Also called venereal diseases, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are in a topic
of their own and are higly contagious infections almost always acuired during sexual
contact. Bacteria, protozoans, or fungi that cause STDs generally attack only certain
portions of the body, including the genital tract. They do not survive for long periods
of
time outside of the human body, and transmission through things like clothing or toilet
seats are extremely rare. The transmision is rare because of the little survival time
that the
diseases have outside of the body. The effects of STDs range from mild, annoying
symptoms to life-threatening illnesses that spread from the reproductive tract to the
entire
body. The most serious diseases are AIDS, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea. Chlamydia, the
most common STD in the United State today, is not life threatening but can have serious
efects as it is a leading cause of sterility. Less serious infections include herpes,
chancroid, genital warts, cold sores, and vaginitis. None of these diseases is caught
entirely through sexual contact. The sexual partners of a person with an STD are likely
to
be infected as well and should be examined and tested for the disease.
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