abstinence: Voluntarily refraining from or avoiding sexual activity, also called celibacy.

antibiotics: Chemical substances that kill bacteria or inhibit bacterial growth.

antibodies: Proteins of the immune system that recognize foreign material and germs and help to destroy or eliminate them from the body.

asymptomatic: A disease state characterized by an absence of noticeable symptoms.

bacterium: A microscopic, single-celled, living organism. Bacteria can be found nearly everywhere including on the skin and within the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Most do not cause disease, but several are the infectious agents of STDs.

blood transfusion: Amedically supervised procedure of replacing blood by injecting it into the veins.

cancer: The uncontrolled growth of cells within an animal.

CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a U.S. federal agency located in Atlanta, Georgia, committed to the statistical tracking, control, and prevention of infectious disease.

celibacy: Abstaining from sexual intercourse.

chancre: An open...