Swingers, straight couples who swap sex partners or have group sex, have some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases, Dutch researchers said. The researchers at the University of Maastricht based their findings on the data on
patients seeking treatment in 2007 and 2008 at three sexual health clinics in South Limburg, Netherlands. During the study period, there were just under 9,000 consultations at the three clinics, in which 12% were identified as swingers. The
study, published online ahead of print in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections , found swingers were among those with the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections -- young people and gay men. The combined rates of Chlamydia
and gonorrhea were 10% among straight people, 14% among gay men, just under 5% in female prostitutes and 10.4% among swingers. While other risk groups for sexually transmitted infections, such as young straight people and gay men, are
systematically identified at sexually transmitted infections healthcare facilities and provided with appropriate services, this is generally not the case for swingers, the authors said in a statement.
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