Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): Overview

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major public health threat globally. HIV/AIDS is arguably the most serious, but many other STDs can have devastating effects on the reproductive health and quality of life of sufferers. Some are responsible for causing ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer, miscarriage, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even infertility. Often, they have no visible symptoms and are only revealed by testing.

There are several categories of these venereal diseases, including viral infection (such as HIV/AIDS) which cannot be cured, and bacterial or parasitic infections, which can be treated with antibiotics.

There are other infectious diseases not usually considered STDs but which can be transmitted through intimate activity. A common example of this includes infectious mononucleosis (“mono” or “glandular fever” or “the kissing disease”) which is passed from person to person in the saliva. Other examples are menginococcal meningitis; mumps; measles; varicella (“chickenpox” or “shingles”); tuberculosis (“TB”); smallpox; hepatitis; streptococcal infections; conjunctivitis (“pink eye”); pediculosis (“head lice” or “body lice”) and scabies.

Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common STDs, with links to more information about each one:

• Chlamydia
• Crabs (Pubic Lice)
• Genital Herpes
• Genital Warts
• Gonorrhoea
• HIV / AIDS
• Syphilis
• Trichomoniasis

alt: venereal disease, vd, std, sexually transmitted disease