# When did STD become STI? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453 "2008-02-20T23:32:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/1 "2008-02-20T23:32:54Z")
It seems that STI (sexually transmitted infection) is the new trendy nomenclature and that STD (sexually transmitted disease) has fallen into disfavor. 1. Why the change? Because things like crab lice aren’t a disease? 2. When did STI appear? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/2 "2008-02-20T23:44:39Z")
And whatever happened to VD? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/3 "2008-02-20T23:47:28Z")
Maybe this is a distinction without much of a difference but an infection is not necessarily the same as a disease, so there might be a need for both terms to coexist peacefully. The CDC web site turns up about 3,190 hits for “STI” and 42,100 for “STD”. A Google fight shows different results: sexually transmitted disease: 177,000 sexually transmitted infection: 194,000 But: STI:33 million STD: 78.4 million > [@](#): > > And whatever happened to VD? That was _so_ last week. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2008, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/4 "2008-02-20T23:57:49Z")
An infection does not always cause a disease. Disease: Any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any body part, organ, or system that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown. Infection: Invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues. Many infections don’t disrupt normal bodily functioning. A latent TB infection indicates that the tuberculosis bacillus is hibernating somewhere in a person’s body, but not causing any damage. TB disease, on the other hand, is where the TB organisms are replicating in such a way as to damage the person’s body. Syphilis also has a latent phase, where it may reside in the host for years or decades without causing debility. Having said all that, I still say _STD_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/5 "2008-02-21T00:25:06Z")
You mean STD doesn’t stand for Subscriber Trunk Dialling? All this time I thought there was this killer disease you could get from telephones. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/6 "2008-02-21T00:34:25Z")
I’ve heard that we’re supposed to call them “STIs” now because “infection” sounds more treatable than “disease”. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/7 "2008-02-21T00:50:21Z")
Doesn’t Volkswagen make the STI? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/8 "2008-02-21T00:58:58Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Doesn’t Volkswagen make the STI? [/QUOTE] Back seat isn’t big enough. ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/9 "2008-02-21T01:10:27Z")
[QUOTE=appleciders] I’ve heard that we’re supposed to call them “STIs” now because “infection” sounds more treatable than “disease”. [/QUOTE] Yes, because if wreckless sex has consequences, people will have to be responsible [gasp]. Maybe the word “disease” has lost simply its edge since alcoholism has been labeled one. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/10 "2008-02-21T01:21:46Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Back seat isn’t big enough. [/QUOTE] That’s why you get a Impreza WRX STI. It’s a hatchback. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/11 "2008-02-21T01:26:42Z")
[QUOTE=Charger] Yes, because if wreckless sex has consequences, people will have to be responsible [gasp]. Maybe the word “disease” has lost simply its edge since alcoholism has been labeled one. [/QUOTE] Wreckless sex is sooo boring. Reckless sex, however… lemme tell ya! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/12 "2008-02-21T02:10:18Z")
[QUOTE=Patty O’Furniture] Maybe this is a distinction without much of a difference but an infection is not necessarily the same as a disease, so there might be a need for both terms to coexist peacefully. [/quote] > [@appleciders](#): > > I’ve heard that we’re supposed to call them “STIs” now because “infection” sounds more treatable than “disease”. A little of column A, a little of column B: > [@](#): > > You may have asked yourself why we use the term sexually transmitted infection (STI), instead of the term sexually transmitted disease (STD). The term “infection” more accurately describes conditions where sexual partners may not have symptoms and may not be aware that they have an infection, and because many of these infections are actually curable. The term “infection” carries less of a social stigma than the term “disease.” The term STI is also being used by leading sexual health organizations such as Planned Parenthood. [http://www.brown.edu/Student\_Services/Health\_Services/Health\_Education/sexual\_health/sti/sti\_home.htm](http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/sexual_health/sti/sti_home.htm) As for “venereal disease” (along with “social disease”), my guess is that whereas it once was seen as desirable to use terms that were deliberately obscure and confusing (is it spread by socializing with people from Venus?), the goal now is to be as clear as possible about how the infections/diseases are spread. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/13 "2008-02-21T02:12:56Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Drake] And whatever happened to VD? [/QUOTE] Deleted due to ED…To prevent audial confusion I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/14 "2008-02-21T22:11:39Z")
[QUOTE=TWDuke] A little of column A, a little of column B:[http://www.brown.edu/Student\_Services/Health\_Services/Health\_Education/sexual\_health/sti/sti\_home.htm](http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/sexual_health/sti/sti_home.htm) [/QUOTE] Interesting link Duke, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/15 "2008-02-21T22:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] Wreckless sex is sooo boring. [/QUOTE] It’s hard to get into an accident if you’re in the back seat of a Volkswagen. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/16 "2008-02-22T00:37:20Z")
I always thought that VD was dropped because it places blame too heavily on females. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/17 "2008-02-22T00:43:35Z")
[QUOTE=Charger] Yes, because if wreckless sex has consequences, people will have to be responsible [gasp]. [/QUOTE] Once you’ve already got the disease (infection?), that little difference might make you feel better about your chances of recovery. You’ve got a point if we’re talking about prevention, but for people who need treatment, perhaps the change is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/18 "2008-02-22T00:51:04Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] I always thought that VD was dropped because it places blame too heavily on females. [/QUOTE] 😕 The only link I can see is that _venereal_ is derived from _Venus_. Is that the idea? ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/19 "2008-02-22T00:57:08Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] 😕 The only link I can see is that _venereal_ is derived from _Venus_. Is that the idea? [/QUOTE] Yeah. Venereal=vagina=female kind of chain of thought. There’s also this weird vibe I’ve gotten in older literature where the girl was the dirty one who spreads disease, and the guys are always victims. Maybe I’m looking too hard at it (woot! Double entendre!) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453/20 "2008-02-22T01:03:29Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] There’s also this weird vibe I’ve gotten in older literature where the girl was the dirty one who spreads disease, and the guys are always victims. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s just ye olde “girls who do it are dirty whores” double standard at work, so that should be easy enough to cast aside. You know, unless you’re into that … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-std-become-sti/438453.md?page=2)