7 ways you can catch an STI without having sex

Yes. Many STIs are passed on through close contact that isn’t penetrative sex. Herpes and HPV spread through skin-to-skin contact, and cold sores can pass on through kissing. Blood-borne infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV can spread through shared needles, and Hepatitis B and C through razors and toothbrushes too. Some infections can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or birth.

This means you can have an STI even if you have never had penetrative sex. Because many STIs cause no symptoms, the only way to know for sure is to get tested.

These are 7 ways STIs can spread without penetrative sex.

1. Kissing

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the usual cause of cold sores, spreads easily through kissing. Cold sores are contagious from the first tingle until they have fully healed, so avoid kissing anyone while you or they have one.

Research among gay and bisexual men in Australia suggests that deep (tongue) kissing may also spread Gonorrhoea in the throat, although more research is needed. Syphilis can pass on through direct contact with a Syphilis sore, and sores can appear on the lips or inside the mouth.

You can’t get HIV or Hepatitis C from kissing, and research has not found a link between kissing and Chlamydia.

2. Oral sex

Oral sex is sex, but many people don’t think of it that way, and often don’t use a condom or dental dam. Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Herpes and HPV can all pass on through oral sex. Giving oral sex can pass an infection from your partner’s genitals or anus to your mouth or throat, and receiving oral sex can pass some infections, such as Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Herpes, from your partner’s mouth or throat to your genitals. Read more in “I had unprotected oral sex. Should I get tested?”

3. Genital skin-to-skin contact

Some STIs don’t need penetration at all. Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, Trichomonas, pubic lice, scabies and Molluscum contagiosum can all spread through close genital or skin contact. Pubic lice can also, rarely, spread through shared clothes, towels or bedding, and the NHS advises not sharing these with someone who has scabies.

4. Sharing sex toys

Infections can pass from one person to another on a shared sex toy. The NHS lists sharing sex toys as a way that Chlamydia, Herpes, HPV, Trichomonas and HIV (from someone with a detectable viral load) can spread. Sharing sex toys is also a known risk factor for Hepatitis C among gay and bisexual men. Wash toys between uses, and cover them with a new condom for each person. Find out more in “Can you get an STI from a sex toy?”

5. Sharing needles, razors or toothbrushes

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C can spread through anything that might have blood on it. This includes needles and other drug-injecting equipment, razors, toothbrushes, and tattoos or piercings done with unsterilised equipment. Sharing drug-injecting equipment is the biggest risk factor for Hepatitis C in the UK. HIV can also spread through shared needles and syringes, but not through everyday household items.

Blood transfusions in the UK are very safe today. UK blood donations have been screened for Hepatitis B since 1972, HIV since 1985 and Hepatitis C since 1991. If you had a blood transfusion in the UK before 1996, the NHS says there is a chance you could have been infected with Hepatitis C, so it is worth getting tested.

6. From mother to baby

HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or birth, which is why pregnant women in the UK are offered a blood test for all three. HIV can also pass on through breastfeeding if it isn’t treated. Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea can pass to a baby during birth, and Herpes can be dangerous for a newborn, especially if the mother catches it for the first time late in pregnancy.

7. Oral to anal contact and contaminated food

Hepatitis A and Shigella, a gut infection, spread through poo, and only a tiny amount of Shigella bacteria is needed to cause infection. They can pass on during rimming (oral to anal sex), through fingers, or from sex toys or condoms that have been in the anus. Hepatitis A can also spread through contaminated food or water. Cases of drug-resistant Shigella among gay and bisexual men in England have been rising.

You can lower your risk of catching an STI without sex by:

• not kissing, or having oral sex with, anyone who has a cold sore
• using a condom or dental dam for oral sex
• washing sex toys after each use and covering them with a new condom for each person
• never sharing needles, razors or toothbrushes
• making sure tattoos and piercings are done with sterile equipment
• washing your hands and changing condoms between anal sex and oral sex
• getting vaccinated against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and HPV if you are eligible

Many STIs cause no symptoms, so testing is the only way to know if you have caught one. The right test depends on what happened.

The Better2Know Platinum Screen is our most comprehensive STI screen. It tests for 12 infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Herpes 1, Herpes 2 and Trichomonas, from 28 days after possible exposure, with results in 3 days. The Full Screen tests for 7 infections, including HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B. Both are available at our clinics and as home test kits: the Platinum Screen home test and the Full Screen home test.

If you are only worried about Hepatitis C, for example after a blood transfusion before 1996 or sharing a razor, you can book a single Hepatitis C test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Can you get an STI from a toilet seat?

It is very unlikely. The NHS says you can’t catch genital Herpes from toilet seats, and the CDC says you can’t catch Syphilis from toilet seats, swimming pools, bathtubs, shared clothing or shared cutlery.

Can you get an STI from kissing?

Yes, some. Kissing can pass on HSV-1, the virus that causes cold sores, and some research suggests deep kissing may spread Gonorrhoea in the throat. Syphilis can spread through contact with a sore in or around the mouth. You can’t get HIV or Hepatitis C from kissing.

Can you have an STI if you have never had sex?

Yes. You can catch Herpes, HPV and some other infections through skin-to-skin contact, kissing or oral sex, and infections such as Hepatitis B can spread through blood. Some people are born with an infection passed on from their mother.

Can you catch HIV from sharing a razor or toothbrush?

This isn’t a recognised way that HIV spreads. HIV doesn’t survive long outside the body. But sharing razors and toothbrushes can spread Hepatitis B and C, so don’t share them.

You don’t have to have penetrative sex to catch an STI. Kissing, oral sex, skin-to-skin contact, sex toys and shared needles can all pass on infections, and many cause no symptoms.

If you are worried about any kind of contact, get tested. Book a Platinum Screen at a clinic near you or order a home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 6 March 2020 and was last updated on 29 September 2026.

Medical review. This article was medically reviewed by Dr Steve Chapman, Doctor with a wealth of clinical experience in the field of STIs, on 11 June 2024. It is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

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