Sexually transmitted infections: current challenges

HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhoea continue to pose a significant threat worldwide. Since 2022, mpox in particular has gained much attention. How can we protect ourselves?

Sexually Transmitted Infections: Overview and Current Statistics

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a major global challenge. The most significant STIs include HIV/AIDS, gonorrhoea, syphilis and human papillomavirus (HPV). In many regions, the number of infections continues to rise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one million people worldwide develop sexually transmitted infections every year.1 For example, in 2022, over 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia were reported in the US alone.2 Such trends are often due to unprotected sex and a decline in the use of prevention methods. Particularly in poorer countries, there are still major gaps in the prevention and treatment of STIs.3

Mpox: an emerging STI

One STI that has received a lot of attention in recent years is mpox, formerly known as monkeypox. Since 2022, the viral disease has been reported more frequently. Due to its rapid spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Mpox usually manifests clinically with fever, headache, muscle aches, and a painful swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by a characteristic skin rash that can develop in the form of lesions, papules or pustules. These skin lesions are often localised on the face, hands, genital area and around the anus. Although efforts to develop treatment options have been intensified, the therapeutic options for combating the mpox virus remain limited.8

Urgent situation in Africa

The African continent is currently struggling with a severe outbreak of mpox, which is particularly prevalent in the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 20,000 cases were reported in 2024. Refugees and population groups living in poor hygienic conditions and with limited access to health services are particularly at risk.3,7 A central component of the fight against mpox is an effective international cooperation and community education.6 WHO has recently approved a vaccine, but distribution is slow, especially in rural and remote areas, where a lack of infrastructure makes transport and storage difficult.4,5

The EADV Congress 2024: Exclusive insights into the latest developments in dermatology and venereology

In the face of rapid developments related to mpox and the global spread of sexually transmitted infections, it is more important than ever to stay informed and take advantage of the latest findings in prevention and treatment. Mpox is just one piece of a much larger puzzle that is keeping the global health sector busy.

We invite you to check our upcoming coverage of the EADV Congress which will tackle a wide range of topics including STI prevention, innovative approaches to basal cell carcinoma treatments, insightful discussions on skin diseases and the latest developments in HPV. You can read our upcoming articles on EADV 2024 by visiting our dedicated event page.

Sources
  1. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Global and regional STI estimates. WHO. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/global-and-regional-sti-estimates
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). 2022 STD Surveillance Report. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/std/statistics/2022/default.htm
  3. United Nations. (2024, September). WHO approves first mpox vaccine to boost access in Africa. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154041
  4. United Nations. (2024, August). Mpox: WHO urges stronger African response as outbreak spreads. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1153676
  5. United Nations. (2024, September). UNHCR launches appeal to support refugees in African countries. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154281
  6. United Nations. (2024, August). Mpox: Equitable vaccine access crucial for Global South. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1152956
  7. United Nations. (2024, September). WHO on alert as mpox cases surge to unprecedented levels in Africa. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154161
  8. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Mpox virus epidemiology and transmission dynamics. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10751291/