FAST FACTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
How common: Very. Twelve million people contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) each year; forty million currently are infected.
Risk factors: Any sexual activity, including oral and digital sex, can put you at risk. Having multiple sex partners, having sex with an infected person and sharing hypodermic needles also increase your chance of contracting an STD.
Age group affected: STDs are most common in younger and middle-age people. Experts estimate that almost half the U.S. population will acquire an STD by age 35. Other statistics show that 86 percent of all STD cases occur between the ages of 15 and 29.
Gender gap: The ratio of male versus female sufferers varies with each disease, and no total statistics exist. A vagina is a better host for germs than a penis, but men have more sexual partners than women. Bottom line: Both get STDs a lot.
Who to see: Family doctor, a physician at a health clinic or a specialist, such as a dermatologist or urologist.
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