Private MD News

Common STD may make men's sweat stink

Category: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Most people are familiar with some of the more common symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia or gonorrhea, but a new study has uncovered a lesser known symptom associated with a positive STD test.

A team of researchers from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Russia found that men infected with gonorrhea tend to have a body odor that is repellent to women, according to MSNBC.

For the study, the researchers collected sweat samples from a group of men who either had gonorrhea, had been successfully treated for the infection or had never been infected. Female volunteers then smelled the samples and rated them.

The news source reports that samples from men with gonorrhea were by far the most objectionable. They were at times described as smelling "putrid."

The problem could affect a large segment of the population, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 94.1 men per 100,000 individuals have gonorrhea. Seeking STD testing and treatment may help these individuals overcome the infection, as it can often be cured with a round of antibiotics.