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.