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High-risk behaviors

High risk behaviors increase the risk of acquiring a sexually-transmitted disease (STD). These include:

• having multiple sexual partners (or changing sexual partners)
• having (yourself) a past history of any STD
• having a partner with a past history of any STD
• having a partner with an unknown history of STDs
• using drugs or alcohol in a situation where sex might occur
• having a partner who is an IV drug user
• anal intercourse
• having unprotected intercourse (sex without the use of a male or female condom) with an unknown partner

Drinking alcohol or using drugs increases the risk. These behaviors increase the likelihood that a person will participate in high-risk sexual activity. In addition, some diseases can be transferred through the sharing of used needles or other drug paraphernalia.

High risk groups include people that engage in sexual relations with multiple partners, intravenous drug users who share needles, the sexual partners of those in high risk groups, infants born to mothers with an STD, and people who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985 (prior to standard screening for the HIV virus in the blood).

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