Steps to Reduce Risk of Sexually Transmitting Enteric Pathogens with Anal Contact

 

Practices associated with increased risk:

(1) oral-anal contact

(2) genital-anal contact (anal intercourse)

(3) oral-genital contact

(4) digital-anal

 

Pathogens may include:

(1) Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter or other gram-negative enteric bacilli

(2) Giardia lamblia

(3) Entamoeba histolytica

(4) Cryptosporidia

(5) hepatitis A

(6) Vibrio species

 

A person may acquire multiple pathogens during a single contact.

 

Practices associated with higher risk:

(1) contact while a partner who has symptoms of an enteric infection

(2) contact with a partner who has had an enteric infection within the past month

(3) contact with someone with many and frequently changing partners

(4) failure to use a condom during anal-genital or oral-genital contact

(5) failure to use a dental dam during oral-anal contact

(6) failure to use a glove during digital-anal contact or fisting

(7) failure to wash before and after anal contact

(8) failure to wash the genitals before oral contact

(9) being intoxicated

(10) multiple and frequent anal-associated contacts

 

Unfortunately there is no way to make these practices totally safe.