Reducing the burden of sexually transmitted infections in resource-limited settings
The role of improved diagnostics
Summary
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia, exact a heavy toll on women in the developing world. Syphilis is a significant cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including stillbirth. Gonorrhoea and chlamydia are important causes of pelvic inflammatory disease and other debilitating conditions, especially among high-risk populations such as commercial sex workers (CSWs). The use of existing diagnostics for STIs is limited in the developing world due to cost, technical requirements and performance problems. This paper examines the potential impact of the introduction of betterperforming and more-accessible diagnostics for STIs among two targeted populations of women in the developing world.