Conference Highlights

Key facts More than 1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are acquired every day worldwide. Each year, there are an estimated 357 million new infections with 1 of 4 STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. More than 500 million people are estimated to have genital infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV). More than 290 million women have human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (1). The majority of STIs have no symptoms or only mild symptoms that may not be recognized as an STI. STIs such as HSV type 2 and syphilis can increase the risk of HIV acquisition. 988 000 pregnant women were infected with syphilis in 2016, resulting in over 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths. In some cases, STIs can have serious reproductive health consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself (e.g., infertility or mother-to-child transmission) Drug resistance, especially for gonorrhea, is a major threat to reducing the impact of STIs worldwi...

Infectious diseases are caused by organisms, usually microscopic in sizes, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that are passed, directly or indirectly, from one person to another. Humans can also become infected following exposure to an infected animal that harbors a pathogenic organism that is capable of infecting humans. Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in low-income countries, especially in young children. Three infectious diseases were ranked in the top ten causes of death worldwide in 2016 by the World Health Organization. They are lower respiratory infections (3.0 million deaths), diarrheal diseases (1.4 million deaths), and tuberculosis (1.3 million deaths). HIV/AIDS, which was previously on the list, has dropped from the global list of the top ten causes of death (1.0 million deaths in 2016 compared with 1.5 million in 2000), but it is still a leading cause of death in low-income countries. Another infectious disease...