Once these were called venereal diseases, after Venus, the goddess of love. They are infections that are contracted through sexual intercourse with infected persons. The greater the number of sexual partners, the greater the risk of contagion. AIDS is only the most obvious example, but there are several other sexually transmitted diseases such as candidiasis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, genital herpes, syphilis and hepatitis B. They are caused by germs (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi) present in semen or vaginal secretions. The main warning signs are noticeable foul-smelling vaginal discharge, burning during urination, pain in the lower abdomen or pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia), the presence of small lesions, such as blisters, pustules etc. All these signs require a quick visit to the gynecologist. The majority of STDs can be treated in a rather simple manner, and all partners must follow the course of treatment to avoid being infected again. Infection can be prevented by always using condoms during sexual intercourse, and avoiding risky sex or sex with many partners.
