Understanding risk by sex act
Kissing
(with tongue)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Herpes (HSV) | Gonorrhea | Chlamydia | |
| Syphilis | Hep B | ||
| HPV | HIV |
To reduce your risk...
Avoid kissing if you or your partners have sores on the lips or mouth, or if one of you has an active oral infection (such as a herpes outbreak).
Fingering and hand jobs
(fingerjob, fingerfucking, mutual masturbation)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Syphilis | Gonorrhea | ||
| Herpes (HSV) | Chlamydia | ||
| Hep B | HIV | ||
| HPV |
Getting cunnilingus
(oral sex, licking pussy, eating out, going down)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Herpes (HSV) | Chlamydia | HIV | |
| HPV | Gonorrhea | ||
| Syphilis | Hep B |
To reduce your risk...
Cover your vulva with a barrier such as an oral dam or cut condom.
Giving cunnilingus
(oral sex, licking pussy, eating out, going down)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Herpes (HSV) | Chlamydia | ||
| HPV | Gonorrhea | ||
| Syphilis | HIV* | ||
| Hep B |
To reduce your risk...
Cover your partner's vulva with a barrier such as an oral dam or cut condom.
*Learn more about how to lower or eliminate the chance of HIV passing during sex
Getting fellatio
(oral sex, blow job, getting head, headjob, blowing, going down)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Chlamydia | Hep B | HIV | |
| Gonorrhea | |||
| HPV | |||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| Syphilis |
To reduce your risk...
Use a condom on your penis.
Giving fellatio
(oral sex, blow job, getting head, headjob, blowing, going down)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Chlamydia | Hep B | ||
| Gonorrhea | HIV* | ||
| HPV | |||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| Syphilis |
To reduce your risk...
Use a condom on your partner's penis.
*Learn more about how to lower or eliminate the chance of HIV passing during sex
Giving and getting anilingus
(rimming, eating ass, eating out)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Hep A* | Chlamydia | HIV | |
| Hep B | Gonorrhea | ||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| HPV | |||
| Syphilis |
* A person can get hepatitis A from giving anilingus, but not from receiving it.
To reduce your risk...
Cover the anus with a barrier such as an oral dam or cut condom.
Penis-vagina intercourse
(fucking) insertive and receptive
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Chlamydia | Hep C | ||
| Gonorrhea | |||
| Hep B | |||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| HIV* | |||
| HPV | |||
| Syphilis |
To reduce your risk...
Use a condom.
*Learn more about how to lower or eliminate the chance of HIV passing during sex
Penis -anus intercourse
(butt fucking, anal sex) insertive and receptive or bottoming and topping
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Chlamydia | Hep C | ||
| Gonorrhea | |||
| Hep B | |||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| HIV* | |||
| HPV | |||
| Syphilis |
To reduce your risk...
Use a condom.
*Learn more about how to lower or eliminate the chance of HIV passing during sex
Sharing sex toys
(dildos, vibrators and other toys)
| Commonly passed | Can be passed | Not commonly passed | Not passed |
| Chlamydia | |||
| Gonorrhea | |||
| Hep B | |||
| Hep C | |||
| Herpes (HSV) | |||
| HIV* | |||
| HPV | |||
| Syphilis |
To reduce your risk...
- Wash sex toys thoroughly with soap or disinfectant before and after each use.
- Use a new condom on inserted toys (such as dildos) for each partner. Make sure you change the condoms between partners.
- Place a condom or oral dam between a vibrator and the skin.
*Learn more about how to lower or eliminate the chance of HIV passing during sex