Sexual health in the US: what the CDC says about STIs, testing and prevention

Travelling through the United States with an open mind also means travelling with a cool head. This BarSwinger guide summarizes what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), checked in November 2026. It is general information, not a diagnosis or medical advice: always talk to a health professional.

How they spread

According to the CDC, STIs pass between people through vaginal, oral and anal sex. Intimate physical contact such as heavy petting can also spread some, although the page says this is not very common. The page states that STIs "are preventable" and encourages people who have sex to learn how to protect themselves and their partner or partners.

Many have no symptoms

This is the point most often overlooked. The CDC warns that "many STIs have no symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms," so a person can have an infection without knowing it. That is why it stresses that getting tested is important if you have sex and that knowing your status is a critical step in prevention. Because most infections give no signs, testing is the only way to know.

Prevention: condoms, vaccines and communication

Measures the CDC cites include using condoms the right way every time you have sex (and it lists sex without a condom as a risk factor), and vaccines recommended for some people against hepatitis B and HPV. It also recommends that you and your partner get tested and share results; if one of you has an STI, both need treatment at the same time to avoid reinfecting each other. The pages we read do not discuss PrEP or doxy-PEP, so we do not go into them: ask your doctor about available options.

Treatment

The CDC says all the STIs covered on that page are treatable with medicine and some are curable. That does not mean prevention can be ignored: without a diagnosis there is no treatment.

Before the trip: a couples' conversation

1. Talk with your partner about testing and what you will do if either has symptoms.
2. See your doctor before travelling about the tests and vaccines recommended for you.
3. Bring plenty of condoms and check their expiry dates.
4. Agree clear limits and a safeword, and remember consent can be withdrawn at any time.
5. Avoid important decisions under the influence of too much alcohol.

If symptoms appear while travelling

Consult a local health service, explain your situation and follow instructions. If you have travel insurance, check before leaving what it covers. In an emergency, the US emergency number is 911.

Specific tests and recommendations

The CDC's clinical guidance page links to the 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines, which it describes as its most current evidence-based recommendations for preventing, diagnosing and treating STIs. The details of which tests to take and how often are in that document; we do not reproduce them because we have not read them in detail. Ask your doctor which testing schedule applies to you.

How to talk about it with your partner

Start with specifics: when was your last test, which practices do you both want and which not, and how will you share results. Choose a calm moment, not the ride to the club or the night before, and listen without blame. If you will meet other couples, talk beforehand about what each person expects regarding protection and testing, and assume nothing: asking is not distrust, it is care. If someone refuses to discuss it, you have your answer. And remember that an honest conversation usually reduces anxiety before a trip rather than increasing it.

A reminder about alcohol and decisions

Alcohol and other substances reduce the ability to decide and to set limits. If you go to a party, agree beforehand how much you will drink, who looks out for whom and how you leave if something feels wrong. Always keep your own condoms at hand rather than relying on others to supply them, and never use an expired or damaged one. Taking care does not take away fun: it makes it safer and calmer for everyone. If you have doubts about a past encounter, do not wait for symptoms: arrange a test, tell the people you may have exposed and follow your clinician's advice on retesting.

What we could not confirm

We have not checked specific clinics, prices or service availability in any US city. To locate a service, search the official health department website for your destination city.

Frequently asked questions

Can you have an STI without symptoms? Yes; the CDC warns that many cause no symptoms or only mild ones.

Which vaccines does the CDC mention? Hepatitis B and HPV, recommended for some people.

What if one partner has an STI? The CDC says both need treatment at the same time.