Are You Up to Date on Your Sexual Health?

Sexual health is an important part of self-care.

Every year, around 1,000 sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and mpox are diagnosed in Kitsap — and many more go undetected.

Keeping reading for important reminders from our STI team on how you can practice safer sex to help protect yourself and your partners.

Anyone who has any kind of sex with another person can get an STI.

STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi that can pass between people during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. While using condoms or taking medication can lower your risk of an STI, they are not 100% effective.  

STIs are much more common than people think. Some STIs are more common among young adults (20-34 years old), but we see cases in people of all ages and across all areas of our county.

If you have had sex, get tested. If an infection is found, get treated and let your partner(s) know so they can get tested and treated, too.

“If you are sexually active at all, you are at risk,” said Lexi Kimes, Public Health Nurse. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the first person you have sex with, or the thirtieth.”

Very often, people who are infected don’t have symptoms.

When we talk to people diagnosed with a STI, they are usually surprised because they and their partner didn't have any symptoms.

In 2025, many cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and new HIV diagnoses were discovered through routine screening. Without regular testing, many of these folks would not have known they were exposed to an STI in the first place.

You usually can’t tell if you are infected based on how you feel. And - if left undiagnosed and untreated - some infections can cause serious (and sometimes permanent) complications. The only way to know if you have an STI is to get tested. Find STI testing in Kitsap on our map below or on our webpage.

You don’t have to have symptoms to be able to pass an infection to someone else – which is one of the reasons STIs are still so common despite effective treatment.

Our STI team sees several advanced STIs every year. These cases are very difficult to treat and have caused complications that may have been prevented if the person had been tested and treated earlier.

That's why it’s important to get tested regularly, especially if you have a new partner, or if a partner tells you that you may have been exposed.

“A lot of people I talk to don’t realize you can get reinfected, especially if your partner hasn’t been tested and treated,” Public Health Nurse Taylor Ramsey said.

Recommendations for testing depend on age, anatomy, gender, sexual activity, and medical conditions (including pregnancy).

Ask your healthcare provider what’s best for you. Make sure to tell your provider if you’ve had oral or anal sex since your last test, because some tests don’t include these areas.

All STIs are treatable, and most STIs are curable.

We understand how stressful it can be to get tested for an STI.

The good news is that all STIs are treatable, including HIV. The most common ones are also curable, often with either a short course of antibiotics, or a single injection.

…And some STIs are preventable with a vaccine or medication.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus that causes genital, oral, and skin infections. The disease spreads through intimate skin-to-skin contact, and people of all genders can get HPV and spread it to others without realizing they have the virus. Most people will get an HPV infection in their late teens and early 20s.

There are many types of HPV, and most of them do not cause infections. However, some types of HPV can cause cancer of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, and back of the throat. HPV vaccination during adolescence protects against over 90% of the cancers caused by the virus.

HIV

HIV PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a prescription medication that you take before you come in contact with HIV that will prevent HIV infection. There are multiple medications available. These medications are highly effective when taken as prescribed and are very safe and generally well-tolerated by most people.

Anyone can use PrEP to prevent HIV infection. If condoms aren’t or can’t be used during sex, or if using clean syringes is not possible, then taking PrEP is an effective way to help prevent HIV.

PrEP does not protect against other transmitted infections or pregnancy, so condoms and other prevention methods may be recommended.

Learn more in this helpful FAQ (English | Spanish).

Bacterial STIs

Doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (“doxy PEP”) for bacterial STIs is a relatively new option for some people who may be at additional risk for STIs. In multiple clinical trials, this was shown to reduce the risks of syphilis and chlamydia in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and transgender women who are at increased risk for these infections. Research results are mixed on whether doxy PEP protects against gonorrhea.

Mpox

Mpox (previously called monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the mpox virus. Mpox can affect anyone, but people who are sexually active with multiple partners, are a close contact to someone diagnosed with mpox, or who travel to areas where mpox is spreading may be at increased risk.

A two-dose mpox vaccine is available to reduce the chance of developing an mpox infection. Getting both doses 4 weeks apart provides the best protection, but you do not need to restart the series if you get the second dose after 4 weeks. 

Mpox vaccination is also used to prevent mpox in people who have been exposed to mpox (post-exposure prophylaxis). If someone has been exposed, they should receive the vaccine within four days to prevent getting mpox. 

Someone who has been exposed can receive the vaccine four to 14 days after their exposure to prevent getting severe mpox. If you have been exposed to mpox and you already have symptoms of mpox, it is not recommended that you get vaccinated. 

We're here to help — not to judge.

“We love when people ask us questions,” said STI Program Manager Kelsey Stedman. “There’s nothing people can say that will shock us. We really are here to help and get people and their partners the treatment that they need.”

Call our confidential STI line at 360-728-2318 and leave a message letting us know the best time and way to reach you. We’ll give you a call back within one business day.

We may contact you directly if you are diagnosed with an STI. We want to make sure you get treated, answer questions, help notify your sexual partners (we can do this anonymously), and connect you to any resources you might need.

"We want everyone in Kitsap to stay healthy," said STI Program Coordinator Windie Borja, "and make sure people are connected to treatment and other services.”

We know it can be challenging to find STI testing and treatment. To make it easier, you can find Kitsap STI testing locations below. Clinic details are checked and updated regularly to ensure that you always have a quick and reliable way to find STI testing.

Where can I learn more?

Our KPHD STI Team can help get you the information you need and link you to testing and treatment in the Kitsap area. Call us at 360-728-2318!

Our team also recommends the American Sexual Health Association’s What You Should Know About Getting Tested for STIs, a resource which provides a wide range of information and guidance on STI testing recommendations and options. This site is routinely reviewed by physicians, professors, and public health professionals across the country to ensure that information is accurate and up to date.