What are some common types of STDs?
Numerous STDs have been identified and affect more than 19 million men and women in this country each year. According to the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Centers for Disease Control, common types of STDs include: • acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a virus that destroys the body’s ability to fight off infection. People who have AIDS are very susceptible to many life-threatening diseases and to certain forms of cancer. Transmission of the virus most often occurs during sexual activity or by the sharing of needles used to inject intravenous drugs. • human papillomavirus (HPV) HPV is a common sexually transmitted disease that can cause genital warts called condylomas, which can occur on the inside or outside areas of the genitals and may spread to the surrounding skin or to a sexual partner. Because HPV infection does not always cause warts, the infection may go undetected. Women with an HPV i