eli5: Why did we go from calling sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?

Question

eli5: Why did we go from calling sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?

In: 2351

Answer 1

Infections cause disease, so it’s more accurate to call the thing we are avoiding an infection than the resulting disease. Also, since an “infection” of say Herpes, may not actually cause the “disease” of genital sores right away, or even ever, but it’s still possible to transmit, it’s much more important to avoid “INFECTION” of herpes in the first place.