The internet and STDs

NEW YORK, 26 July (Praxis Press) The internet is a new forum for anonymously finding sex partners. McFarlane and colleagues studied the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among people who sought sex partners on the internet. More than 10% of clients undergoing HIV testing at a Denver clinic reported having sex with a partner they first met on the internet. Clients who sought sex online, relative to clients who didn't, were more likely to be men, to be homosexual, and to have more risk factors for STD exposure. Preventive strategies are needed to minimize the risk of STDs among internet sex seekers.