THERE ARE MORE than twenty different organisms that can infect humans through sexual activity resulting in disease. Because STDs can arise from such a wide array of infectious organisms and because different STDs can produce similar symptoms, or no symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of STDs can be difficult. Precise diagnosis is essential, however, for two reasons: Sexually transmitted diseases do not go away by themselves, and successfully treating an STD depends on prescribing the correct drug or therapy for each disease.

The Importance of Early Detection

No matter which STD an individual is infected with, the time between initial infection and treatment is an important factor in the outcome of the disease. STDs that are treated soon after they are acquired have the best prognosis since there is less chance that the infection will spread to other parts...