months after exposure
STD
HIV4 weeks to 3 months after exposure
Herpes2 weeks to 2 months after exposure

4 Most Common Incurable STIs and STDs: Statistics, Symptoms, and Treatments

To protect yourself and others, you should stay up to date with the latest facts regarding the most common incurable STIs. The graphic below shows a breakdown of how many people, roughly, contract the most widely spread STDs.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/prevalence-2020-at-a-glance.htm

Hepatitis B

The World Health Organization estimates that around 240 million people have Hepatitis B. Advanced forms of Hepatitis B may lead to advanced liver disease. People with chronic Hepatitis B can show symptoms that are similar to short-term Hepatitis B such as nausea, loss of appetite, fever, fatigue, jaundice, vomiting, and darkening of urine. 

Even though people with chronic Hepatitis B may not show symptoms, they can still transmit the disease to other people. Hepatitis B can be treated with these antiviral medications that stop liver damage and fend against the virus: 

  • Entecavir (Baraclude ®)
  • Tenofovir (Viread ®)
  • Lamivudine (Epivir ®)

In addition to these medications, there’s a vaccine that can prevent you from getting Hepatitis B. 

HIV

The World Health Organization has concluded that in 2019, 38 million people had HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) worldwide. That year, according to their statistics, 1.7 million people were newly infected with HIV. By taking antiretroviral therapy medications, people with HIV can decrea

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Jeff White

Before joining Mira, Jeff was the Vice President of Marketing at Clipboard Health, a healthcare staffing tech company, where he led marketing and acquisition. At Clipboard, Jeff was able to help the company achieve 12 straight months of top-of-funnel growth and 10 straight months of revenue growth. Prior to Clipboard Health, Jeff was General Manager at FitSmallBusiness.com, an online publication dedicated to helping small business owners. He has been featured in publications such as The Week, Forbes, USNews, CNBC, Yahoo! Finance, The Street, Investopedia, Cosmopolitan, and more.

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