More than one million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide. Two of the most common STIs – Neisseria gonorrhoeae and syphilis – cause greater concern because they are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Dia:gram speaks to Dr Edward Hook, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Director of the STD Control Program for the Jefferson County (Alabama) Department of Health, USA, to find out how regular screening can be a part of the solution to one of the top 10 global health threats.

References

¹World Health Organization. 2019. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

²World Health Organization. 2016. Global Health Sector Strategy on Sexually Transmitted Infections 2016 – 2021.

³Rowley J, Vander Hoorn S, Korenromp E, Low N, Unemo M, Abu-Raddad LJ, et al.  Global and Regional Estimates of the Prevalence and Incidence of Four Curable Sexually Transmitted Infections in 2016. WHO Bulletin.  June 2019.

⁴Report on global sexually transmitted infection surveillance, 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

⁵Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019. Antibiotic/Antimicrobial Resistance: Biggest Threats and Data