Let's talk about STDs

It's time we talk about the birds and the bees . . .

Most students can relate to the awkward introductory phrase of a soon-to-be uncomfortable talk with a parent. 'Always use protection,' was usually repeated quite a few times.

But how much did people actually pay attention to? Sexually transmitted infections and sexually transmitted diseases are likely the last thought to go through a person's mind in the heat of the moment. But to ignore the possibility of getting one is to ignore the gruesome consequences that could result.

Gonorrhea mutates to resist antibiotic treatment

Gonorrhea has become so resistant to one class of antibiotics that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that the drugs should no longer be used to treat it.

Now that fluoroquinolones, such as Cipro, are no longer recommended, only a single class of antibiotics, called cephalosporins, is left to treat gonorrhea, the second-most common infectious disease reported to the CDC, after chlamydia. In 2005, nearly 340,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported nationwide, according to the CDC, which estimates that twice as many people are actually infected.