Also called venereal disease. A
contagious disease usually acquired by sexual intercourse or genital contact. Historically, the five venereal diseases were: gonorrhea,
syphilis, chancroid, granuloma inguinale and lymphogranuloma venereum. To these have been added scabies, herpes genitalis and anorectal herpes and warts, pediculosis, trichomoniasis, genital
candidiasis,
molluscum contagiosum, nonspecific urethritis, chlamydial infections,
cytomegalovirus and
AIDS. See also Herpes Simplex
Virus II;
Molluscum Contagiosum.