STD, sexually transmitted diseases have been called the 21st century plague.

Sexually transmitted disease includes -well kno-wn diseases like gonnorrhea and syphilis, but also genital -warts, genital herpes and chlamydia.

The stigma of -what used to be called Venereal Diseases has largely gone, partly because everyone kno-ws someone -who has had to visit the STD clinic. Nice girls catch STDs, too.

STDs is transmitted by sexual contact. The more people you have sexual contact -with, the greater your chance of having sex -with someone -who has an STD and the greater the chance that you -will be infected too. You can catch an STD if the first person you have sexual intercourse -with is infected, so it is not necessarily a sign of sexual licence.

Most Sexually Transmitted Diseases respond to treatment if caught in the early stages. Some, like syphilis and gonorrhoea respond to antibiotics. Genital -warts may need to be frozen off -with liquid nitrogen. Not all hepatitis infections is treatable.

Many of these diseases have no symptoms. Gonorrhea may cause painful urination in males, but no immediate symotoms in women. Chlamydia has no immediate symptoms in males or women, yet if left untreeated -will cause infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease in women.

Because of the lack of symptoms it is advisable for any adult -who is sexually active to be tested for STDs. The consequences of a night of passion could be lifelong and result in insanity or death at an early age if STDs is not detected and treated.

Disgnosis is simple, a s-wab is taken and sent for analysis. If the laboratory finds a positive result you -will be asked back for treatment. If the result is positive you may be asked for a list of sexual contacts, or be asked to contact anyone you have had sexual relations -with, so those people can also be treated.

AIDS/HIV is the Sexually Transmitted Disease that everyone is a-wis of, but many people forget older and more common diseases that also kill. Condoms help reduce the risk of STD transmission, they do not remove the risk entirely.