I am aware that medically the infection and disease are different; however, as far as I can tell, STI is still preferable.

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Quite possibly, I had never heard that method of terminology before either. As a biology major I've always been taught that they are more or less interchangeable terms, with a preference existing for the term STI. I asked my pathology professor and she concurred. I did some additional research on my own too, both through some texts and online, and couldn't find anything suggesting otherwise either... I bet it's a regional type thing, or maybe even a new method that the medical system within MA is trying to imploy. I thought for sure the trusty internet would have brought up at least one thing proposing that they are used for different diseases. *shrugs*

It sounds like maybe this nurse began to implement this distinction to make it easier on her personal students, or maybe MA is trying to implement a new method that the rest of the coutry/world hasn't adopted (yet?). After some intense research, I couldn't find any information suggesting that this is the way that others are using the terms, but who knows, maybe someday. Although, I personally do not find this distinction to make very much sense and will probably always think of them fairly interchangeably...

Also, just for kicks, I looked up the definition for "infection" and "disease" in my medical dictionary and didn't find anything suggesting that in order for something to be considered an "infection" that it has to be curable. The proper medical definitions of these words suggest that the terms infection and disease are more-or-less interchangeable in this particular scenario, because these happen to be infectious diseases, making either term suitable or "correct".

Infection (noun):
1. Invasion by and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in a bodily part or tissue, which may produce subsequent tissue injury and progress to overt disease through a variety of cellular or toxic mechanisms.
2. An instance of being infected.
3. An agent or a contaminated substance responsible for one's becoming infected.
4. The pathological state resulting from having been infected.
5. An infectious disease.

Disease (noun):
A pathological condition of a body part, an organ, or a system resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.

Agree

Sometimes - we have much better luck killing bacterial infections, reasonable luck with parasites and fungi, but viruses are still hit-and-miss (and miss more than hit).

An easy way to remember the infection vs disease distinction is that infections cause disease, but the disease is the expression of something going wrong, or you could say it is whatever is happening in the body that screams "something is wrong here!!!" (a very lay way of saying it).

I don't think its about not caring. Many people have gotten an STI from a partner they've had for years, due to either a partner's infidelity, a false negative on tests, or contracting an STI that is not routinely checked for, such as herpes or HPV.

HPV and herpes are not curable.

True, but HPV OFTEN goes away on it's own (yep, something the vaccine people don't want you to know) and very often Herpes "burns itself out" after years of outbreaks. (The virus is still there, and the person still has antibodies, but outbreaks either die down to barely noticeable or don't happen much if at all.)

There are also so many different varieties of HPV, and even with condoms, HPV can be transmitted, and that many people have it or have had it didn't know.

Add to this the fact that more than 80% of the population has antibodies to herpes by the age of 50, there's a lot more to it than just "being careful."

Some docs no longer make a distinction between "Herpes 1" and Herpes 2" as you can get either on or in either the mouth or the genitals, and the viruses are SO similar that the "1 and 2" distinctions really don't mean that much anymore. Herpes 1 tends to be bigger sores, herpes 2 tends to be smaller "rice shaped" or "pin head" shaped sores. Aside from that, you can get either on or in most mucous membranes and in someone with a healthy immune system, neither can do much damage. Although anyone who has a herpes sore on or near one's mouth should NEVER kiss an infant, although breastfeeding is fine, as long as there are no sores ON the nipple, and in over 20 years in Maternal Infant Health, I have yet to see a "Nipple Herpes" although ALL the textbooks talk about it. However, herpes on the female genitals during childbirth can actually be quite dangerous to the newborn baby, as they have undeveloped immune systems, and on rare occasions, when the stars line up poorly and Mom has an outbreak at the time of labor, a C Section needs to be done.

HPV is not permanent disease. I had it when I got sexual assaulted and I don't have it anymore. Took one procedure and vaccinations. I'm free of it. Most people get rid of it on their own since most of the strains are non-cancerous. You don't even need to be sexually active to get it.

It would depend on the disease for me. I have never had a partner with an STI, but I always request tests with a new partner to prevent secrets of this type anyways.

There was a period of time a partner and I got tested and they thought he had something. This was at the point where we were getting serious and I considered having kids with this person one day which would finally mean unprotected sex. It turned out that the clinic was wrong but at the time I was faced with a decision. he was terrified to tell me and actually cried when I said that I would stay with him. I can't even imagine having to tell someone that. Thank god we got him double checked at a non-clinic and they cleared him. Put things into perspective though!

I don't think it's right to assume that someone who has an STI/D doesn't care enough to use protection. There are some that can be transmitted even when you used protection, like herpes or HPV. Or, what is the person got the disease as a result of rape?

No.

WOW, that is unacceptable imo. I will only do protected sex until I physically see a "clean" STI report, and while it is embarassing, you shouldn't expose people to diseases and sometimes serious complications or death without their knowledge and acceptance. If someone wants to be unprotected with someone who has herpes or HIV that is their choice, but noone should take that choice from them.