Product Description

Every year, millions of people are exposed to a sexually transmitted disease. And many people who are sexually active often worry about being infected. In her comprehensive guide to STDs, Dr. Lisa Marr tells readers everything they need to know about avoiding, preventing, and treating these diseases.

Complete and up-to-date, this book describes safer sex practices, testing protocols, and symptoms, and details commonly known treatments as well as significant recent medical advances -- including new testing for the herpes virus, the vaccine against the human papilloma virus (HPV), and new discoveries about the effectiveness of spermicides and condoms. For each disease, Dr. Marr offers the latest Sexually Transmitted Disease Treatment Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Forthright, compassionate, and practical, this guide is a trusted source of advice for anyone who is sexually active.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #272104 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 392 pages

From Library Journal
Each year more than 12 million people in the United States contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD), even though AIDS has increased awareness of safer sex practices. The fact that many infected individuals are asymptomatic allows inadvertent transmission of those diseases. Marr, a physician specializing in the treatment of STDs, has written an excellent book that offers practical information on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these infections. She begins with basic anatomy, symptoms, and the components of a medical examination for men and women. She then offers important advice about communications with sex partners and safe sex. The second part of her book discusses specific diseases and their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Although The Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sourcebook (Omnigraphics, 1997) offers more detail on individual diseases, it is much more expensive and lacks this book's vital information about communication. Marr's coverage of both gays and straights and use of case histories to teach make this an outstanding addition to all consumer health collections. Highly recommended.?Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Estimates are that more than 12 million people in the U.S. become infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) annually and that many of them do so because they rely on misinformation or are too embarrassed to ask for accurate information. Marr clearly presents up-to-date material on 22 STDs. In the book's first part, she covers anatomy, offers basic information, and cites case histories that have a personal ring instead of sounding made-up. She shows how a moment's exposure can wreck a life, distinguishes between intercourse and "outercourse," and offers a down-to-earth chapter on what "safe" sex really involves. In the encyclopedic second part, she describes in detail what each disease is, its prevalence and its symptoms; how it is transmitted; diagnostic tests for it; and treatments of it. She scatters bold-faced summary statements throughout the book to emphasize major points and to serve as marginal subject indexing. This is an authoritative book that speaks clearly to a broad range of readers. William Beatty

Review
"Marr, a physician specializing in the treatment of STDs, has written an excellent book that offers practical information on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these infections... Marr's coverage of both gays and straights and use of case histories to teach make this an outstanding addition to all consumer health collections." - Library Journal (starred review) "In the book's first part, [Marr] covers anatomy, offers basic information, and cites case histories that have a personal ring... She shows how a moment's exposure can wreck a life, distinguishes between intercourse and 'outercourse,' and offers a down-to-earth chapter on what 'safe' sex really involves. In the encyclopedic second part, she describes in detail what each disease is, its prevalence and its symptoms; how it is transmitted; diagnostic tests for it; and treatments of it... An authoritative book that speaks clearly to a broad range of readers." - Booklist "Accurate, well and clearly written, and well referenced." - Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases"

Customer Reviews

Sexually Transmitted Disease by Marr
This book explains the male and female anatomy with particular
emphasis on the causes and prevention of classic sexually
transmitted diseases and disease processes. The author
discusses herpes, lice, warts, yeast infections, testicle
bacteria, gonorrhea, prostrate infections, urinary tract
infections and a whole host of infectious diseases. There is
an exhaustive discussion of safe sex which includes:
o monogamy
o abstinence
o testing and checkups
o avoidance of risk behaviors
o outercourse
o chlamydia bacteria and special tests PCR, LCR

This book is valuable for anyone travelling overseas with an
expectation of engaging multiple sex partners. The author
explains the major disease processes, prevention strategies,
testing, diagnosis and modern treatment modalities. The book is
worth the price if you have questions about sexual contact and
the risks/precautions involved.

If use is any indication...
I am a consumer health librarian, and I keep a pretty close eye on my book collection to see what is being used. Although this book has never checked out in the 10 months we've had it, several times a week it moves around: it gets misshelved, set on top of the bookcase, taken into our waiting or reading area, left on a chair, etc. What this says to me is that there is a real demand for this information, but people are not inclined to check the book out and take it home (who wants to be spotted on the bus carrying a book on STDs?). So, people are sneaking a peek at the information when they can.

Besides being heavily used, this is a fine book that covers the full gamut of STDs, including many that I had not heard of (and I'm pretty savvy about medical terms and disease names), and helpful sections on genital anatomy, "What is 'safe sex'?", a symptom key, what to expect in an examination, and a section on how open communication can help save your life and health in a sexual situation. I wouldn't call the writing style fascinating, but it gets the information across in spades, and does not talk down or confuse. The book also has the full complement of appendices: resource list, glossary, bibliography (largely clinical medical articles), and an excellent index. This is a seriously good consumer health book, and I wish they were all like this, regardless of topic.

p.s.--When I went to get the book in the library stacks just now, it was misshelved again. ;)

The Hard Truth
I read the book for a research paper for one of my biology classes and was very impressed with it. The writer successfully explained in layman's terms the harsh truth about STDs. I recommend it to all. Everyone needs to be aware of the world we live in and we need to know the price we can pay for the decisions we make. I live in Miami, where the sex scene is everywhere: music, the club scene, movies, the media. You need to know before the bombardment of sexhits you, so that when you make your decisions, or mistakes, you are prepared.

Educational, and yet interesting.