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sexually transmitted disease(STD)
a disease that can be transmitted by means of sexual intercourse or by intimate contact with the reproductive organs, mouth, or rectum. There were traditionally five “classic” ones: gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid, lymphogranuloma venereum, and granuloma inguinale. Now numerous other conditions have been found to be sexually transmitted, including Chlamydia infections, genital herpes, nonspecific urethritis, trichomoniasis, pediculosis pubis, scabies, venereal warts, hepatitis B, molluscum contagiosum, and vaginitis caused by either Corynebacterium vaginale or Haemophilus vaginalis. While sexual transmission is the only important means of spreading some of these diseases, others such as hepatitis can also
be acquired by nonsexual means. Called also venereal disease.

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