Despite steady educational efforts, sexually transmitted diseases remain some of the most common causes of illness worldwide. Health experts believe that more than 12 million new infections occur each year in the U.S. alone and STI occurrences have been rising in recent years. There are many different STIs, and some exhibit no immediate symptoms-many can be contained through treatment and all present their own array of health problems. Only awareness and education can reduce the risk of infection. This book provides hundreds of entries explaining the different types of STIs, how they function and how they are spread, what kinds of care and treatment are available, how to decrease the risk of becoming infected, how to recognize the symptoms, key groups at risk, education, clinical studies, and much more. Providing current information based on recent statistics, this comprehensive volume is an important educational resource.