Sexually transmitted diseases are infectious diseases that can be spread by sexual contact. Some can also be transmitted by nonsexual ways. I'm doing a study on how to prevent and cure STD's, also stating statistics and the different types of diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are caused by infections that are passed from one person to another during sexual contact.
These infections often do not cause any symptoms. Medically, infections are only called diseases when they cause symptoms. That is why STDs are also called "sexually transmitted infections." But it’s very common for people to use the terms "sexually transmitted diseases" or "STDs," even when there are no signs of disease. STDs can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Although the symptoms of a particular STD depend on the specific infection, many STDs cause vaginitis, an inflammation of the vagina often accompanied by an abnormal discharge (fluid released from the body), and urethritis, an inflammation of the urethra (the tube through which urine passes from the bladder to the outside of the body), which can make urination painful. Several STDs can produce blisters or sores on the penis, vagina, rectum, or butt. In women, some STDs may spread to the cervix , a condition called cervicitis, or to the uterus and fallopian tubes , a condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In men STDs may spread to the testicle causing epididymitis or prostate causing prostatitis, inflammation of the prostate. It is not uncommon for several STDs to occur in the same person, and the presence of an STD can increase the risk of contracting infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), from an infected partner. STDs are contagious and are transmitted through sexual contact that involves vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The diseases can spread between people of the opposite sex or people of the same sex. The germs that cause many STDs move from person to person through semen (the sperm-containing whitish fluid produced by the male reproductive tract), vaginal fluids, or blood. Other STDs, like herpes and genital warts, can spread by intimate skin-to-skin contact, often with sores the disease causes. Certain STDs can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth. STDs do not pass from one person to another by simply hugging, shaking hands, or sharing utensils. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease. Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the