Sexually transmitted infections -- the challenge.

More than 20 different organisms cause sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Bacterial infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia can be treated with common antibiotics while other STDs such as HIV are viral and currently have no cure. The most common signs of infection include discharge from the penis and abnormal discharge from the vagina blisters and sores in or outside of the genitals and swollen glands in the groin. However because many STDs cause either no or mild symptoms many people do not realize that they are infected. Every day about 1 million people are infected with an STD not including HIV. Most of these infections occur in developing countries where access to good quality health services is limited. Young people are especially vulnerable to STDs and HIV infection. Untreated STDs may cause serious complications such as chronic abdominal pain infertility and ectopic pregnancy in women while syphilis passed onto a fetus may cause premature birth congenital syphilis and infant death. The prevention and prompt effective treatment of STDs can significantly improve a populations reproductive health. Moreover since STDs facilitate the transmission of HIV interventions against STDs can also slow the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.