This debate has gone for years and it has even given birth to the phrase ‘Toilet infection.’

The fact remains it’s impossible to get an STI from a toilet seat if you don’t have a cut or an open wound.

Although you might want to disagree, the clear reason why it’s impossible to contact these infections from merely using a toilet seat is that the pathogens (disease causing organisms) for STI’s can’t survive outside the body for long.

To contact an STI there should be some form of sexual contact- kissing, oral S€X, proper S€X, hence why they are called ‘sexu@lly transmitted infections’

So when next you find yourself in a public space and you need to use a public toilet, just ensure you practice adequate personal hygiene like washing your hands with soap and you’ll be fine.

However, if you still feel funny or experience discomforting symptoms you can talk to a professional or book a discreet STI test.