Great question, thank you. It is unlikely that you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if you have not had sex. Sexually transmitted infections can only be shared by having sexual contact or intercourse with someone who has an STI. Vaginal dryness, burning and itchiness are signs of inflammation and infection called vaginitis. Women who are not sexually active can have vaginitis. In fact, most women will have at least one vaginal infection during their lifetime. Vaginitis can be caused by many different things (other than sexually transmitted infections) such as yeast infection, vaginal hygiene products, laundry detergents and fabric softeners, bacterial vaginosis, and certain skin conditions can also cause these symptoms. The treatment is different depending on the cause so it’s important to see your health care provider and get checked out. With the right treatment, your symptoms will get better.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.