Who would have thought it? A cuddly toy in the shape of a virus! These cuddly characters are incredibly endearing and educational too. Each one comes with a detailed scientific description and photograph of what he looks like under the microscope, along with medical tips on how to avoid picking up these bugs in daily life. Children seem to be totally fascinated by them, and it really helps when explaining all about why they are feeling poorly. The perfect gift to accompany a Get Well card. Also a brilliant present for medical students, doctors and nurses etc. You will soon understand why they are becoming amazingly popular! Start collecting now. FACTS: The clap, or gonorrhea, is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. (The word 'clap' comes from 'clapier', the old French word for brothel.) According to the World Health Organisation, gonorrhea causes 'infections principally of the urethra in men and the endocervix in women, although it may also infect extragenital mucosal sites, including the oropharynx and anorectum' In plain English, it causes itchiness, burning, abominable pain and eye catching discharges from infected areas. While symptoms generally occur within a week or so of infection, in a large number or cases - particularly in women - no symptoms are observed. Not only does this help the disease spread, but untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease which can scar the uterus, increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy, and ultimately cause infertility. In addition, babies born to infected mothers can suffer blindness and life-threatening blood infections. Finally, gonorrhea infections can raise the risk of HIV transmission by up to 500%. For those at risk, testing is essential: in most cases the clap can be treated with a single dose of antibiotics. But hold the applause: not only are resistant strains beginning to emerge, but if the reproductive system has been damaged, antibiotics will not repair it.