A lesser known sexually transmitted disease known as Mycoplasma genitalium has been getting much media attention as of late, after a new study revealed a significant portion of the population may be infected with it.

A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology discovered that over 1 percent of British people between the ages of 16 and 45 are infected with Mycoplasma genitalium, or MG.

The study was conducted using the urine samples of 4,507 sexually active men and women. About 1.2 percent of men had MG, while 1.3 percent of women were found with it. The infection was most prevalent in men ages 25-34 but completely absent in men ages 16-19. By contrast, the infection peaked in women 16-19 years old and decreased with age.

Past studies, such as this one from the American Journal of Public Health, found very similar results among the U.S. population.

MG, a bacteria that resides in the urinary and genital tract, was first discovered in the early 1980s. Its status as a possible STD was not realized until over a decade later, when studies found only sexually active people to be infected with it. Even now, studies are not completely conclusive, although it seems likely given gathered evidence.

The study found MG was more prevalent in those who reported "sexual risk behaviors," such as sleeping with multiple partners, changing partners or practicing unsafe sex.

Black men were more likely to test positive for MG, as well as men from impoverished circumstances.

Some 94 percent of men and 56 percent of women with the infection did not report any symptoms. A number of women said they experienced bleeding after sex, but it is unknown if this is connected with MG.

Post-coital bleeding can sometimes be a sign of cervical issues. A study from epidemiology professor Lisa E. Manhart found women with MG were at double the risk for cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease or preterm birth.

Treatment for MG is still largely speculatory. According to Live Science, Manhart says most antibiotics used to treat other common sexually transmitted diseases are ineffective against MG. So a doctor could potentially prescribe effective antibiotics through trial and error.

While more research needs to be done on Mycoplasma genitalium, general safe sex practices, such as using a condom, will likely protect you from infection.