Men with gonorrhea smell bad to women

It's been said that scent plays a big part in human attraction. But a new study from researchers at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Russia reveals that smell may also subconsciously help individuals avoid partners who are infected with gonorrhea.

In a trial, a team of scientists observed that 50 percent of men with the sexually transmitted disease (STD) were rated as smelling "putrid" to female volunteers.

"We can conclude that unpleasant body odor of infected persons can reduce the probability of a dangerous partnership," concluded the study authors, quoted by MSNBC.

The results also showed that women were more likely to rate men who had been treated for gonorrhea as smelling worse than men who never had the STD.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that gonorrhea is among the most common STDs in the U.S. Moreover, it is sometimes asymptomatic, leading to a lack of treatment which can cause serious problems.

Practicing safer sex by using a condom and getting tested regularly for STDs may reduce a person's chances of becoming infected.