Includes bibliographical references and index.

Sexually transmittable diseases are a sensitive and embarrassing subject. Many sexually transmitted diseases are silent, providing no symptoms until they cause serious medical problems. But with one in four Americans over the age of fourteen being infected with a sexually transmitted infection, the topic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is a highly relevant health issue. This work contains over 230 entries that span the history and wide range of topics regarding STDs, from the birth of condoms over 3,000 years ago through discovery of the infectious agents and the invention of effective vaccines to the legal and societal implications of STDs. This two-volume encyclopedia investigates the spectrum of sexually transmitted diseases and related topics and issues, describing their microscopic origins, the chronology of research and medical treatment, the body parts affected, and the modern-day methods of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of spread. Additionally, this work addresses legal implications of disease transmission, psychosocial impacts, as well as long-term medical consequences such as potential infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain.

SACFinal081324