With the emergence of HIV/AIDS as a major problem in our country, attention has once again been focused on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and the measures to control such diseases. It is an unfortunate fact that not enough attention was paid earlier to make the STD services easily available and accessible to those who require such services Such services also tended to get stigmatized.

In his book on "Sex, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS", Dr R. S. Misra has sought to demystify this subject and provide information which would prove to be extremely useful to the health-providers in an extremely lucid manner and one does not have to labor through the pages of this book I would expect that this book will be an important addition to the text-books written on this subject Dr. Misra has indeed done an excellent job.

This is one of a set of publications brought out by Vigyan Prasar in connection with the celebrations of the National Science Day (NSD) in 1995 for which the focal theme was "Science for Health". The idea originally was to quickly come out with several small books or booklets, on familiar health topics of everyday interest to the common people, written by well-known practicing doctors specializing in those areas. But since things did not happen 'quickly' enough to meet the NSD deadline, a decision was taken to reorient this effort and the concept of a "Vigyan Prasar Health Series" was born.

This volume titled "Sex, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS" by Dr R. S. Misra, Consultant and Head, Department of Skin, STD and Leprosy and Regional STD teaching, Training and Research Centre, Safdarjang Hospital, New Delhi, deals with those sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) which are not only quite widespread but their incidence is also on the rise m some segments of our population. AIDS, transmitted mostly through sexual contact, is one such case in point. Considering the prevailing ignorance and misinformation concerning matters of sex and sex-related problems, the author has done well to deal with these issues at some length. Based on his wide expenence, he has compiled broad guidelines on prevention and treatment of STDs.

One hopes that readers, in particular those, who have seen or known someone close to them suffer from one of these ailments would be able to benefit through a better understanding of the underlying causes and an appreciation of the basic philosophy behind its medical care and control.

The present volume on 'Sex, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and AIDS' is a result of experience gained by the author in explaining and discussing the subject with a large number of his patients coming to him not only with STDs, but more often with many other sexual problems for which they did not receive satisfactory explanation and management at various ends in spite of spending money and effort at their command. The matter being of a very personal nature and of utmost importance to them and in relationship with their sexual partners had many a time brought them to a catastrophic end It always did not need high degree of technical skill in diagnosis and management of their ailment. At times what needed the most was only a patient and sympathetic hearing and explaining to them the simple facts of human anatomy and physiology related to sexual matters.

My viewpoint was further strengthened during my long years of teaching various levels of medical personnel, post-graduates in the field of Skin and STD, Medical Officers, various categories of paramedical workers, e g., nurses, laboratory technicians, medical social-workers, voluntary health workers, etc. My association as Director for the STD Training Programmes run by the Regional STD Teaching, Training & Research Centre made me acutely aware of the need for a suitable teaching material, which was not available. The introduction of AIDS in the curriculum in early nineties and its transparent relationship with STDs further aggravated this need. Further the medical personnel attending the four to seven days short-term training programmes were in dire need of a suitable teaching material which they could assimilate easily and cagy with them as an useful guide for further use in their practice.

The subject has been dealt with keeping the manifold needs of various groups and encapsulating them to the best of my capability.

**Contents and Sample Pages**