Can we put a figure on the infectivity of HIV infection per coital act, and on the relative importance of the various determinants of transmission? Estimates are needed in order to plan effective interventions. A recent paper, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases (Hughes, Celum et al.), discussed by an editorial (Gray & Wawer) […]
Latest articles
Cervical cancer prevention in low-resource settings: could self-testing be the answer?
A recent paper (Qiao et al.) – Journal of National Cancer Institute (JNCI) 104:3 – reports the findings of a series of 5 population-based studies of self-screening for cervical cancer in rural China, involving 13,140 participants. They are particularly relevant to STI readers on account of issues they raise about the effectiveness of screening programs […]
Call for papers on Criminalizing Contagion
The BMJ Group journals Sexually Transmitted Infections (impact factor 3.029) and the Journal of Medical Ethics (impact factor 1.391), in conjunction with academics at the Centre for Social Ethics and Policy (University of Manchester) and the Health Ethics and Law Network (University of Southampton), would like to publish a collection of articles on the criminalization […]
Did syphilis really originate in the New World? An old theory reconsidered.
Outside Naples, 1495, an unknown epidemic struck the mercenary army of the French King Charles VIII, subsequently considered to be the first recorded outbreak of syphilis in the Old World. As early as the sixteenth century, the sudden emergence of the disease was popularly attributed to Columbus’ recent voyage to the New World. Yet doubts […]
Bloodless circumcision procedure opens the way to HIV prevention in Rwanda
As three recent randomized control trials undertaken in Africa have shown, male circumcision can reduce risk of HIV transmission by 53-60%. But sub-Saharan African countries will need to scale up voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) hugely if they are to achieve these preventative benefits. (See our earlier blog: Costing the Scale-Up of Voluntary Male Medical […]
Modelling ART impact on HIV prevention within discordant couples
The HPTN 052 study, discussed in an earlier blog, appears to offer a godsend: a demonstrated 96% reduction in HIV transmission in discordant couples using antiretroviral therapy (ART). Apparently, the extension of ART conveys an additional, and unexpected, benefit in its potential impact on prevention. But how do we quantify the additional benefit? A recent […]
Could Millennium Development Goals be bad for your health?
A recent paper by a Belgian team discusses the health impact of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in sub-Saharan Africa, and highlights the potential short-termism of a strategic approach focussed on “quick wins”. Many of the health issues discussed touch on sexual health. The year 2001 saw poverty become the focus of the global political […]
Do you want to write for us?
We are seeking contributions on clinical topics of interest to our readers, for the “How To” series, edited by Dr Sarah Edwards. Could you write for your colleagues on a topic of practical relevance to clinicians? Perhaps a common clinical conundrum, or an area not covered by guidelines where evidence is lacking? If you would […]
Costing the scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision
The end of November saw the first in a series of nine new articles produced by researchers associated with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United States President’s Emergency Plan of AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This article proposes a rapid (five-year) scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in 13 priority sub-Saharan […]
Non-targeted HIV testing in health settings – worthwhile?
A large, recently published French study, based in metropolitan Paris, places a question mark over the value of non-targeted HIV screening as a strategy to lower the number of undiagnosed infections and improve early detection. Late diagnosis of HIV remains a common problem both in France – where, despite accessible testing, one-third of diagnoses are […]