If the man has gonorrhea plus chlamydia, as frequently happens, the woman could be infected with both diseases at the same time. Vaginal intercourse is the classic route of STD infection. Sexually transmitted diseases weaken the immune system, so a person infected with one STD has a greater risk of acquiring other infections. Unfortunately, recovering from an STD does not make a person immune. Anyone who has had a particular STD is still at risk of getting it again.
Men are more likely to show clear symptoms of STDs.
Symptoms in women may not be as obvious, and the problem could be misdiagnosed. In the past, gay men have tended to have an above-average rate of infection with STDs. This is largely attributed to promiscuity and may have declined in response to the AIDS epidemic. Additionally, some men are secretly bisexual. If a man picks up an STD from a homosexual encounter, he may then pass the infection on to unsuspecting heterosexual partners.