The so-called sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are the ones in which the transmission of pathogenic factors is mostly caused by sexual intercourse. Every year 333 million of documented new cases of STD occur all over the world. Due to an increase of incidence of STD, which was observed in the Province of Małopolska, the authors decided to check the knowledge of basic clinical symptoms and risk factors of transmission of venereal diseases. A group of 104 soldiers (quartered in military bases in Cracow) and a group of 41 medical students (the 1st and the 2nd year of medical studies at the CMUJ in Cracow) were included in the analysis. The investigated population was exclusively consisting of men, aged 19-25. The authors used their own questionnaire consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions. The result of the research revealed a very poor knowledge of basic clinical symptoms and risk factors of STD in both analysed groups. It implies the necessity of conducting educational activities on prophylaxis, risk factors and symptomatology of venereal diseases.