Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) used to be called VENEREAL DISEASE.  This was because syphilis and gonorrhea were at one time believed to be the same disease and only spread by sexual intercourse.  We now know that not to be true. An STD is an infectious disease spread from person-to-person through direct body contact or contact with infected body fluids; any disease acquired primarily through sexual contact.  Secondary contact can also be a source for a few STDs.  They are infections you can get through having oral, anal or vaginal sex with an infected partner.  An individual can become infected with more than one STD at a time.  STDs can also be transmitted from inanimate objects such as sex toys with fresh and wet contaminated body fluid on it.  Despite the stories you may hear, toilet seats are NOT a source of infection.  STDs can be passed from a mother to her baby before, during, or immediately after birth; some of these infections of the newborn can be cured easily, but others may cause a baby to be permanently disabled or even die. Today there are over 20 recognized SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.  STDs are infections or diseases transmitted by intimate skin contact, exchange of body fluids, or secondary contact.  An STD is NOT the same as genital disease.  An example of a genital disease would be testicular cancer or uterine cancer. Most genital disease is NOT CAUSED BY STD's.  There are exceptions to this which will be covered under the individual STD.  STD's do involve the genitals and can involve other parts of the body either as a direct infection (such as transmission by oral sex) or because the disease itself involves other parts of the body (such as untreated syphilis). The major groups of organisms causing STD's are: bacteria - responsible for gonorrhea, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, mycoplasmas, Chlamydia viruses (the smallest known disease-causing agents) - important viral STDs include hepatitis B, and C, genital herpes, molluscum contagiosum, human papilloma virus (HPV - genital warts), and the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS); fungi (plant-like organisms) - causing candidiasis (thrush) protozoa (single-celled microscopic forms of animal life) - responsible for trichomoniasis metazoa (all other animal life forms) - causing scabies and pediculosis pubis (pubic lice or "crabs") We will use the following symbols with the names so it is easy to identify the organism causing the STD. Return to OR Return to the Contraceptive Guide Main Menu, Click the Button and this Window Will Close OR Visit Other Areas of this Site by Clicking the Icons Women's Health Index Physician Page Pregnancy Childbirth Spirituality Published Articles Home Page Site Index © 1996-99: MJ Bovo.  All rights reserved under US Copyright Law.